Page 345 of Ruthless Court
“Did he make you watch film?”
“Did she make him watch film?”
I hold up both hands.
“One at a time.”
Noah points at me.
“Did he behave?”
I glance toward the hallway.
“Yes.”
That quiets them more than I expect.
Eli’s grin softens.
“Good.”
Something in the simple response catches me.
These guys tease him relentlessly.
Still, they care.
“He took me to an open mic at a bookstore.”
Every face turns toward the hallway.
Jalen looks stunned.
“Haverhill?”
“Yes.”
“A bookstore?”
“Yes.”
“With books?”
I stare at him.
“No. The other kind.”
Noah starts laughing.
Eli shakes his head.
“Our boy is gone.”
“He is not gone.”
“He voluntarily attended poetry.”
“There was sourdough.”
