Chapter 27
James
The throbbing in James’s head won’t quit. Goddamn the auto-lights. It’s daytime! they scream.
God, this is a weird new habit. Letting electronics speak to him as if they know anything.
The future is affecting his sanity, which also explains this strange feeling in his chest every time Kate enters a room.
She isn’t remotely his type, but he supposes she must be to incite this reaction in him.
Because if he had the chance to pick anyone from this time or even his own time, he thinks he’d choose her. It’s all rather aggravating.
Wake up, wake up! the lights scream again. James throws a pillow at the spot by the door where, in a normal apartment, a light switch would be. There isn’t one, and nothing happens.
A moment later, Kate pops her head inside the door. She sits next to him on the bed, lifting a hand. In it is a little squishy-looking maroon cube. “Chew this. It will make your head feel better.”
He does as she says, because at this point, blind faith is his only viable option.
A violent cherry flavor bursts in his mouth, but within seconds, the pounding eases to barely a whisper.
“That’s impressive,” he says. A second later, as the whisper finally dies, a rush of memories from the night before floods in.
He wants to roll over and pull the blankets over his head.
The woman he’s become endlessly fascinated with is eighty-six and doesn’t need his protection.
Told him not to worry about accepting her help.
He should feel relieved that she’s got another month covered, but he doesn’t.
His pride or some faulty wiring in his brain makes him anxious about letting her. He’s such an idiot.
She grins. “I know. The woman who invented these makes a fortune."
Before she can get up, he snakes an arm around her waist and pulls her near, so his head is buried in her lap.
She probably only lets him because she’s so taken aback.
Then her fingers tentatively stroke through his hair.
God, the feel of her touching him, of her soft body in his arms. It’s heaven.
He takes an indulgent breath, drawing in her sweet floral scent.
When he finally exhales, he says, “I’m so sorry for what a dick I’ve been.
And last night, I should have never implied what I did.
You have every right to do whatever you want.
I’d be lucky to have a sliver of your affection. ”
She stiffens, and her hand pauses the delightful finger-combing. “James, I didn’t sleep with anyone, if that’s what this is about.”
He hates how relieved that makes him, but he shakes his head. “No. This is about this future world putting me in my place. And I’m trying to learn, Kate. I’m never going to be perfect, probably not even close, but I can admit when I’m wrong.”
At this, she grabs a handful of his hair, twisting his head so he’s looking up at her. She’s so beautiful it hurts.
“Since when?” Her tone is playful, thank God. She’s so good humored, he doesn’t deserve it.
“Please be nice to me,” he begs, and she goes back to petting him.
“Not until you shower. Currently, you smell like vomit and yesterday’s Vine. And you upset Jett, which is strange, but also reassuring. Maybe you waking up in the future is having a ripple effect and causing everyone to learn a little.”
How would that even be possible, considering her friends, besides Oro1, think he’s a bad person?
When he doesn’t reply, she continues, “He’s here and wants to check on you.”
James presses his face into her thigh. “Noooo,” he groans, replaying his pathetic conversation with Jett.
“If that upsets you, then you’re going to be even less happy when I tell you he’s brought Oro1 and they want to take you to a real breakfast.”
He was about to continue moaning his discontent, but he’d just about kill for a piece of bacon—fake or not. And since Oro1 is going to be there, maybe they can have Sable bring by the manupartner she’s secured for tonight’s match.
“Think of it. Eggs, red berry salad, Fauxsage, like what you would have had during your time,” she says, clearly very pleased with the offering she’s brought him.
He’s so undeserving of her thoughtfulness, but she continues despite that.
Which is what makes her so special. Well, one of the many things.
Tears prick his eyes from out of nowhere.
And his chest. The squeeze is so crushing, he might be sick again.
He rubs his face against the soft fabric of her skirt, hoping the evidence of these intense feelings stays hidden.
Finally, he forces himself to sit up. When he looks at her, the openness of her gaze hits him in the solar plexus. Her wall is gone. And he desperately wants to kiss her.
But she said he smells like . . . never mind. And her friends—dare he say, his friends—are on the other side of the door. When he gets home from breakfast, he is going to do more than kiss her. He’s going to start earning her.
