“Okay. So we could maybe hunt up some multivitamins and see what else is on the menu, then?”
“Yeah. But we still have to worry about raiders. Like those people who were coming to break into the house. They may have been after more than just stuff. You get that, right?” His forehead fills with furrows. “Some of the survivors will only do what they need to get by. But others will get off on hurting people, and there’s no one to stop them now. Not necessarily any consequences to their actions. Someone stealing our shit is one thing. But rape, torture, murder…”
“You’re trying to scare me.”
“Doesn’t make it any less the truth.”
“I know.” Time to give lunch the taste test. “Cheesy.”
“Please tell me you’ll be careful and take the threat seriously.”
“I will be careful.”
“Thank you,” he says, stirring the contents of his own pouch. “I appreciate you sticking with me and giving this a chance.”
I smile. “I am not an idiot, Dean. This new world scares the shit out of me.”
“You don’t show it.”
“Bravado is my bitch. But I acknowledge that my chances of survival are better with you than they would be on my own. Though that may change as time goes by. I don’t know.”
He half smiles and asks, “How’d you end up in Oregon?”
“Followed a boyfriend. Wound up dumping him but decided to stay. Portland had a good music scene. Cool shops and cafés.”
He just nods.
“You were never tempted to leave?” I ask.
“Nuh.”
We’re back to one-word answers. This won’t do. “Tell me about your exes,” I say.
The way his wary gaze jumps to my face, it would seem I have startled the man. “Why do you want to know about them?”
“Because I want to know aboutyou.”
Such a heavy frown. Oof. “There were a few. None of them lasted more than a year or so.”
“Why is that?”
He shovels a forkful of mac and cheese into his mouth. Such a great way to get around having to answer. But I am patient as can be. When he finally finishes chewing and swallowing, he says, “I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
“They wanted more than I had to give.”
“There you go.” I take another sip of water. “Your commitment issues sure changed quickly.”
“Funnily enough, news of the world ending sort of shocked the fuck out of me.”
“It’s going around.” I nod. “How long have you been watching me?”
He sighs. “It wasn’t like I was stalking you or anything. I just tended to notice you.”
“You don’t think this maybe all goes a little beyond tending to notice someone?”
Nothing from him. But his expression is guilty as sin.
