Page 60

Anna laughs again, setting the phone against her chest for a moment.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing. They're just ridiculous.”

“Sounds like a great little team you have there.”

She looks up at me, smiling. “They really are.”

The phone clucks again, and she groans, already reaching to open the next round of messages.

I pull her back against me before she can sit up straight.

“Stay there, fancy.”

“I need to read.”

“You can read perfectly well from here.”

She settles against my chest again, still smiling, and the Hen House carries on, none of them any wiser about where Anna is tonight or who she's curled up beside.

Then my phone blares off.

Gabe:

You got the game on?

Rez:

No, I thought I'd spend the evening staring at a blank screen.

Gabe:

Good. He's still got his personality. I was worried we'd lost him.

Rez:

What do you want?

Gabe:

Nothing. Just checking in on my favorite couch potato. How's the company?

Rez:

Good.

Gabe:

Good. And how's the game?

Rez:

Also, good.

Gabe:

Fascinating conversation. You always this chatty when you have company?