instead , he petted zeus as the dog lay quietly next to him . he sat at a table in his room , talking to himself as he slid around puzzle pieces on a screen . although , you do have expensive taste . when she walked from the trunk to the driver door of the lemon-yellow car , she realized that time had taken on that frozen quality she had not felt for quite some time . what caught laura by surprise was the deep male voice next to her saying wouldnt miss it for the world . 