Excerpt from The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather Smith, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"Can I ask you a question?"

I didn't know why he was asking permission.

"Okay."

"Is anyone looking for you?"

"No."

"You don't have to tell me why you left."

"She told me to leave."

"I think we both know there 's more to the story than that."

Was there?

"Anyway, I'm here if you need to talk."

It took a lot of energy but I lifted my head up. I was hoping he was wrong but there they were—wooden floorboards. I could hear the heartbeat already.

He reached for the lamp between us. "Time to get some sleep."

He was about to pull the chain when I reached out and touched his hand. "Can you leave it on? Till I fall asleep?"

He nodded. "Okay."

A while later I woke up. It was dark. I turned on the light and hung over the side of the bed. I shook Busker Boy by the shoulder.

"What is it?"

"I thought of a good title for a song. 'Temporary Accommodations (I Can't Wait to Get Out).'"

"What?"

"I meant to say it earlier. But I forgot. Use parentheses though, around the last part."

I'd seen it done before on cassette tapes she'd brought home. Like, "Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from Top Gun)" and "I Ran (So Far Away)."

He fumbled for the light. "Okay."

I touched his hand. "Can you leave it on? Till I fall asleep?"

He nodded. "Good night, Bun O'Keefe."

Excerpted from The Agony of Bun O'Keefe by Heather Smith. Copyright © 2017 by Heather Smith. Excerpted by permission of Penguin Random House Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.