Page 76 of Friend Me

“I—okay.” Friends was a reasonable request. But nothing else. And I wouldn’t be confiding in him about Dad anymore.

“You should take your game system, though.” When I’d come home from work, I’d disconnected it and jammed it into a grocery bag, intending to drop it at his desk tomorrow. This way, I’d be saved from lugging it onto the train.

“Oh.” The corners of his mouth turned down, and the golden sparks disappeared from his eyes. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. It’d be best if you didn’t—if we kept our friendship in the office.”

A meow sounded behind me. I whirled to block Tigger from escaping, but he sat on the rug and meowed again at Tyler. Tyler crouched and held out a hand. Tigger stood, stalked past me, and, purring, rubbed his traitorous little face on Tyler’s hand.

Tyler crooned, “Good boy.”

I heard footsteps on the stairs and sighed.Caught.

“Oh, hi, Tyler,” Alicia said in an insinuating singsong.

“Hey, Alicia.” His cheeks didn’t flare red like mine had. He looked like being caught on my porch by our boss’s wife was no big deal.

“Thanks for coming by. I’ll see you tomorrow, Tyler.” I couldn’t look him in the eye as I said it.

I didn’t miss the hurt in his voice. “Um, okay. See you tomorrow.” He grabbed the bag with his game system, turned on his heel, and walked back to his blue Mustang. Tigger gave a last, forlorn meow after him.

When I met her gaze, Alicia’s expression was troubled. “You’re sure you can’t—”

“I’m sure.” I couldn’t give him what he wanted. And I couldn’t want what he’d give me.

* * *

On Thursday morning,I padded downstairs holding my boots so I wouldn’t wake Dad, but he was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

“Morning, Sunshine.”

“Morning, Dad. Feeling good today?” I poured coffee into my travel mug.

“Great. I think I’ll carve the pumpkin this morning. If you don’t mind, that is. I know how much you used to love Halloween, but you’re so busy these days…”

“You’ll use the kit with the little saws, right? Not the big kitchen knives. And Sylvia will help you.”

“Is that any way to talk to your father? I’ve been using knivesand power toolssince before you were born.”

I froze in the middle of screwing the cap onto my travel mug. “You won’t use power tools on the pumpkin, will you?” He couldn’t. I’d locked them in the shed, and I’d hidden the key.

“I was only saying…” He heaved out a sigh. “Of course not. I’ll use the tiny saws.”

I found the plastic bag with the kit and set it on the counter. “Thanks, Dad.”

I heard a knock at the front door, and then it opened. “Good morning,” Sylvia called.

“Hey, Sylvia,” I said. “Look who’s already up.”

She smiled at Dad. “Hey, Will. You must be feeling good today.”

“I was,” he grumbled into his coffee.

“He said he wants to carve the pumpkin today. It’s sitting on the back porch. Here’s the carving kit.” I pointed to it on the counter.

“That sounds like fun.” She nodded at me, a promise she wouldn’t let him slice off any digits. “Oh, Marlee. My cousin says she can stay with him Saturday night so you can go to your party.”

I couldn’t help myself; I did a little dance before I reached out and hugged her. “Thank you. That’s great.” I didn’t want to miss Alicia and Jackson’s party, but Dad was getting to be too much for Alma to handle. Sylvia’s cousin was a nurse.

I bent to kiss Dad’s cheek. “Have fun today. Be good.”

He said nothing but stared into his coffee. Shaking off his moodiness, I headed to work.

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