He nodded behind her hand.
“Good,” she said. “Do you have something to say to me that isn’t a declaration of love?”
He nodded again.
“Okay,” she said, removing her hand. “Say it.”
“I want to fuck you in the shower.”
“You can,” she said. “But not today. We’re in a hurry.”
She shut the door in his face, and he sighed the sigh of a man with an erection and nowhere to put it. But the sigh turned to a smile when he remembered this—Clover was in love with him. Well, damn.
While Clover was in the shower he pulled on his clothes and found his phone. It was only six thirty, which meant Ruthie would be asleep for, oh, five more hours at least. Now was a good time to text her since she wouldn’t see the message yet.
Clover is officially the happiest woman on earth, he typed. You aren’t allowed to give me the silent treatment anymore.
He hit Send with a smile, then set the phone down to start making coffee. He’d had his back turned to the phone for only a few seconds when it buzzed with a reply.
Good, Ruthie wrote back. Glad to hear it. I approve this message.
Why are you awake so early? he replied.
Unfortunately not for the same reason you are.
Get your mind out of the gutter. We’re going grocery shopping before the crowds hit the stores.
Suuuuuurrrrreeee...
Go back to sleep, he ordered. It freaks me out when you’re awake during the day. Be a vampire like a normal teenager.
I had a busy night maiming and killing people on the dark sordid streets of Hollywood.
That’s nice, dear. Hope you had fun. Glad you’re talking to me again. Miss you, kid.
Ew.
You know you miss me.
Go kiss your girlfriend and leave me alone.
I will definitely do that. Have a good Thanksgiving. Tell everyone I said hello. Love you.
He set his phone down again, not expecting any further messages from his daughter, who had very likely stayed up all night playing violent zombie-themed video games with her brother and hadn’t yet gone to bed. But he heard the buzz again and picked up his phone.
Are you and Clover really a couple now? Ruthie had written, and Erick sensed her anxiety in the question.
We are. Is that a problem? We can talk about it if it is.
No, it’s cool, she wrote back. Then she sent him another message right after. I love Clover.
I know you do. I’m pretty crazy about her, too.
I was wrong when I said you aren’t good enough for her. I’m sorry. You two will be great for each other. I’m actually kind of stupid happy about it.
Erick stared at his phone and blinked a few times. Did his child actually use the words I was wrong and I’m sorry to him? She did. It was right there in black and green.
That means a lot coming from you, he replied. I feel a great deal of fatherly affection toward you right now. I might even pay your cell phone bill without yelling at you for going over your text limit again.