Page 11 of Savored Sins
“Okay. Yes. Okay,” Benji says. He’s biting his lip, clearly trying to get his laughter under control. “We’re listening. What’s the show? What’s the contest?”
“The SyFy Channel has plans for a new ghost hunting show, and they’re doing a contest for it.” I’m waving my knife around with excitement while I talk, the basil all but forgotten. “You enter by filming and submitting a pilot episode for the series—you know, putting your own spin on it—and the winner gets their pilot produced, along with a season-long contract. It’sperfect.”
Will walks to the stove and flicks on another burner. Having only recently opened himself back up to the spirit world, Will is still a little hesitant to get involved in anything having to do with ghosts. As he adds ground meat to the pan, he quirks an eyebrow at me. “Interesting. You think you can win?”
“Duh. I mean… this ismoiwe are talking about,” I say, puffing out my chest.
My degree in sound production means I also studied a lot of videography in college, so I do know alittleabout what I’m doingwith a camera—but I’m nowhere near as confident as I’m trying to make it seem.
That’s a little trick I’ve picked up over the course of my life: Pretend everything’s great, and everythingwillbe great. Or, at least, your nonstop momentum will allow you to keep on cruising when things eventually go south.
Slow down and acknowledge shit? Psh. You’re toast.
“That actually sounds pretty cool,” Benji says. He runs a hand through his long, glorious hair and gives me a nod that says he’s impressed. “I like the initiative. Let me know if you need me for anything.”
“Thanks,” I say. “But I want this to just be me. It’s important for the brand, bro—can’t have you coming in and stealing the damn show with those luscious locks of yours. Granted, with this fashion show I’m walking in—oh,yeah. I forgot. You guys. Autumn Carroway asked me to?—”
“Autumn Carroway?” A sharp voice cuts me off, and Lydia comes striding into the kitchen, tossing her keys onto the counter. She fixes me with an expectant gaze. “WhataboutAutumn, Zeke?”
“Well, shit—hello to youtoo, Madam Librarian,” I say, blowing her a kiss. I’m teasing Lydia like it’s a joke, but there’s a part of me that’s a little wounded by the defensive tone in her voice. Like I can’t be trusted with her friend. Like she’s just waiting for me to screw up.
“You’re right—sorry,” Lydia says, blowing out her breath as she goes to hug Will. He plants a kiss on the top of her head, still pushing the meat around in the pan with a spatula. She glances at the iPhone and waves. “Hey, Benj. Hey, Zeke. Everything okay?”
“Sure is,” I say. It’s a half-hearted apology, and she doesn’t address the tone she just took, but I’m not about to go down that road. She’s probably right, anyway. I’d be wary of me if Iweren’tme—which is something I’m weirdly proud of, come to think of it. “And as I wassaying, Autumn Carroway” —I flash a little grin in Lydia’s direction— “asked me to walk in her fashion show a couple weeks from now. Said she needed someone to model her menswear line, and she thought I’d be just the man for the job.”
Benji looks amused, but he’s nodding along with me. “Right on, man. I’d imagine they’ll be taking tons of photos—you’ll probably get some good headshots out of the deal, too.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Lydia says, holding out a hand. “I thought Autumn got Nico Brooks to walk in her show. What happened with that?”
I shrug. “Dunno, don’t care. All I know is she asked me, and I said I’d be down for it if she’d let me film my pilot episode in her house. Becausedamn,is there something in there.”
This time Lydia holds up both hands. “Okay, I’m going to need someone to catch me up because I am officially confused.”
Will chuckles. “We all are, babe.”
“Zeke’s entering a contest to get his own ghost hunting show produced by SyFy,” Benji offers, his normally rich voice tinny through the iPhone speaker. “I guess he made a deal with Autumn that he’d walk in her show if she lets him film his entry for the contest at her house.”
“Bingo,” I say, shooting finger guns at Benji.
“Dude, she already lets you live in her freaking cabin,” Will says, dumping a jar of tomato sauce into the pan on the stove. “How the hell did you eke outmoreof a deal?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I ask, winking at him.
He doesn’t answer, just moves to the fridge and takes out a block of parmesan, which he lobs at me. “Forget the basil—grate that. Grater’s in the top drawer there.”
“Well,I’dlike to know how you know her house has ghosts,” Lydia puts in. She’s eyeing me as I dig for the cheese grater. “Are you, like, finding yourself inside her house frequently…?”
“God, Lydia,” Benji laughs. “If you want to know if Zeke’s been banging your friend, why don’t you just ask him? I’m sure he’dloveto tell us about it!”
“You bet your ass I’d be talking about it,” I say, smirking at Lydia. “In fact, if it ever happens—oh, sorry,whenit happens—you’ll be the first to know. But alas, that day has not yet arrived.”
Lydia rolls her eyes at both me and Benji, and I cackle with delight. It’s really no wonder she and Will wanted me out of their hair—I get so much joy from ribbing them. I flash Lydia a grin as I slice off a huge hunk of cheese and pop it into my mouth.
“Zeke!” Will growls. “What the hell? Did you justeathalf that block of parmesan?”
“Sorry,” I say, grinning through a mouthful of cheese. “I couldn’t help it. It—it just crumbled into my mouth. In all seriousness, though…” I pause to chew and swallow. “I’m excited for the opportunity. I checked out Autumn’s previous collection—she’s got it on her website—and she does some really dope stuff. It’s all upcycled—like, she takes these vintage pieces and gives them a whole new life. She fuckingsews.”
Lydia cracks me a smile, and I know she’s not pissed anymore. She appreciates my genuine recognition of her friend’s talent. This is the nature of Lydia’s and my relationship—wobbly, like some kind of hanging footbridge, but we always manage to make it across with each other.
