Free Doomed by Tracy Deebs Page A

virus he’s ever seen, that it’s some weird amalgamation of both that’s taking over everything it comes into contact with.”
    “How many people are infected at this point?” Theo asks. “Are there any estimates?”
    “I have no idea. I just know it’s a lot.” She looks at him curiously. “Are you coming to dinner with us?”
    “Dinner?” Eli asks, just as his stomach rumbles.
    “To celebrate Pandora’s birthday. We’re going for pizza. You should come.”
    “I thought you said there was a change of plans?” I ask, suddenly not so crazy about the way Emily is looking at Eli and Theo. I feel stupid for letting it bug me, especially since I barely know either one of them, but I can’t help it. I’ve spent the last couple of hours with them, and even with all the Pandora’s Box stuff, it’s been kind of nice to have themon my side. Paying attention to me. Which makes me selfish as well as moronic and the cause of all things Armageddon. Fantastic.
    “My dad says I can’t stay over if there’s no phone. Plus, he doesn’t want you here on your own, either. He didn’t say anything else—my mom started losing it—but I think this is going to end up being a pretty big deal. So pack a bag for a couple of days, and after we have dinner, we can head to my place.”
    I don’t bother arguing, largely because I’m so relieved that I don’t have to stay here alone with no phone and spotty electricity.
    Emily waits for a beat, but once she realizes I’m on board with the new plan, she turns to Theo. “So, Othello, do you two want to come or not?”
    I blush wildly at her reference to what happened in my English class, but Theo takes it in stride.
    Eli laughs. “I do.” Then he winks at her, and I’m struck, not for the first time, by what a charmer he is. And even more, despite his fan club of legions, how he’s really just a nice, sweet guy at the heart of it all.
    I can’t help liking that about him.
    Which is so not what I should be thinking about right now. To keep myself distracted, I shove off the couch and head for the kitchen. “Do you guys want something to drink? The fridge is pretty much empty of food but I’ve got soda, water, and iced tea.”
    Right on schedule, Eli’s stomach growls again, and he smiles in good-natured embarrassment. “I don’t think a soda’s going to hold me for long,” he admits.
    “I guess we can leave the game for a little while.” Theo stands up reluctantly, as if he expects the world to end while we’re at dinner, and heads for the door. “Just let me run next door and get my wallet and the car.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    Emily and I watch as the guys head out. She smiles sweetly when they give us small waves, but the second the door closes behind them, she’s on me. “Oh my God! They are even hotter up close.” She fake swoons. “And they both seem pretty cool.”
    “They are.”
    “So have you decided which one you want? Eli, right? Because of the whole …”—she mimes strangling herself—“Othello thing with Theo? Oh, please say Eli. He’s hot, but Theo is
gorgeous
. And I totally felt a connection between us …”
    “They’re not candy, you know. We can’t just divvy them up.”
    “Sure we can—one for you and one for me! We don’t want to crush on the same guy, after all. And if they were candy, I’d bet Theo would be the kind with the hard chocolate shell and melted caramel center. Yummy.”
    “I think you mean
nutty
center, don’t you?”
    She sighs heavily. “Could you be a little more of a wet blanket?”
    “Sorry, but the world is falling apart, in case you haven’t noticed. Now’s not exactly the time to be worrying about hot guys.”
    “My dad will fix it—he’s the best at this stuff. Besides, there’s
always
time to worry about hot guys. Speaking of which …” She sends me her wide-eyed, pleading look.
    “Don’t worry. I’m
so
not crushing on Theo.”
    “I knew it. He’s a little too much for you.