Page 40 of Safe With Me

“Whatever. Listen, I will let you get back to your Saturday. Thank you for listening.”

“What I’m here for. Now, get out of the apartment. Be the mysterious new girl who has lunch alone somewhere.”

“Right.” I laughed and ended the call.

I peeked out my window at the gray sky and light drizzle dotting the glass. I wondered if Mike was still taking his sister to the festival in the rain today.

Grabbing my phone off my table, I pulled up Mike’s name in my contacts and stared at the screen for a while. I wanted to thank him for last night, but I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

“Fuck it,” I murmured to myself and typed out a text.

Me:Thank you again for last night. For seeing me home and for listening.

That wasn’t so hard. Putting myself out there, as long as I didn’t puttoomuch of myself out there with Mike, was fine and healthy.

I was about to put the phone down when three dots popped up.

Mike:Thanks aren’t needed. I’m glad I was there.

Mike:And I’m glad you came out last night.

Me:Thanks for being a good tour guide.

Mike:It’s supposed to storm today, so instead of going to the festival in the rain, I’m bringing my sister here. I promised her we’d make pizza, so if you want to come by around noon and be part of the mess, feel free.

I didn’t know of many men Mike’s age who would go out of their way to spend time with their nine-year-old sister, but he seemed like one of a kind, even that day I almost fainted on top of him.

There should’ve been a line of women around the block trying to date him, and yet he was content with spending his Saturday making pizza with his little sister.

It was commendable and adorable and something I shouldn’t get myself involved with, no matter how it intrigued me.

But I liked pizza.

And what was the harm in getting to know my boss’s family? At least there was less risk with a kid around.

Me:You know what, you’re on. Can I bring anything?

Three dots popped up almost immediately.

Mike:Just yourself. We have cookie dough to pop in after the pizza.

Again, how was this guy single? Did too many green flags make up one big red one?

I shook my head and stumbled into the shower. Guys like Ted and my brother had left me skeptical of most men. I’d never been close with my father, but that was for the same reason my mother was always at an emotional arm’s length.

This was just an afternoon of pizza and cookies and nothing more, even if I already had to keep reminding myself of that.

I headed over to Mike’s apartment at twelve-fifteen, my attempt at not looking overly anxious. I could barely hold on to my umbrella as the wind kicked up along with the sheets of rain as I rang Mike’s outside doorbell of the two-family house.

“Hey,” Mike said, a blinding smile spreading his mouth as he held the front door open. “Come in,” he said, pulling me inside by my wrist after I wrestled with my now-broken umbrella.

“Wow, it got so awful so fast.” I shook off the damp ends of my hair. “I’m guessing the festival is a bust.”

Mike took the umbrella from me and dropped it into the bucket by the door.

“Everyone is probably at the bar or one of the restaurants. My sister wouldn’t have been interested.”

“She doesn’t mind having someone crash her day with you?”

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