Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Thanks.” Jamie smiled. They fished out their phone. “Do you want to order something?”
“Um. I have cereal?”
“Cereal’s good.”
They made for the kitchen, and Edgar caught Jamie’s hand, walking next to them. In the kitchen, they took any excuse to touch as they found cereal and milk, passed silverware, and pulled out chairs. Their knees found each other under the table, and they held hands as they ate. Jamie felt utterly serene.
“Did you have a favorite cereal as a kid?” Edgar asked, pouring more on top of his milk.
“Not really. My parents were going through a health food phase when I was a kid, and they made our granola. It was very dry. What about you?”
Edgar, his mouth full, tapped the box. Jamie wasn’t sure why they found it adorable that he still bought the same cereal he’d liked as a kid.
“Do you have a favorite color?” Jamie asked.
“That peachy color in the sunset when the clouds are backlit.”
“I love that color too,” Jamie said. “You don’t have any clothes that color though. Do you not like to wear it?”
Edgar looked down at his cereal. “I don’t really wear many bright colors. I like them, but…” He trailed off and took another bite.
“Is it because you don’t want to seem…queer?”
Edgar huffed. “No, everyone knows I’m gay. My family knew when I was, like, twelve.”
Jamie wasn’t going to press Edgar to say more but didn’t really understand.
“You’re going to think I’m ridiculous,” Edgar said softly after they’d eaten in silence for a little while.
“I already think you’re ridiculous,” Jamie said. “In the best possible way.” They squeezed his thigh.
“I don’t want them to notice me,” Edgar said softly.
Had Jamie underestimated how shy Edgar truly was?
“Dude, you’re incredibly hot. I’m afraid your clothes aren’t…” Jamie broke off as the pieces clicked into place. It wasn’t other people whose notice Edgar was trying to elude. “The ghosts.”
Edgar nodded. “I don’t want to draw attention to myself. Sometimes it seems like if I lie low, then they don’t see me as much.”
“Yeah?” Jamie imagined Edgar might have done many of these sorts of experiments over the years.
“Well. I don’t know. But I figure better safe than sorry.”
But you haven’t felt safe, have you?
“Honey,” Jamie said, turning to face Edgar. “It’s not your fault that you see them. That they find you.”
“Maybe not. But if I make myself uninteresting to look at, then maybe they…maybe they’ll get bored of me?” Edgar’s voice had gotten soft, and he was addressing the cereal bowl.
Jamie kissed his shoulder, his cheekbone, his hair. “I don’t know how anyone would ever get bored of you.”
Edgar’s eyes were so soft, and he pulled Jamie to him, stroking back their hair. “I hope you won’t,” he said.
Jamie melted against his shoulder. “Well, I think you’re hot as fuck no matter what you wear. And especially when you don’t wear anything at all.” They slid their hand under the hem of his shirt and stroked the soft skin of his back. They loved the way Edgar always leaned into their touch. “If you ever want to find clothes that you like instead of ones that make you invisible, I’d love to help.”
“My sister would be ecstatic. She manages a vintage store,” Edgar said.
“Oh? Which one?”
“Magpie Vintage over—”
“Oh, off Magazine? I’ve been there. It’s great.”
Visions of thrifting with Edgar danced in their head.
“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” Edgar hedged, but he sounded intrigued.
“You could leave it all to me,” Jamie assured him. “If you want.”
Edgar looked at him shyly. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
15
Edgar
When Edgar opened the door to Magpie Vintage, early Riven was blasting on the stereo, and a half-full rack of clothes stood in front of the cash wrap.
Allie grinned when she saw him and turned the music down.
“Yay! Okay, I’m all ready for you. I pulled some pieces I thought you might be interested in and some that I have no clue about but that are about your size. Anything you want, just put it behind the counter on this rack. I’ll use my employee discount and ring it up tomorrow. Cool?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Al.”
She waved him away. “In exchange, I only require one thing.”
“Oh god, what?”
“I wanna stick around for a few minutes and meet Jamie.” She made prayer hands. “Please, please, please. You’ve never had a boyfriend before, and I’m so happy for you. Do you call them your boyfriend?”
Sweat trickled down Edgar’s spine. The music was too loud, he had no idea what to call Jamie, and the clothes Allie’d pulled looked flashy and bright, like they were screaming, Look at me, ghosts! Here I am!
“I—”
But before Edgar could respond, the bell tinkled, and Jamie walked through the door.
An unconscious smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he ducked his head to avoid grinning like a fool. Jamie’s mere presence made him happy like nothing ever had before.