Valec snickers. “Nah.” He regards Zoe, who looks up at him with wide, hesitant eyes. “Besides, I have a feeling we have a lot we could talk about, huh, kid?” Zoe wrinkles her nose but nods. “Yeah, I guess.” “When you’re ready,” Valec adds. She shrugs and looks away. “Yeah.” Valec turns back to me. “After we’re done giving the powerhouse here a hard time about her white boys, that is,” he says—and they both collapse with laughter. I roll my eyes, but don’t fight the amused smile curling my lips. “Cursed. Combination.”
