“Okay. Just remember the fire extinguisher is under the sink,” I snark and he huffs a laugh.
“Yes, yes, I know. Try not to take too long.”
“Well, standing around talking to you about possibly burning the house down isn’t going to help with that.”
Laughter flies out of his mouth and he punches me lightly in the side. “Okay, get out of here.”
“Lock all the doors and keep your phone close by.”
“I will, now go.” He shoves me out the door and I do my best not to reach for him. I know if I do, I won’t be going anywhere.
“I’m going, I’m going. We’ve only been boyfriends for a few minutes and already you’re wanting time away from me.”
He scoffs. “Oh my god, don’t make me put you in the car myself. It may take me a while to find it and we might wind up in the frozen lake, but at least you’ll be moving.”
“Or breaking through the ice and drowning.”
He shoves me again and shoots me a warning glare. I throw my hands up in defeat and step backwards down the porch steps. “You hear that? I’m moving closer to the car.”
“Yeah, a little too slowly if you ask me.”
I turn around and walk faster, taking wider steps with my hands sticking out. He doesn’t need to be able to see me to know what I’m doing. Others have stared right at me with twenty-twenty vision and still managed to look past me, yet this wonderful vision impaired man sees all of me every time I’m in close proximity. Laughing, he shakes his head and folds his arms in front of his chest as he leans against the doorway. “Bye, now.”
“Bye, Honey.” I blow him a kiss, making loud smacking sounds with my mouth so he can hear exactly what I’m doing.
Smiling big, he pretends to catch it, and places his hand flat over his mouth. As I get in the car and drive off, he disappears behind the front door, and the further away I get, the more I understand why in my sleeping state I keep finding a way to get back to him. It must hurt as much when I’m unconscious as it does when I’m awake. It’s almost excruciating. Mostly because I can feel myself slipping back to the dark place the more distance I put between myself and the light. I don’t know what I’ll do if I see Travis at his house, and I’m trying so hard not to entertain the thoughts trying to push their way through.
***
Hours pass and many, many songs play before I finally arrive on my street. My phone vibrates and I hit the answer button via Bluetooth on my car, and seconds later, my brother’s loud voice is coming through the speaker. “Hey, asshole.”
“Hey, fuck plum.”
“What’s a fuck plum?”
I laugh. “Well, since I called you that, you should already know the answer.”
“Yup, still a dumb fuck.”
Shaking my head, I flex my hand on the wheel, biting back a grin. “So, what’s happened now? Any more of my exes move in down the street from my family? Did that wife of yours finally realize she deserves better?”
He laughs. “None of the above. Actually, I’m calling to invite your ass over for Christmas again, and I’m not taking no for an answer this time.”
“No, and no I won’t change my mind.”
“We’ll have it at our place, or even in a different country from him if we need to. Whatever it takes.”
“That’s very sweet and thoughtful of you, but I kind of have plans.”
He pauses for a beat before saying, “What plans? Walking your pig and sharing a bowl of spaghetti with himLady and The Trampstyle?”
“No,” I bite out. “I happen to have someone else in my life other than Huey now, thank you very much.”
His breathing picks up and he doesn’t speak again for a long time. “Wait . . . like, a new friend?”
“Yeah. A little more than a friend. We accidentally made things official today.” I smile at the memory of confusion flashing in Henry’s eyes before they shone with pure joy. Fuck, I miss him already.
“Wait . . . wait, wait, so, way more than a friend?”
