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Scrunching her nose, she asked, “Why are you self-tanning?”
“It’s part of my disguise.”
She covered her eyes and groaned. “This isn’t a game, Lucas.”
Another voice intervened. “Birdie, are you playing the Blame Game? Tap twice if you’re okay.”
In unison, she and Lucas’s heads swept toward the door where Flynn had peeked his head inside with his hands over his eyes.
The man reminded Birdie of an older Jack Black, who spoke with little to no intonation, causing him to come off as indifferent and devoid of feelings. Despite that, she knew differently.
He was admittedly bewildered by people and their emotions. And due to his sketchy upbringing, highly confused about what was normal and what was questionable.
Flynn was odd, but Birdie found she liked him and his quirkiness. Immensely. He was protective and informative. And had managed to navigate a family that was one moment dismissive and the next verbally abusive.
She could relate.
“I’m fine. Come inside.”
He raised one arm through the door, holding what looked to be a pink water gun. Like the one Mia used to play with at the pool when she was younger.
With a trembling hand, Flynn said, “Sir, just so you know, this is a Taser and I know how to use it. I’ve practiced. Not on a live person, mind you. But a conductive target I purchased online.”
Birdie didn’t have time for this. “Flynn, put the Taser down. Come inside before you hurt yourself or someone sees you. This is a friend. He’s not trying to hurt me.”
He lowered his arm and weapon. “Then why are you telling him to leave you alone?”
“You’re going to have to trust me when I tell you it’s in his best interest.”
“Because of the sleeping room?”
That was a weird statement. “You mean like a bedroom?“
Lucas lightly squeezed her arm and said, “Flynn, I met a friend of yours the other day. Her name is Tatiana. You might know her as Tati. She told me to thank you and to assure you that she has every intention of coming through on her promise.”
Flynn lowered his weapon, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. Visibly open to hearing more. “You know Tati? Ms. Northrop?”
Lucas nodded with an assuring smile while Birdie glanced back and forth between the two.
“She’s promised to help me to leave,” Flynn stated with a slight softness to his face.
The closest to an expression she had seen on the man.
“I’m going to help, as well,” Lucas assured.
Flynn nodded. “Okay.”
Lucas added, “Listen to me, Flynn. There’s a trunk in the attic. There’s something in one of them that’s very important. Do you know the trunks I’m talking about?”
“The trunks are gone,” Flynn said, monotone.
Birdie was trying to keep up with the conversation, but the trunks sparked recollection.
Before she could speak up, Flynn added, “There were supposed to be two antique steamer trunks in the attic. I know because Errol spent a whole day tearing the attic apart looking for them. But now they’re gone. I know, because I used to like going up there. It was quiet and no cameras. But then I learned how to turn the cameras off.”
Lucas performed his sexy, mindless gesture of running his fingers through his dark hair, making Birdie want to follow along with her own.
Years. More than half her life and he could still make her swoon by merely ruffling his hair, making it look all roused and unkempt.
