Page 41 of The Waiting Game

“I dunno. I took a rideshare here. He said he had something to do but that he wouldn’t be long.”

“Hmm.” She frowned. “He better not be late.”

“Probably no later than usual,” Felix said with a laugh, rising to his feet to take his turn at the sink. “Now, what can I do to help you?”

“Chop the vegetables.” She pointed at the white onion, carrot, and spring onion on the island.

“Okay.”

Felix had helped her in the kitchen often enough to know where everything was so he reached for his favorite knife, liking the heft of it in his hand.

He wasn’t as good at cooking as she was, but he could hold his own and he liked these quiet moments with the sound of sports radio playing quietly in the background as they worked.

They both straightened when the front door opened and Jonah called out. “Sorry, sorry! I know I’m late.”

If Felix was early for everything, Jonah was perpetually late. It wasn’t usually more than five or ten minutes and he wasn’t intentionally inconsiderate, but he sort of got lost in his own little world sometimes.

Felix assumed he was daydreaming about plants most of the time.

What a nerd, Felix thought with a wash of affection.

Jonah set down a box wrapped in birthday paper and Felix eyed it with interest. He wondered what Jonah had gotten him this year.

He reached for the package but Jonah moved it out of reach. “Later! After dinner.”

Felix grumbled and resumed chopping the white onion, hoping they’d make Jonah cry.

“Hey, Grandma,” Jonah said as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“You’re late,” she said tartly.

“I know. Traffic was bad.”

Felix smiled down at the cutting board. Toronto’s traffic was always a pain but somehow, despite having lived here for twenty-five years of his life, Jonah had never figured out how to plan ahead for it.

“Happy Birthday,” Jonah said as he approached the island, sliding in behind Felix.

He rested a hand on Felix’s hip and leaned forward, pressing his chest to Felix’s back.

A strange wave of heat went through Felix and he shivered at the ticklish feeling of Jonah’s breath against the back of his neck.

He was almost distracted enough to miss Jonah reaching for the carrots. But when he noticed, he smacked his hand. “Quit it! We need those for dinner.”

“You can spare one,” Jonah protested, filching a slice before Felix could stop him. He crunched into it, obnoxiously loud in Felix’s ear.

“Cut that out,” Felix grumbled, elbowing his ribs.

He caught a glimpse of Grandma Ji-min smiling at them.

Jonah slipped away and Felix drew in a breath, focusing on the onion again.

This was getting ridiculous. Was he so touch-starved he was really starting to get worked up about his best friend?

Pathetic.

They caught up on the latest hockey news as they all worked together to make dinner. Grandma Ji-min had done a lot already and Felix felt momentarily guilty for making her work so hard.

But as they carried platters and plates outside, Felix’s unease slipped away. It was a beautiful evening, soft and warm with the promise of spring.

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