Page 56 of Safe With Me

It was a heady feeling that traveled through me, lighting me up from the inside, even more potent now that I finally knew what Mike tasted like.

I wanted more of that. I wanted more of Mike.

What I felt for him was big enough to scare me more than what could be lurking in the dark.

11

MIKE

“To what doI owe this lovely visit?” Chloe asked, a smirk tilting her mouth as she exited the automatic hospital doors.

“I can’t visit my cousin at work and bring her lunch?” I held up a paper bag.

“You even brought lunch? Aren’t you on shift?” Her brows pinched as she stepped toward me.

“I’m coming off the night shift. I clocked out an hour ago.” I motioned to the benches next to the parking lot. “This is your usual break time, right?”

“You came all the way here to spend my break with me?” Chloe scrutinized me as her eyes thinned to slits.

“When I bought breakfast for myself, I picked up that chicken cutlet sandwich you like so much and figured I’d pay you a visit. But if you don’t want it…” I said, dangling the bag in front of her.

She snatched the bag out of my hand and rushed over to the bench.

“That is very thoughtful. Suspicious, but super thoughtful. I only have a half hour, so hopefully that’s enough time to eat and whatever else you’re here for.”

For all our lives, I could never hide anything from my cousin. She was a year younger than me but was always a step ahead. Even when we’d spar over video games, she’d always find a weird way to beat me when I was sure I’d win.

Her annoying way of reading a situation better than I ever could had led me here.

“You even got my black cherry soda.” She gasped as she dug through the bag, unwrapping her sandwich with a laughable vigor and taking a bite.

“Sooo good,” she said, her eyes fluttering. “Now, tell me,” she mumbled, her mouth full. “Why am I going to be mad at you, or what’s on your mind that you didn’t want to just go home and sleep?”

“Hey, Mike.”

Before I could figure out how to answer, Leo, my uncle, came over to greet us. “Everything okay?”

“Hey, Leo. Just paying a friendly visit to my cousin,” I told him, shooting Chloe an exaggerated smile. “I told her to meet me out here, so no one panicked at me hanging around in uniform. Just signing in?”

He laughed and crossed his tattooed arms. Leo was a part-time nurse at the hospital and fire lieutenant at the only Kelly Lakes fire station.

“Yes, my first day of a three-day shift. At least in this job, I get to stay in air conditioning all day. You’d think people would learn not to buy these monster gas grills that catch on fire if they don’t know how to use them right, but that’s been my week.”

“Hopefully, we don’t see the aftereffects of that today,” Chloe quipped. They now worked together in the ER, which I’d always thought had to be a little weird.

Calling Keith “Chief” at the station was odd enough, but it would be strange to work alongside one of my parents for a living.

“Nice to see you, Mike. And see you inside, kiddo,” he told Chloe, kissing the top of her head. She smiled, but I spotted a guilty frown when he turned his back.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing,” she said a little too quickly. “Just a little strange when we’re on shift together.”

I nodded, skeptical, but as selfish as it was, I let it go for the moment because I needed to get this off my chest to someone. Dad was off-limits because he was Lila’s boss.

“So, back to why you’re here,” she said and tipped back her soda bottle.

“Well, I didn’t do anything to make you mad. Not that I’m aware of anyway.” I rested my elbows on my knees. “I think I’m in a little trouble.”

---