Something shifted between them last night, and she felt it too. He may not be worthy of her now, but he can’t ignore the magnetic draw between them that isn’t going away. His only choice is to attempt becoming someone a little better.
He’s almost exuberant as he shoos her out of the room and steps into the shower.
“Of course I’m attracted to her. Who isn’t?
” Oro1 says, stuffing a bite of the fake bacon into his mouth.
James is too stunned to say anything. He only asked in case there was anything between them he’d be getting in the middle of.
Not that it would stop him. He only wanted to know, so he could navigate it fully aware.
Oro1 continues explaining, saying, “I guess I never considered pursuing something more. It’s just not done anymore. We definitely click, but I had a manupartner when our friends group was assigned. I’d had Blue for a long time then. Kate and I became friends.”
“But you knew she wanted a long-term thing,” Jett points out, and James is glad one of them gets to the point. That Oro1 says he and Kate clicked makes James’s teeth grind.
“True. And I suppose . . .” Oro1 trails off, then takes another bite. “Kate’s just so special, you know?”
Uhh, yeah. James has learned this quite well.
Jett clears his throat, fake whispering, “I think James is getting jealous.”
James almost chokes on a red berry, which gets the momentary attention of a passing server.
He eyes the woman wearing a foam pancake costume.
She fits in perfectly with the pieces of bacon and fried egg costumes walking around the cartoonish café.
“I’m not jealous.” Then he turns his head so he can lock eyes with Oro1 in challenge.
“Kate can have who she wants. Or no one at all. It’s her choice.
” He may not be the better choice now, but he would be.
And he will ensure that when she chooses, it will be him.
But instead of the barb landing as James intended, Oro1 leans back in his chair and lets out a full belly laugh.
When he finally calms down, James is glaring at him.
Then his hand claps onto James’s shoulder.
“You’re too much. I thought you were over your little jealousy thing.
That we were friends?” He laughs some more before raising his napkin to dab his eyes.
“Hold on,” Oro1 says. “Do you think Kate is interested in pursuing something with me?”
They are friends, and Oro1 is obviously goading James, but it still makes him bristle. “Ha. Ha.”
Oro1 can barely contain himself now. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a while. Well, besides watching you lose to the Lizard Man. Speaking of, did Sable ever respond to you?”
“Yes, she needs us to pick him up from her unit after breakfast. I’m not sure how Kate would feel about having a borrowed manupartner in her apartment. Can you keep him until the fight?”
Oro1 rubs his chin. “Of course. I know how important it is for you to stay in her good graces.”
James rolls his eyes.
“Do you think there are other manupartners who’ve retained their memories?” Jett asks, steering the conversation in a different direction. “I mean, besides the one from the paper they caught.”
“I’ve been asking around,” Oro1 says. “There have been a few others identified besides the couple that Sable told us GROW caught.” He leans toward James, lowering his voice. “I could arrange a meeting. Might be nice to meet someone from your time.”
James clears his throat as he tries to process this information. “Yeah, maybe once I get a few things settled. Did Sable mention what they’re doing with the manupartners that have been caught?”
“They’re holding them for now. They have a team trying to figure out what went wrong. Not her department,” Oro1 says.
It is exactly what James suspected they would do, but the knowledge still has his wheels turning, though. “I don’t think the boxing thing is going to be sustainable long-term. I have to figure out a way to cover my lease at a minimum until I can get an identity and make a break from GROW.”
Oro1 raises an eyebrow while Jett pretends to inspect a cuticle.
“She told me she has month four covered,” James continues. “I haven’t seen her budget, but she’s repeatedly assured me she has it taken care of.” He makes air quotes. The woman makes an excellent salary from what he understands, which would be sufficient if it weren’t for her spending habits.
After a tense moment in which Jett continues to avoid eye contact, Oro1 finally replies. “Kate’s a brilliant scientist. But just because someone’s good at one thing, doesn’t mean they’re good at everything.”
“For example, managing their money,” Jett supplies. “If she has month four, great. But I wouldn’t count on more than that.”
“That’s fine. I’ll come up with something before it becomes an issue. How strict are the collections people at GROW?” James can only hope they’ll understand what he’s asking. Their shared glance suggests they do.