Foolish Hearts by Timothy Lambert

Author:Timothy Lambert
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cleis Press
Published: 2013-12-16T16:00:00+00:00

“I didn’t take you for the techno sort.”

Chris glanced up at Liam from the bench on the rooftop garden. Liam was doing the “undercover” thing today—though it was easy enough to tell he had the vest on under his hoodie. He was wearing a pink cap, though, which surprised Chris and made him think of Lightning Todd’s words. Obviously, Liam was a guy who would wear pink. No kissing him.

Also: girlfriend, he reminded himself.

“I’m not,” Chris said. He held up his phone. “It’s a website.”

Liam sat beside him on the bench and looked at the screen.

“Lightning Rod?”

“Lightning Todd,” Chris said.

“Is that a stripper?”

“See!” Chris felt vindicated. “That’s what I thought.”

Liam’s eyebrows rose. They were good eyebrows, even if he did look a little dorky in a pink ball cap.

“He’s a psychic, apparently,” Chris said.

Liam laughed.

Chris shrugged. “He got hit by lightning a few years back. Ever since, he says he can…” Chris looked at the little screen. “Tune in to the vibes of the universe and help people find their bliss.” Chris winced. “He used the contraction for ‘they are’ instead of the possessive.”

“Sounds completely legit.” Liam smirked.

Chris thumbed off the phone. The pounding bass stopped. For a second, he thought about telling Liam about the coffee and zipper thing, but he felt a little stupid for considering Lightning Todd’s advice. Quitting because of the Titanic? He shook his head.

“So how was the anniversary dinner? Did she love it?” Liam seemed surprised. “Yeah. It was nice.”

Chris smiled. His phone chirped. He groaned. “That’s my five-minute warning.”

“Time to go back to the hypocritical harpy?”

“You have a good memory. I shouldn’t have plotted murder in front of you.” Chris gave Liam’s shoulder a shove. Now that Liam was completely unavailable, it was much less daunting to talk to him.

Liam laughed. “I should get back to looking for shoplifters.”

“And I have an entire cart of romance novels to shelve. Our lives overflow with excitement.” He stood and the two walked back into the mall together.

“What else would you do?” Liam asked. “If you weren’t married to romance novels.”

Chris looked at him. It wasn’t a question he was often asked. But it didn’t need any thought. “I’d work at a museum. The National Art Gallery, if I could. I have most of an Art History degree.”

“Most?”

Chris nodded. They stepped onto the escalators.

“I had to drop out third year. My father died.”

Liam flinched. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. He had a heart attack and hadn’t put a will together. My parents were living check to check. My mother ended up bankrupt. I got the job at the bookstore part-time to help pay for university, but it ended up becoming a permanent gig after that, so I could help keep her afloat.” He smiled. “I do like the job.”

They were at the bottom of the escalator.

“Except for the harpy.”

“Except.” Chris nodded. He was a little surprised that Liam had asked, and more surprised that he’d answered honestly. It was easier to be candid when you weren’t trying to impress someone.

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