Chris didn’t like it, but what choice did he have? Of all the people who could have drawn his blood, Michael’s sister. Of all the people he could have instantly fallen for, Michael’s sister? What were the chances?
“Okay. I’m here. Now, what did I miss?” Michael asked as he walked into the kitchen to join them.
Chris was just standing there watching Alyssa clean up after them. He wished he was busy doing something so he could get away with avoiding Michael. But he was the only one not doing anything, so it was on him to act like everything was fine.
“You didn’t miss anything,” Chris answered.
“Okay then go back and tell me about this person you’re talking to. Seemed like I was walking in on a good story,” Michael requested.
“Oh, you weren’t missing much.” He wanted to go back to the baby name subject, but there was no way he could leave out the fact that he was seeing a Mallory … and that there was a goodchance his Mallory was Michael’s Mallory. “Your wife just can’t get over the fact that I’ve gone out with someone a few times but I’m not sleeping with her.”
Michael took a beer from the fridge and cracked it open. “Honestly, I can’t really believe it either.”
“Seriously?” Chris asked incredulously. “I know I joke around a lot, and have some crazy stories, but I’m really not that bad.”
Michael handed Chris a beer. “I know you aren’t. If I thought you were that bad there’s no way I’d leave you alone with my wife.”
“Listen, dickhead,” Chris said, beginning to get annoyed. “She was my partner long before she was your wife.”
“Don’t get yourself all worked up,” Michael said with a chuckle. “When do we get to meet her?”
Alyssa piped up from the other side of the kitchen. “I was thinking next Thursday. That’s the last day we’re all off before Vegas.”
Chris felt the immediate need to get out of there. Somehow thirteen days was both too close and way too far away and he began to question that decision. He had to figure out a way to warn Mallory. It was his weekend to work, so he’d made tentative plans to meet her during her lunch break on Tuesday.
“Okay, Alyssa. You get some rest,” Chris began his departure announcement. “You were saying how tired you were, so I don’t want to keep you up. I know how hard it is to get caught up when you work nights. Thanks for dinner.”
Chris could feel Michael burning a hole into the side of his face with his gaze. When he couldn’t ignore it any longer, he turned and made eye contact. Chris wasn’t afraid of Michael, but he wasn’t someone he’d mess with if given the choice. They had only recently become more than friendly acquaintances to each other, and he really didn’t want to do anything to ruin that. And this lie would definitely ruin that.
Once Alyssa turned around and watched the interaction between the two men, Chris could see her resolve begin to crumble. He tilted his head, silently pleading with Alyssa to bring Michael into their conversation.
“Um …” Alyssa began. “You should probably sit down for this.”
“I’d rather stand,” Michael countered.
“Okay … well …” she hesitated some more.
“Am I going to be pissed?”
“Probably,” Chris answered. He knew he would be if the tables were turned.
Michael folded his arms across his chest and alternated his gaze between Alyssa and Chris. Chris could nearly hear his thoughts.
“Whoa, hold on,” Chris jumped in with his hands up. “It’s not anything to do with me and your wife. It’s about the woman I’ve been seeing.”
“What about her?” he demanded.
Chris looked to Alyssa for help, but all she did was shrug. Headfirst was the only way he could dive off that cliff. “We think she might be your sister Sammy.”
Michael staggered before leaning against the countertop. “You, what? Explain. And explain quickly.”
Chris and Alyssa went through all the details and what led them to believe Mallory was his sister Sammy. His expression became more and more grim as they spoke. By the time they’d finished, he was leaning with his back to the counter, his head back, and his eyes closed.
“You aren’t dating my sister,” he finally said.
“No, seriously, I’m pretty sure I am.”
Michael opened his eyes and lowered his head to look straight at Chris. “What I meant was you may not date my sister. Is that clearer for you?”
