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“Myname?Selena?Idon’t have to change my name, doI?Idon’t thinkI’dbe very good at that.Youknow when you think about being a spy, like could you do it?Wouldyou be able to lead a double life and murder people for a living?Ijust don’t thinkIcould lead a double life like that.I’mnot good at keeping my story straight.IthinkI’dalways be answering to the wrong name and not answering the right one.So, can’t we just use my real name?Thepress already knows whoIam, thanks to you.”
Ishake my head. “Asalways, there’s a helluva lot to unpack there.Murderingpeople wouldn’t be the issue with you being a spy?”
“I’massuming they would deserve it, right?”
“Andyou regularly think about whether you would be good at being a spy?Thisis something you do?”
“Howregularly is regularly?Definitelyevery timeIwatch a spy show or movie.Absolutely.Also,I’mnot good with accents, so that’s another problem.”Shefrowns, like it’s a serious failure.
“Okay, well,I’mlearning a lot about you, as per usual, whenever you open your mouth and string more than two words together.ButImeant anickname.Likebaby or honey or something like that.”
Shecrunches up her face. “Thoseare kind of boring.Whatabout my moon and my stars?Loveof my life?Giftof a woman?”
Asmile tugs at my lips. “Ithink it probably needs to be something short, orIwouldn’tIjust saySelena?”
“Fine,Idon’t care what you call me if it’s going to be boring.”
“Greatfeedback,”Itell her, shaking my head.
“WhatshouldIcall you?Babeseems too boring.Whatabout wild stallion?No, that feels too long.Hmmm, what aboutnugget?”
“Isthere a fourth option?”
“Ireally like nugget.Letme try it out.Ithink you’re really going to like it.”
“Doubtit.Andaren’t you vegan?Whythe hell do you want to call menugget?”
“Youremember thatI’mvegan?Doesn’tmatter.Nuggetsare adorable, andIwould never eat them.It’sperfect.”
Sheslides her hand into mine and then looks up at me with her big hazel eyes. “Comeon,Nugget.Let’sgo,Nugget.”
Mylips twitch before pulling into a big-ass smile.I’mgoing to let this woman call menugget, andI’mgoing to like it.
“See, it’s perfect!”
“Idon’t know about perfect.Butat least it’s weird enough that no one would believeI’dlet you call me that if this wasn’t real.”
Thesmile she gives me is pure sunshine. “LikeIsaid, perfect.”
“Let’sgo get our pictures taken…”
Shelooks panicked. “Ineed to use the bathroom first.”
“Okay, there’s one in your room, my room.Andthen another eight.Takeyour pick.I’llmeet you back in the living room.”
OatsandIare waiting in the living room whenSelenafinds us again.
“Igot lost.AndImet someone namedMargrit.Isshe your housekeeper?Sheseemed kind of surprised to find a random woman milling around your house.Ididn’t know what to say, soItold herIwas your… new friend.”
“Let’sget going.”Myjaw clenches.
Grabbingher hand,Ipull her down the hall to the garage.Aspissed asIam,I’mcareful not to press too hard.Herhand is so small in mine.
Ilead her over to the passenger door of mySuburbanand open it for her.
“Thanks,” she whispers.
Neitherof us says anything while we buckle up andIdrive out of the garage and then out of the security gates onto the road outside.
