Page 61 of She Likes It, Hey Micah
Not that it matters. Though, holding her hand like this, I in no way want to think about the moment when all of this ends.
With a squeeze of my hand, Micah pulls my attention to her long enough to see the squished-up face she makes.
I raise an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be your grumpy face?”
She laughs, returning to her bright and beautiful smile. “Did it really look that bad?”
“You looked constipated.”
“Yikes.”
I nod seriously, even though she’s as adorable as ever. “It’s a good thing you’re incapable of being in a bad mood because no one should have to see that.”
Her laughter sparks my own, though hers is definitely more exuberant than mine. It feels good to laugh, especially after all the stress of yesterday and this morning.
“Hey, Fischer?”
“Yeah?”
“Would you rather be a dolphin or a shark?”
***
By the time we make it back to Sun City, I am so ready for a shower and my bed. Maybe a meal first. Micah and I stopped for lunch in the first town we came to, but after going twenty-four hours with only a few snacks to tide me over, I feel like I’m going to be hungry for the next week.
Micah asks me to drop her off at her sister’s house—I’m disappointed that I won’t get to see what her apartment building looks like—and we’re both quiet as I pull up to the curb.
While this weekend has been hellish and exhausting, I’m not sure I’m ready for it to end. As soon as Micah steps out of my car, we’re back to business as usual. No more holding hands or sharing secrets.
Why does my life suddenly sound like a summer camp?
“Thanks for driving,” she says without reaching for the door handle. “I’m sorry the weekend didn’t go according to plan.”
I furrow my brow. “It’s not your fault.”
“I can be sympathetic without taking blame,” she says with a smirk. “Don’t watch any TV tonight. You need all the sleep you can get.”
I sigh dramatically. “Yes, ma’am. Let’s just hope Lila and Grant take the rest of the weekend off so we can too.” At this point, if Grant asks me to do anything between now and eight A.M. Monday, I’m tempted to tell him to do it himself. That’s an easy way to get fired, but I hope Grant is smart enough to know he can’t survive without me.
“Well.” Micah looks around the car as if she might have left something behind. If I were to let myself hope, she would be looking for a reason to stay. “I should let you get home.”
My rented room has never felt like home. Not the way she’s starting to.
“Can your sister get you home okay?” I ask. Like she’s a child. I hold back a groan and hope Micah’s optimism recognizes my concern for what it is instead of mistaking it as condescension.
To my relief, Micah smiles. Then again, she smiles at anything, so it’s not like my chances were slim. “I’ll probably end up staying the night. Odds are Chad asked her to keep an eye on me after that little freak out last night.”
“You can call it a panic attack. There’s no shame in that.”
She rewards my comment with a squeeze of my hand and a sparkle in her eyes, and then suddenly she’s climbing out of the car far too soon.
“Wait!” I scramble out of my seat, fighting my seatbelt the whole time, and then I meet her on the curb, hands in fists and my heart pounding as if I’m about to have my own panic attack. “Can… Can I give you a hug goodbye?”
I feel so stupid asking that, especially knowing how physical she always is. But before Micah, I was never like this. I never craved someone’s touch or even wanted it. I may have fancied myself in love with Miranda, but I never touched her beyond handshakes. That should have told me everything.
Micah cocks her head, studying me in that way that leaves me exposed. “You want to give me a hug?”
“I just held your hand for two hours.”
