Page 33 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

He drove home and parked in his garage, then flipped the front porch light on.

He realized he hadn’t gotten her answer on the kind of pizza she wanted, but since they’d had it in the office enough, he knew what she liked and just ordered a large sausage and peppers and then grabbed some wings and a salad to go with it.

Then he hopped in the shower quickly and changed into jeans and a T-shirt, pulled on his socks, and bypassed his sneakers for now.

He’d put them on later when they went down to the beach...if they got that far.

He wouldn’t hold her to it as it would be close to nine at that point and she’d probably want to get home.

When his doorbell rang ten minutes later, he was jogging to get it.

“Hey, long time no see.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Come in. You get ready fast.”

“Should I have put more makeup on or something?” she asked. “Maybe a dress and heels?”

She was laughing and he had to fight back the image of what she might look like dressed like that. “Sure,” he said. “That would go well on the beach with the smoke from the fire.”

“Exactly,” she said. “And nice decorations.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I decorate for Halloween and Christmas. That is about it.”

On the front porch he had a skeleton sitting in the chair. It was the buddy that kept him company when he handed outcandy...with a toothbrush. It was both a reminder to brush after the sugar and some advertising.

There were fake cobwebs in the corners of the porch, some pumpkins with lights in them, and a cauldron that had smoke coming out of it when it was on.

“Christmas is my favorite holiday,” she said. “I like to decorate for it too. Not sure how much I’ll get done in my apartment. I mean, I’ll be the only one to see and enjoy it.”

“So?” he said. “Do you care if anyone else sees it?”

“Not really,” she said. “Just goes to show how much of a loser I am not having anyone in my place other than family.”

“I’ll come look at it,” he said. “Then you can say someone saw it.”

He wasn’t sure why he offered that and hoped she didn’t think it was out of pity or that Spencer wanted him to do these things.

It had nothing to do with any of that and more that he was trying to find a way or time to see her.

Which was crazy since he saw her daily at work.

“I’d like that,” she said.

The doorbell went off again before they could walk out of the foyer. “Must be the pizza. You can go back and get plates if you want. If you remember where everything is.”

“I do,” she said and moved past him into the house.

He opened the door, pulled cash out of his pocket to tip the driver, but had paid for the food when he ordered it.

“Hope you’re hungry. I ordered what I know you’ve eaten before and got some wings and a salad too.”

“I’m starving,” she said. “I feel like all we do is eat quickly at work. I spend more time doing my notes while I’m eating and just getting enough in me to get through the day.”

“I feel that way too.”

She had the plates down but nothing to drink. Then she turned and went to get a bottle of water, the fizzy kind, but he held the smirk back, and he grabbed a beer. Might as well. It’s not as if he was going anywhere.

She grabbed two glasses for them each and they sat to eat.

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