Kindred Spirit - Noah Harris Page 0,12

certainly friendly.

Levi sighed, stepping back from the post and eyeing the rest of them to make sure they were level. “You’re looking too hard into it.”

So friendly, you couldn’t stop staring at his arms.

Well, they’d been impressive arms. There was no doubt in Levi’s mind that Jacob was not shy about working out. His arms had been corded with muscle and decorated with all manner of art. There were symbols Levi hadn’t been able to identify immediately. A panther, drawn in what Levi thought was an old Eastern art style, some sort of text on the inner part of his upper arm, and a swirling menagerie of color that coiled through all of it. Levi would admit, to himself, that he would have happily examined the man’s arms a little longer if he’d been given the chance.

“He was a big guy, kind of hard not to stare,” Levi grumbled, gathering up his tools.

And totally wasn’t an attempt to find a date. No, you were just being friendly.

“Jesus, Lou, let it go.”

Just as soon as you admit you were drooling.

“I was not.”

Impressed and a little turned on? Sure, but not drooling. And as impressive a specimen as Jacob was, Levi had to admit he’d warmed to the man pretty fast. Most people in Gilcreek were too polite to be blunt, but Jacob, despite coming off as a little awkward at first, had no problem whatsoever in calling Levi out on his tactlessness.

Not exactly the most compelling reason to ask someone he barely knew out, but it had been a while since he’d spent any real time with someone else. Other than the disastrous date with Eric, Levi hadn’t spent any meaningful time with another person in quite a while. Laura was nice enough and friendly when she managed to pin him down for a long-winded conversation, but he’d hardly call her a friend.

“It would just be nice to have someone to talk to, someone that isn’t part of Gilcreek,” Levi said as he loaded his tools up.

What does that matter?

“It matters because we both know I’m going to leave this place eventually, and I don’t want to make friends with people who are going to be here their whole lives. At least Jacob is just staying for a little while. It means there’s not going to be any expectations, just whatever happens.”

How do you even know that he wants anything?

“You were the one who said he was watching my ass.”

Well, yeah.

“Just like Eric, I might point out, if I were feeling like an asshole.”

You told me to behave today.

“And since when do you listen?”

Lou said nothing, but Levi could still feel his presence lingering. It was always notable whenever Lou decided to be quiet, and it usually signaled something was bothering the spirit. Despite how intelligent Lou was, Levi had always noticed there was something incredibly emotional about his spirit companion. He wasn’t sure if it was just the nature of the spirit’s personality or if it was the nature of being a spirit. What might seem like a minor inconvenience in Levi’s mind could be the source of great frustration for Louis. He only had to look at Lou’s reaction to Eric staring a little too long at Levi’s ass in public to be reminded of that.

“And you had better behave tonight too,” Levi continued, closing the back of the truck.

Lou said nothing, which didn’t make Levi feel any better. It meant the spirit was sulking, and that was never a good thing. Not that Lou could stay quiet for a long time, but when he did emerge from his bout of pouting, there was a good chance he’d be in a foul mood.

“Fine, give me the silent treatment,” Levi told him, opening the driver’s side door. “But don’t come crying to me when you get lonely like you always do.”

I do not get lonely.

Levi smirked, turning the truck over and waving to Mrs. James at her living room window. “Sure you don’t buddy, and neither do I, right?”

You have me.

An hour later, he drove into the well-lit parking lot of the diner. He’d had enough time after leaving the James’ to get home, shower, change, and immediately head back out. The entire time, Lou had been oddly quiet, and Levi was beginning to worry that he had somehow managed to offend the spirit. It wouldn’t be the first time, but after so many years together, they rarely drove each other to real aggravation. Now his teenage years? That had