I hang up.A notice immediately pops up on my screen, reminding me that the phone bill is due in one week.
“Dammit,” I mutter.
“Haven’t we talked about your potty mouth?”a low voice asks from behind me.
I whirl around.Mr.Tyler is standing in the doorway, a disapproving expression on his face.Feeling guilty even though I am fully within my rights to swear at my phone when I think I’m by myself, I say, “Sorry, Mr.Tyler.I didn’t know you were there.”
A slow grin spreads across his face.“It’s okay.Are you on a break right now?”
I have to answer yes, even if I technically am not, because otherwise I shouldn’t be sitting down and talking on the phone—I should be cleaning, doing my job.“Yes, Mr.Tyler.”
“Wait,” he says, “you’ve been crying.Do you need to talk about anything?”
Gone is the sexy grin.I mourn its absence.
“No, everything’s fine,” I say.
“I can tell something’s wrong.”
I shrug.It’s not his business.
“Ella,” he says.“Talk to me.If not about what’s bothering you, then anything else.Please.I’d feel like an asshole if I left you alone right now.”
What if I want to be alone?I think of asking.But I don’t want to be alone.Mr.Tyler standing here, in this room with me, is a salve.
“What do you want to talk about, then?”I ask.
“Whatever you want.What’s your favorite food?”
I think back to when I had plenty of groceries to cook with.It wasn’t like I could ever be truly indulgent, but I used to be able to buy enough to cook good meals.“Lasagna is my comfort food,” I say finally.“What’s yours?”
“Macaroni and cheese.Out of the box.”
“No,” I groan.“That is an affront to all that is good in this world.”
He shakes his head.“Nope.I used to request it for every birthday.”
“What’s your star sign?”I ask.
He frowns.“I can’t remember.”
“Well, when’s your birthday?”
“December sixth.”
“You’re a Sagittarius,” I say.“I’m an Aries.We’re both fire signs.”
He rubs a hand over his whiskers.“I don’t believe in that stuff.”
“Me neither,” I say with a shrug, “but it’s interesting.”
“Tell me more about this fire sign thing.”
His voice is deep and commanding, and I find myself rushing to obey.
“Oh, I don’t know much about it,” I say, “just that different signs are associated with different elements.Leo, Aries, Sagittarius are all fire signs.There are also air, earth, and water, but I’m not sure which signs they go with.”
“Interesting,” he says, still standing in the doorway.“When is the Leo birthday?”
