Page 109 of She Likes It, Hey Micah
“What’s wrong with you?” I blurt out.
Thankfully, he chuckles and takes a step back to let us inside. “Good to see you too, Half-pint. I’m fine. You must be Fischer.”
Fischer eyes Chad’s outstretched hand before grasping it. “Yes, sir. Fischer Bradley.”
“I know.” Chad has dropped his voice so it’s deeper and rougher than normal, as if that might change something about my relationship. He glances at me before returning his focus to Fischer. “I know exactly who you are.” His comment almost sounds like a challenge.
Fischer swallows. “So does she.”
“Good.”
I let out a deep sigh. “Are you done trying to intimidate him?” I ask. “My dad already tried that on Monday when he came to visit, but he decided he likes Fischer.”
To my utter relief, Chad smiles and gestures for us to head into the kitchen. “Lloyd’s stamp of approval, huh? That’s impressive.”
“Exactly the word I use to describe him.” I sit myself on one of the bar stools at Chad’s countertop and tug Fischer onto the one next to me. As Chad grabs a bowl of salad from the fridge, I narrow my eyes at him. “Uh, where is your costume, Grizz?”
Chad doesn’t even flinch, setting the bowl on the counter and sliding a pizza into the warmed oven. “I’m wearing it.”
He’s wearing a plaid shirt that he wears all the time, and though his blonde scruff is thicker than usual, it hardly counts as a beard if he’s going for a lumberjack look. It’s more of a “I’ve been too miserable to shave” kind of beard. I still don’t know why he decided to leave Laketown, and I’m almost afraid to ask after seeing the exhaustion in his eyes.
Fischer squeezing my hand gives me the boost I need, as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Chad.”
“Micah.”
“What happened with your neighbor?”
Chad closes the oven with a little too muchoomph, and the fact that he doesn’t immediately tell me nothing happened means I’ve caught onto something. He takes a slow breath, makes eye contact with Fischer, and then folds his arms as he leans against the stove. “It’s a long story.”
“We happen to love long stories.”
Fischer grimaces. “I don’t need… You don’t have to tell me anything.”
Chad chuckles. “Micah will fill you in even if I don’t.”
“That’s true,” I say brightly. “So there really is some drama with the single mama?”
His face goes slack. “How did you know about the kids?”
It’s my turn to look shocked, my jaw dropping. “What kids? Does your neighbor have kids?”
“You said mama.”
“I just said it ’cause it rhymed!”
Groaning, Chad runs a hand down his face and looks weary to the bone as he does it. “Can we just get through tonight? I’ll tell you all about them tomorrow, but I’m going to need what little energy I have to deal with the fact that Brooklyn is apparently dating Jordan Torres of all people and Houston thought it was a good idea to bring his flavor of the month to a family party.”
“Oo, are they officially dating now? Last I heard, Brook and Jordan were on the rocks, and trivia night was pretty ambiguous. And who is Houston bringing?” Normally I’m the one who has all the answers, but I’ve been happily distracted this week.
“Someone named Darcy,” Chad says.
I glance at Fischer, who raises an eyebrow at me. We’ve been speculating ever since the Greenwood event, but Houston has been mum every time I try to ask about his dating life. “Guess he made a decision between her and Tamlin,” I say. “Now I’m extra eager to meet this girl.”
“At least one of us is,” Chad mutters. He looks at Fischer again, frowning, and then sighs. “You’re just as interested as she is, aren’t you?”
Though he turns red, Fischer shrugs. “You have to admit it’s intriguing.”
