"Why don't we go out this weekend?"
"What do you mean?" Rusty asked without looking up from his laptop, where he was supposedly doing research for a school project, but in reality was checking his Facebook feed yet again. Sharon hoped the security measures Lieutenant Tao had helped her with were sufficient.
"I thought we could make some plans; visit an art gallery, or a museum."
He looked up then. "Plans you can break?" he unexpectedly growled.
"No-"
"That's just stupid." To her surprise, Rusty slammed his laptop shut and jumped up, his face reddening. "What's the point?" he sneered. "We make plans, pack our stuff, and we're halfway to the car when your cellphone rings. And there's another dead body in Griffith Park. 'Sorry Rusty. We'll do this another time.' No. It's just better we don't bother at all."
Sharon pursed her lips. "I'm not saying that there isn't always that possibility. My job..."
"Well, your job sucks."
"That's-"
"You know what? You're just like her. You think you're not. But you are."
Rusty stomped out of the living room and soon after she heard the shower running.
Sharon entered the kitchen, pulling out the makings of their dinner from the fridge with jerky movements.
She'd just finished making a salad when Rusty finally returned, his hair damp. Without a word, he placed cutlery, condiments and two glasses of water on the table.
A few minutes later, they were sitting opposite each other, eating. It was Rusty who broke the silence first. "I wouldn't mind going to Venice Beach," he confessed quietly.
"We could," she replied carefully.
Then, he met her hesitant look with a smile. "Just not the zoo. I don't want to go to the zoo."
Sharon readily returned that smile. "Okay, no zoo," she agreed.