Something in her tone didn’t bode well. “And?”
“And, even though it was like literally the shortest conversation ever, I totally got this creepy vibe off of him. I don’t even know why. Is that crazy? Am I just being all judgmental or paranoid or something?”
Mike had known Kristina since she was twelve. He’d taken on the role of surrogate father, answering endless questions about boys and cars and anything else she thought he might know. “It’s possible you misjudged things, but if the guy’s coming off as a creep, there might be a reason.”
“He asked me out.”
Mike’s stomach twisted. “You didn’t say yes, did you?”
“I said no, and I was nice about it. But he seemed so disappointed. He kept asking why I wouldn’t go out with him. I feel bad.”
Man, he wished she was at a school closer to home. “If he’s trying to guilt you into doing something you don’t want to, that might be why he seems like a creep.”
She sighed. “Being a grown-up is a pain.”
“It sure is.” He caught Celeste’s eye from across the table. She mouthed a “thank you.” He nodded and smiled.
“Can I ask you a huge favor?” Kristina asked.
His kids had asked a few favors while they were away at college. Most of the time it involved money. “What is it?”
“Would you hang out with Mom over Christmas? She keeps saying she doesn’t care that none of us will be home, but, I don’t know, I think she’s sadder about that than she’s letting on.”
“I think you’re right.” Even then Mike could see the loneliness in Celeste’s eyes. If she’d give him half a chance he would happily do what he could to fill that void. “Your mom and I have a Christmas bet going.”
Celeste reached out and swatted at him. “Kristina will think I’ve turned into a gambler.”
“Awesome,” Kristina said. “Text me about it. I gotta go.”
“Say goodbye to your mom first.” He handed the phone across the table once more.
Celeste made a quick goodbye, before tapping the end button and setting her phone on the table. “She did turn the creepy guy down, right?”
“Sure did.”
Her sigh perfectly matched her daughter’s from a moment earlier. “Do you think kids ever realize that their parents never stop worrying about them?”
“Not until they’re parents themselves.”
She snatched a butter cookie from the plate and snapped part of it off with her teeth. He followed her lead.
“Did you think of something immature to put on your list?” she asked between bites.
“I haven’t yet.”
“There must be something you wanted or wanted to do but felt too stupid about it at the time.”
There were probably a lot of things actually. One jumped immediately to mind. “The Christmas my wife was pregnant with our oldest, the roller rink in our town announced it was closing at the new year. I wanted to go and have one last skate, but Bev was too pregnant and I was too embarrassed to go by myself.”
She pointed at his paper. “Write it down.”
He shook his head. “There are no roller rinks anywhere near here. I’ll never be able to cross that off.”
“‘We may have to make some adjustments, but we’ll figure it out.’” She quoted him word for word. “That’s four each, and some of them are going to be tough. What do you think? Are we good?”
Are we good?That was more of a loaded question than she likely knew. Their friendship was good. The idea of “we” wasmore than good. The fact that she wasn’t open to the idea of “we” wasn’t good at all.
“Mike?”
