"Really?" It was impossible to hide the surprise he felt, so Richard didn't even try. The last time someone had prodded him for more of his opinions on music had been a dinner date, after all of the usual topics had been exhausted and he had stopped trying to pretend that the blond across the table from him was interesting. Even then it had been the polite dessert-isn't-here-yet kind of questioning, rather than any rapport. The scenario obviously didn't apply here. (Adam was attractive enough, he supposed, but for some reason... ew.) That left him with the unlikely explanation that Adam actually wanted to hear his tirades about sound quality and obscure bands from the seventies.
Maybe California wouldn't be so bad after all.
The book was going to have to go, though. The looks Adam kept giving it were disconcerting. Richard put the next pile of books down on top of the Dahl cover too forcefully to seem completely casual, and 'straightened' the shelf with a few businesslike motions, pushing the book's spine towards the wood of the bookcase. Only after he was sure that the distinguishing marks were obscured did he look back to Adam, offering a grin.
"Usually I mention sound quality and people remember a pressing engagement somewhere else. I won't try to talk you out of it, though." Most of the boxes were unpacked now, and he knew he could finish the rest later. "I tell you what. This side of the album's going to end in a couple of minutes." He nodded towards his record player, which was playing the last song of Slippery When Wet's b-side. "Why don't we break out another album and talk shop, before you change your mind?"