Page 81 of Back to You

Lake did another little shimmy in his chair, and Ethan laughed, entranced with the thought of a day spent doing nothing more that shopping with his friends.

***

“You should have kissed him,” Michelle said, looking disgusted with him.

“Totally,” Marcus seconded.

“I couldn’t! If you’d seen how he pulled away — he clearly didn’t want me to.”

Michelle and Marcus wore matching expressions of doubt.

“We are talking about the same Ethan here, right?” Michelle said. “Ethan Thompson? About your height, reddish hair, brown eyes?”

“Hazel.”

“What?”

“His eyes. They’re hazel.”

Michelle and Marcus were now wearing pitying expressions.

“Oh honey,” Michelle said patronizingly.

“I know, I know.”

“Look, Ethan is crazy about you, and I know damn good and well that this whole situation hasn’t changed that. You’re telling me someone who loved you as much as he did, as much as he still does, didn’t want you to kiss him?”

“He’s going through a lot right now, Michelle. I don’t want to share too much, but he’s making big strides in therapy lately. I don’t want to do anything to mess that up for him.”

Marcus patted him on the back. “You’re a good man.”

“Yeah, it sucks.”

Brandon retreated into his kitchen to mope.

CHAPTER 18

“FUCK ME, WHAT the hell is that?” Rhonda yelled.

“Rhonda, for pity’s sake, there are kids in here,” Marcus said.

“Well I’m sorry, but seriously, what is that thing coming down the sidewalk?”

Brandon turned his head from the coffee pot he was cleaning to see Kelly Cluckson, in all her fluffy white glory, traipsing down the sidewalk on her sparkling pink leash. Holding the end of the leash was a young woman who must be the famous Chicken Lady.

“It’s a chicken, Rhonda,” he called.

“Well I’ll be damned. Never thought I’d see anything like that.”

Marcus, who had become slightly obsessed with Kelly the chicken, darted out the door. He spoke briefly to the Chicken Lady, then sat down to take a selfie with Kelly and her pigtails. Yes, pigtails on a chicken. Brandon turned back to the coffee pot while shaking his head.

“I need a drink,” he muttered.

“Me too!” Rhonda cried. “You got any Irish to go in this coffee back there, boy?”

Brandon startled. “How did you hear that?!”

“Got my hearing aids fixed! I can hear a gnat buzzing from across the room, it’s great!”

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