Page 95 of Shark Bait

“Mike?” Dad says from behind me. I startle, then move aside forMiketo walk in. Dad closes the door behind Shark and shakes his hand. “Glad you could make it, pal.”

“Thanks for the invite,” Shark says as he shrugs off his jacket.

I extend my hand. “I’ll take that, sir.”

Shark smirks and hands me the jacket while my dad throws an arm over my shoulders and pulls me into his side, then kisses the top of my head. “This my baby girl, Troy. Apple of my eye. I have five sons, but this one I love the most.”

“Thanks for that,” Levi pitches from the table.

“You touch that pie, Levi, and I’ll cut off your finger,” my aunt says on her way from the kitchen. She drops the basket of fresh-baked rolls on the buffet table and turns to sit down, butremains standing when she sees Shark. A blush of pink appears on her cheeks, and she fluffs up her hair.

Shit’s about to get awkward, y’all.

“Howdy,” she says. “And who might you be?”

“This is our new neighbor, Mike,” Dad says, even though nobody asked him anything.

“How nice to meet you, Mike. I’m Emmy Sue, Carl’s sister-in-law.”

“My aunt,” I say with a big smile.

She offers him her hand, and Shark shakes it while my aunt uses the opportunity of offered contact to pull him toward the table. “You can sit next to me, dear, and tell me about yourself. I’m recently divorced. How about you?” She slides her hand up his arm and grips his biceps. Her eyes widen. “Oh my.”

Now she’s really into him, and I don’t blame her. I know how firm his biceps are and what all he can do with his hands and agile fingers.

Shark doesn’t protest when my aunt makes him sit with her. He doesn’t make her feel unwanted when she starts to chat him up, offering him beers and talking about herself even as she tells him to talk more about himself. He sits there and pretends to listen, but I’m sure he’s not listening. I’m sure of it because I catch his reflection in the window watching me smell the collar of his jacket before I hang it by the door.

I take a seat across from him for two reasons. I want to look at him the entire time we eat because I can’t touch him, and if I sit on the other side of him, I’ll touch him. I won’t be able to help myself. This would be very bad, because if my dad catches us, he’ll shoot Shark and go to jail.

Prisoners aren’t very kind to cops in jail.

For the sake of my family, I keep my distance as everyone else sits down. My mom comes in last, and Shark stands whenshe comes over to introduce herself and remains standing until she sits down.

My dad claps him on the shoulder when he sits. “You’ve got some good manners there, but don’t be too formal. Nancy and I want you to come over whenever you’re feelin’ like you need company. We’re grateful you let Dakota draw the plans for your house.” Dakota is autistic and has a gift for drawing spaces. Architecture is his jam.

“Thank you, Carl. I’ll take you up on that offer and come often.”

Oh God, I’m not gonna be able to eat. After all these months I spent caring for my baby and wishing I could see her daddy, he’s finally here, and I just want to cry, I’m so darn happy. But I can’t, because that’ll raise questions. I fist my hands in my lap.

From next to me, Denver leans in and whispers, “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I turn toward him. “How’s it going with you?”

“I’m taking a break from music for a while. Roll?”

Oh no. “Those scandals will pass. Give it a week or two, and another scandal will take over. Don’t let them get to you.”

“It’s not that. I don’t care about that. If anything, it’ll sell our songs even more.”

“Then why?” I spread butter over my roll.

“Honestly?” he asks. I’m starting to feel bad that I never greeted his girlfriend, who is sitting next to him, quietly observing us all. Her plate is empty, and I nudge Denver. “Put a roll on her plate.”

“She’s a big girl.”

“Maybe she’s shy. Denver, come on.”

“Serves her right.”

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