Page 61 of Craving Theodora
“Later than you,” Curtis replied, walking toward the coffeepot on the counter. “Found you wrapped like a burrito on the floor of the bonus room when we got here.”
“I figured you were the one who moved the TV,” Dylan said, leaning back in his chair.
“You knew better.”
“We don’t have any furniture,” Dylan complained. “We had to set it on something.”
“You couldn’t have set up the game on the TV downstairs? That one’s hangin’ on the wall.”
Finn finally exited the pantry as Dylan shook his head. “It was creepin’ Jesse out ’cause we don’t have any curtains or anythin’ down here.”
Curtis looked at me, raised his eyebrows, and lifted the coffee carafe. I nodded. Maybe I’d shoot the coffee and chase it with an energy drink. I wasn’t sure anything else would fully wake me up. I wondered briefly if you could chew the grinds to get the caffeine quicker.
“Did you unload the mattress?” Curtis asked Dylan as he prepared the coffee.
“No, I forgot it was in there,” Dylan said, dropping the chair back to four legs.
“Go do that now, yeah? Then Jess’ll have somewhere to sleep tonight.”
“I’ll help,” Jesse said, hopping down from the counter.
“I can carry a mattress,” Dylan informed them as they raced each other out of the kitchen.
I barely heard them as I stared at Curtis’s back.
It was such a small thing, but…he’d shortened Jesse’s name.
“Mom, can you help me?” Finn asked, thrusting the box of cereal in my face. “I can’t get the bag open.”
“Sure,” I replied distractedly.
I helped Finn with his cereal and was still standing at the counter when Curtis set a cup of coffee down in front of me. His hand slid around to press against my belly as his lips hit the back of my neck.
“You wanna hit some garage sales today and see if we can find some furniture?”
“Sure,” I breathed, my skin breaking out in goose bumps.
Curtis lifted his head when there was a loud thump by the front door.
“We’re okay,” Jesse called out, laughter in their voice.
“When you’re done, get dressed,” Curtis called back. “We’re gonna go see if we can find you some furniture.”
“Awesome!” Jess called back.
“Do I have to go?” Dylan asked.
“He’s going,” Jesse countered.
“I have furniture,” Dylan reminded his dad.
There was some kind of hushed conversation that we couldn’t hear, then Dylan spoke again.
“Fine, I’ll go!”
“They’re friends now,” Finn informed us gloomily as he stared at the back of the cereal box.
“Oh yeah?” Curtis asked, walking back to the coffeepot. He must have chugged his coffee to finish it, but I wasn’t sure how since mine was still hotter than Mt. Doom.
