"I think that's just the way he is," I clarified, not sure I would ever understand the writer.
"Weird." Shaman turned back to me.
"Ready to step out?"
Gabriel shortly left my mind. Shaman and I walked over to a small restaurant across the street from Star City, sitting together on one side of a booth. I requested my vodka gimlet, and he got brandy.
When our drinks came, he inquired, "Should I be envious of anyone back there?"
I laughed. "You don't know me well enough or have any assertions on me to bother about jealousy yet. Don't jump the gun here."
"I presume not," he conceded.
"Still, popular writers and suave, young dance friends are necessarily dignified company."
"Cody is not that young."
"Young enough. Is he a close friend?"
"Close enough. Not romantically close, if that is what you are still driving at."
Shaman and I had cuddled together in the booth, and I gave him a cheerful poke in the ribs.
