“Everything okay?”
Lanz is in the kitchen when I come downstairs. I almost jump out of my skin on my way to the fridge.
I breathe out hard and push my glasses up my nose. “Fine.” Pause. “Why?”
Lanz looks up from where he’s reading at the kitchen island and shrugs.
“You look like you’re on edge, is all.”
I grip the towel at my waist. Say nothing.
“Night shift go all right?”
“It was fine.” Not two minutes out of the shower and my body feels hot again. I ignore it and push things around in the fridge, foraging for orange juice, like this is any normal morning. I try to pretend Lanz isn’t there as I find a glass.
Wait a minute. Lanz usuallyisn’there.
“Why aren’t you on duty?” I ask, not turning around.
“Swapped with Kai. I haven’t been feeling…” He trails off.
Okay. I set down the glass, uncap the juice.
“I have to tell you something,” comes Lanz’s voice.
I stop mid-pour. “Tell me what?”
“I…uh…” There’s a long pause. “I may have told Gwenna that you liked her.”
Alarm seizes me. I spin around.
“What the fuck?” I say it before I can stop myself. “Why?”
“Because I’m an idiot?” Lanz winces, scrubbing the back of his head with his hand. “Yesterday. I…I was feeling bad, I was kinda…out of it.” He leans his head back against the wall. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” I say, my voice sounding strangled. I can’t move. Can’t drink the glass I just poured. Just stand there in my towel and scapular. I blink. Breathe in.
“I don’t understand,” I say. “Why’d you say that to her?”
“What, you mean…” Lanz cocks his head at me, eyes narrowed. He rolls his lips together. “I mean, it is true, isn’t it?”
My mouth goes dry.
Her body pressed against mine.
The look in her eyes.
I say nothing.
For some reason, that seems to tick Lanz off. His blue eyes darken, and he jumps to his feet.
“Oh, so you’re going to deny it?” He looks me up and down. Goosebumps prickle over my skin. “Come on, Cal. I know you too well for that.”
I look at the ground, unable to answer.
Not sure I even need to.
Because he’s right. He does.
