Page 93 of Fierce-Michael

“Sounds logical to me,” she said.

“Don’t take his side,” he said playfully.

“I’ll take anyone’s side that is right or it makes sense,” she said, nudging him as they walked out.

They climbed into his SUV and he drove to a pizza place that Ty liked, then went in and got seats. It wasn’t even noon yet, butthat was fine. Mini golf wouldn’t take much time and then he’d have to decide how long he’d have Kelly over.

She wouldn’t be spending the night. It was too soon for that. He hadn’t offered and she hadn’t asked. To him it was just unspoken that it wouldn’t happen.

“What do you like on your pizza?” Ty asked Kelly.

“I’m not too fussy. I just don’t like onions or anchovies.”

“What are those?” Ty asked.

“Stinky slimy little fish.”

“Ewwwww,” Ty said, wrinkling up his nose. “Who eats fish on pizza?”

“Not us,” Michael said. “And we never will.”

They were brought to a booth and took a seat. Their drinks and pizza and wings were ordered and they had time to quietly sit and just talk.

“You’re going to start kindergarten next year, right?” Kelly asked.

“I am,” Ty said. “With my cousins Cam and Regan. Dad said you know them?”

“I do,” she said. “I work for Cade so the twins come into the office at times.”

“You might not go to the same school as them,” Michael said. “We don’t live in the same district.”

He’d tried to explain this to his son, but he didn’t seem to understand it.

“But I want to go with them,” Ty said. “Can we move next door to them?”

He laughed. “I like the house we are in,” he said. No way he could afford to live by Cade. He might make good money but not enough to get into that new development with massive houses.

“I like our house too,” Ty said. “Where do you live, Kelly?”

“I live in an apartment,” she said.

“Are you going to move in with us?”

She looked at him and quickly said, “No,” she said. “I like my apartment.”

“So we’re not going to be a family?” Ty asked, frowning.

Michael wasn’t sure what this was about and had to tread carefully. “Kelly and I just started to date, but we do love each other.”

“You do?” Ty asked. His son had sat next to him with Kelly across from them. And Ty was looking at his girlfriend.

“I do love your father very much,” she said. “But we know this is new to you. It’s new to me too. We are taking it slowly.”

“You said you liked kids,” Ty said. “Do you want more kids? I like playing with kids. I want some brothers.”

Her eyes had gotten a bit wide and Michael hadn’t expected this at all. It was going well but a bit uncomfortable.

“I do like kids,” she said. “I’d like to have some kids of my own too, but not right yet.”

---