Page 174 of Pareidolia

“You didn’t come here just to check out my book, did you?” I already know it’s more than that. He’s eager, anxious, excited.

None of those are really good emotions when directed toward me, but…

“Dad told me I should see if you wanted to have dinner. Something about you being in that big ol’ house all by yourself with nothing but memories and shadows to keep you company.”

I manage not to cringe, because he’s half right. There’s definitely a shadow there… and I’m pretty sure he’s flirting dangerously with meeting it if he keeps this up.

“I probably can in a few weeks?” I offer, hoping that by then he’ll either get the hint or I’ll figure out another way to beg off. Maybe I can convince Nox that making friends is another thing I need to do to blend in.

I seriously doubt that one, though. Staying in town is one thing. People being around me and taking up my time?

I don’t think he’d let that one slide.

“You have plans between now and then?” He arches a brow, and I offer another sweet lie of a smile.

“Yeah, it’s called cleaning out a house where druggy hoarders used to live.” I rack my brain to figure out what else I can say to placate him. “Maybe we can meet at the diner sometime next week?”

His face brightens like I just told him he won the fucking lottery, and I inwardly curse.

Noah Daniels is a problem.

I wonder, if I tell him that I’m the one who killed his brother, would he leave me alone?

Probably.

But that would be a whole different issue, wouldn’t it? Besides, as far as people go… he seems like he’s not the worst. I do need to seem normal—like I can be friendly with my neighbors.

If Noah can get over smiling at me like he wants to really get to know me, he could fit that bill. Another perfect layer to my mask that will let me stay here with Nox.

“That sounds perfect.”

Perfect.

Perfectly fucked up.

Nox is probably going to kill him, and then I’m going to have to worry about how we’ll hide the body of the town’s beloved ranger.

I don’t want to deal with this.

“Hey, Noah?” I smile again.

“Yeah?”

Too fucking eager. Jesus.

“I’m not technically supposed to leave the front counter, but do you think you could watch it for me?” I hook my thumb over my shoulder toward the back of the building. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”

Noah nods, that same smile on his face. “No problem.”

I take off before he has a chance to smile me to death. Those fucking teeth are so white they’re trying to blind me.

As soon as I turn the corner, I rip the glove that I’m wearing off so I can see my hand—the soft red glow and the squirming black beneath it is almost comforting. It’s a reminder that I’m never going to fit in with people like Noah, that there’s no point in trying to make friends with someone who is never going to know who I really am.

All of this is just pretend.

Fuck, it’s so much easier to interact with Nox than with humans. I don’t know what that says about me that I didn’t already know was true… but I’m learning a new thing as I make my way to the back of the library toward the double doors there.

I miss him. And that… that’s something I wasn’t expecting.