Page 101 of Challenge Me

“Oh.” Leaning my elbows on the counter, I continued to watch him set out more ingredients. “What are we having?”

“I don’t have a lot to work with here, but I was thinking lavash with some feta, eggs on the side, and obviously coffee.” He slid a cutting board over to me, along with a tomato. “You can handle that, right?”

“Sure.” I quickly washed my hands, then grabbed a knife.

“My parents used to make this all the time. Theirs was definitely more authentic, but that’s okay.”

I rolled my lips as I tried to think of something to say. Turning to face him, I spun the knife casually. “This is a piece of you.”

“You gave me a piece of you.”

“Let’s not talk about it.”

He snorted but seemed content to move on. Even while I sliced the tomato, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at him. At some point, it had to show up—the thing that would cut through this dreamy haze I felt. Somewhere, no matter how deep down, he had a flaw that would make everything snap into focus.

Everybody had a bad side, and one thing I knew was that, without fail, I would bring it out because I was a gift delivered straight from the Island of Misfit Toys.

Chapter 27

Remi

Each splinter hums a truth too sharp to bear,

Yet bleeds away the ghost that lingered there.

I cheered so loudly that Amir looked up at me before he even got to his feet. That ‘safe’ gesture the umpire made had become like a switch that triggered my embarrassing boyfriend mode. I didn’t know much about the game, but I knew that one.

Despite how Amir shook his head, there was a smile on his face. Before he dipped into the dugout, he put a hand to his mouth, then flung it outward in my direction. Some people in the crowd reacted to the gesture, and I chuckled as I sat down.

My phone buzzed, showing a picture of Mal that I’d taken at the car show. She’d video-called me twice since she left just over a week ago. Both times were to help her with a math worksheet, but it still took me by surprise.

Shifting the headphones over my ears, I connected the call. “Hey, I’m at a game, so it’s loud.”

“I know.”

“You watching?”

She nodded. From what I could see, she was lying on her bed with her notebook in front of her.

“You need help with math?” When she shook her head, I clicked my tongue. “This would be the ball chillin’ in your court, Little Valkyrie.”

“You sound old.”

“We’re on that again? Come on, you know I’m cool as hell.”

She rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Bro, you’ve got to tone down the angst. At this rate, you’ll have an emo phase by eleven. I haven’t owned a hair straightener since 2012, so you’re out of luck there.”

Her lips quirked slightly. “You’re an adult. Buy one.”

“Yeah, I could do that, but I’m too lazy to straighten my hair anymore. This metal in my face is my memento to the good old days. And you can pry my skinny jeans out of my cold, dead hands.”

“Stupid,” she laughed. “I wish I was an adult.”

“Do you?”

She nodded. “Dad says I shouldn’t.”