'I am now,' she said. It wasn't quiet where he was; she heard a rumble, maybe wheels. 'Are you driving?'
'I'm mobile, yep. You know me, always moving, like a shark. I'm restless without you.'
'I miss you,' she said. She leant against the wall. 'I really miss you, Shane.'
'How much?'
She laughed. 'Not enough to tell you in public, especially while you're driving.'
'Damn, there goes my chance for some hot sexy talk.'
His voice just did things to her, she realised ... made her feel warm and liquid inside, made her think all kinds of things she probably shouldn't be picturing out here in front of food court staff. 'I hate my housemate,' she said, to change the subject to something safer.
'Elizabeth? I thought she was your best friend in high school.'
'She was. In high school. But-'
'She changed? Yeah, that happens. Look what happened to Michael.'
'Shane!'
He laughed again, low in his throat. 'Kidding, Claire. I'm just saying people change. If you're not there for it, it's not always easy to adjust to it, right? Which is why I hate this. I hate missing your life. I hate missing those little moments that change you. Because they're going to change us.'
He was right, but ... but also, not. 'I need to change a little on my own,' she said. 'Shane, I love you, and I want to be with you, but I need to breathe, too. I need to fly a little and see how far I can go. That's why I took this chance. It's not forever. It's just a while.'
'Maybe a short while if your housemate drives you crazy. What's she doing?'
'Let me see ... she's a drama queen, and not in a fun way; she's controlling; she's OCD; she's passive-aggressive ...'
'You had me at drama queen. I have got to meet this chick.'
'No, you really don't, trust me. She used to be fun and nerdy, but now - now she's so self-consciously not, you know? She's working so hard to be cool that she's uncool. I think maybe she had a bad relationship.'
'Roger that. Seen too many tragic examples. You know, the ones in the hipster hats who try looking like some unholy love child of Jack White and Ashton Kutcher?'
'I learnt a new word today.'
'Which is?'
'Fidiot.'
'Ah, you're so cute. You didn't know that word? You know what it stands for, right?'
She lowered her voice to a whisper. 'Fucking idiot?'
'I love that you have to make that much of an effort to curse. Like you're worried you might scar somebody. Seriously, it's adorable. So, been attacked by any vampires yet?'
'Not a one.'
'Zombies? Giant spiders? Water monsters?'
'It's been really quiet on the supernatural attack front.'
'Too bad, 'cause I got attacked by a devil dog. It was not awesome.'
'A what?'
'A big-ass dog with glowing red eyes. Trust me. You do not want to face a pack of these bad boys. Makes wolves look like teacup poodles.'