"Maybe I'm practicing faking it. The book's not upside-down, is it?"

Maybe he was checking into things, but that didn't mean he lost his attitude. But he did let out a dissatisfied sigh after. He was looking for answers, but he wasn't sure where to find them, and he wasn't sure all this 'advice' was much use.

He closed the book and hung his arm lazily over his bent knee.

"You've noticed, right?" He glanced outside at the home next door. "Rufus doesn't need us anymore."