All the Rules of Heaven (All That Heaven Will Allow #1) - Amy Lane Page 0,55

was so grateful for that part of his life.

And he yearned to have just a little bit of it back.

“I won’t,” Angel said. And then, on a deep exhalation of ghost breath that actually fanned Tucker’s face, he confessed, “It’s my fault too.” Tucker might have used this as fodder for the argument if he hadn’t felt so out of it. “I was… used to being Ruth’s only real contact,” Angel continued, shamefaced. “I thought that it would be you and me. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t enough for a young, vital person—”

“It’s not that you’re not enough,” Tucker groaned. “And stop trying to fade away in embarrassment—it’s creepy. It’s just, you know, family.” Was this what relationship arguments sounded like? It seemed like a relationship discussion, but Tucker’s last relationship discussion had been with Damien, and he couldn’t seem to remember past the moment when…. Never mind.

Angel grimaced. “I must tell you, Tucker, I haven’t seen the best of family in the stories here.”

“Well, yeah. No wonder you’re skewed.” Tucker yawned. He hadn’t even gotten his orange juice or water, and he was going under again. “Just be nice to these people. Try not to make me any weirder in front of them than I already am.”

“You’re not weird,” Andy said, venturing into the room. Tucker startled, but Andy kept on talking. “You’re just haunted. Apparently by the same guy who used to bother Ruth. You know, Mom knows a medium. Are you sure you don’t want a cleansing?”

“No,” Tucker said shortly, heart still beating a little fast, “and if I did, I could probably do my own.” Crap. He had to remember to heed his own advice. He rolled over and sat up, careful of Squishbeans, who was tucked into the small of his back. “I like Angel,” he said, trying for a smile.

Andy rolled his eyes. Well, he was young.

“Yeah—you and Ruth both liked Angel. I think the guy’s whole job is to make people throw away their lives on this hunk of junk.” He had a smoothie in his hand, and he swung the chair around and sat before handing it to Tucker.

Tucker took it, shuddered with the cold, and pulled the blankets up around his bare chest. He was tempted to try the frightened-virgin act and ask who had undressed him but decided if it had been this superperceptive kid, that would fall under “I’d rather not know.”

“Angel could care less about the house,” Tucker said, sipping. Oh wow. He could taste the protein powder, but it was secondary to the fruit and the—was that Sprite? Oh baby, the non-health-food health-food smoothie. “This is magical. Did your mother make this?”

Andy grinned. “It’s my mother’s recipe, but she and Dad are, you know, working, taking care of the little kids. Grown-up stuff.” Andy whistled and looked around the house guilelessly. “Just two guys, alone in this mansion. Nothing to do….”

Tucker rolled his eyes. “We’re not hooking up,” he said dryly. “You’re cute, but young. And I’m….” He let out a breath and then slurped up some more magical smoothie. “Damaged, Andover. You know that, right?”

Andy’s grin faded. “What is your damage? I mean, I’ve got to be honest—when we heard Ruth’s nephew was inheriting the place, we sort of expected it to be contracted out and either razed to the ground or completely refurbished. And you haven’t really moved in, but Dad says you’re doing renovations?”

Oh Lord. “I should go get my shit,” Tucker muttered. “Now that I have a truck, I should go down and give up the lease on my apartment and come back.”

“No job?” Andy asked. “No people? You just… picked up and left?”

Oh Jesus. Well, Tucker wasn’t going to tell him shit that he hadn’t even told Angel. This whole “karma’s bitch” thing was so personal. It was one thing when your friends thought you were a slutty dick, but when it wasn’t even your choice? When you were a slave to the forces in the universe that wanted to use you for your magic wang?

“Did you ever watch Ghost Whisperer?” he asked.

“No, Tucker. Is it as good as Buffy?” Angel replied. He’d left the seat and was now sitting cross-legged at Tucker’s side, and Tucker smiled fondly at him.

“No—but it’s not bad watching, though. But remember?” he asked Andy. “She kept having to do stuff, even if it was dangerous? Because that’s just what you do?”

Andy thought about it. “That’s all those shows,” he said slowly. “You have a gift,