Page 43 of Robbin’ the Rich

Mel snorted into her drink. "No, you don't."

I ignored them and looked back down at the screen.

At the exact same moment Zella said, "Okay but seriously, have you guys heard about the new axe throwing bar. We should all go."

The table erupted.

"Oh my god yes."

"I've always wanted to throw an axe."

"That feels dangerous."

"Which is why it'll be fun."

I wasn’t even sure who was talking in the conversation exploding around me and the text still glowing on my phone was all I seemed to care about. A weird thought slipped into my brain. I could invite him. It wouldn’t be another date. Just an invitation to come hang out and meet my people.

The thought made something flutter low in my stomach, then immediately made me uncomfortable. Inviting Micah to meet the Reapers felt different. It was like crossing some invisible line, but I did find myself wanting him there.

The drive home from Trixie's should've been quiet. Instead, my phone rang before I'd even made it halfway across town.

Micah's name glowed across the dashboard screen.

I answered in an embarrassingly low amount of rings.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Violent."

"Successful then."

"Obviously."

His laugh crackled through the speakers and I found myself smiling… again. Seriously, this man was becoming a problem.

"So..." he said before a long pause.

I immediately became suspicious. "What?"

"You sound suspicious,” he said.

"Because you sound suspicious."

"I do not." I could practically hear him grinning.

Then he cleared his throat dramatically. "Would you maybe want to go to a pumpkin patch this weekend?"

I blinked. A pumpkin patch. My first instinct was to mock him. Relentlessly.

What was next? Apple cider? Matching scarves? A Hallmark movie marathon? But surprisingly… I didn't want to mock him. Instead, I found myself smiling. God, I was tired of smiling. It was getting worse.

"A pumpkin patch?" I asked.

"Yes."