Shatter (The Choosy Beggars Series Book 1) by Charisse Moritz

Author:Charisse Moritz [Moritz, Charisse]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 42

Tia:

Taz stands in our entryway, looking lost. His garbage bag of secondhand clothes drags from one hand, a battered guitar case gripped tight in the other. Shae ditched him here.

Before leaving, the Giant leaned down from Mount Olympus and whispered to me, “So you know, Gib didn’t speak to me, not one word for the first two months after I met him. Give him time. Be patient.” He then made an excuse about errands to run and headed out with his little boy asleep on his shoulder. When Taz tried to follow, Shae literally shoved him back and told him, “Your scrawny ass is staying put. Play nice. I’ll be back in a couple of hours, and you’ll be right here. This is a good place for you.”

So now he’s stuck at my house and pulled tighter than a clothesline, T-shirt hanging off his sharp, tense shoulders. Whatever kept him away from me for the past week is still between us. I wonder what to do about him and don’t let myself think about the cost of the water tank. Who needs food? Or gas in the Ark? We can flush the toilet again. Happy thoughts.

I point at the guitar case. “Will you play for me?”

Taz shrugs and stares at the front door. He and Ingrid have that in common, but I don’t trust either one not to run off.

“How about something to drink? Coffee? Water? Or, um …” While he shakes his head, I realize there’s nothing else, because the orange juice spilled. Since the twins handled the clean up, I’m guessing the floor is still sticky. “Maybe you’re hungry? Want a sandwich? Peanut butter and jelly? Grilled cheese?”

He’s switched from shaking his head to outright ignoring me.

“Apple? Pencils? Marbles?” I’m testing him. He’s not doing well. “Tarantulas? Snot? Jockstrap?”

Aha. Finally! I get zapped by his eyes. I take the jolt and smile back at him. “Just making sure you’re listening. C’mon.”

I head to the couch, glance over my shoulder and interrupt Taz staring at my butt. He catches me catching him, stumbles and gets so adorably embarrassed, I’m a goner. Now I regret my stained pink Bauer hockey shirt and worn out jeans. I am one step away from living in my pajamas.

I deliberately plop down in the middle of the couch and pat the space next to me. Taz kicks my optimism aside and sinks into the armchair. Booger hops up onto the coffee table, throws a leg up and starts licking his crotch. Why is cat porn so uncomfortable? I shoo him, get hissed at and vow to get even later.

Mora is currently giving Tully her bath. My brothers disappeared downstairs to air out hockey bags and do laundry. Even with the volume low, I recognize the sound of the Xbox. I should yell at them, do my homework, scrub something, start dinner, sell my kidney to make some money, but I’m preoccupied by the world’s most difficult boy.

I step up to bat one more time and say, “Lemme hear you play.

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