Page 64 of Houston, We Have a Problem
“Are you the right person?”
“Okay,” Houston says, breaking up the inquisition before I say something I can’t take back. “Can we stop scaring my date?”
“Told you,” Micah whispers with a wink, and then she settles herself on Fischer’s lap instead of her own chair. Rolling his eyes, he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her against his chest, and she rewards him with a kiss that he happily returns. I don’t remember any kissing happening at trivia night, so I have to wonder if their relationship is as new as Jordan and Brooklyn’s. What does Houston think about all of this?
As Jordan tugs Brooklyn toward the table, Houston regains my attention by slipping his hand into mine and leaning close enough that I have to lift my head to see up into his face. “I tried to warn you,” he says breathily. “They can be a lot.”
“I like them,” I counter with a grin. I think back to what he told me at the gala about how he got into baseball and how he felt redundant and unimportant. Maybe I can help him out a bit. “I can see how much they care about you.”
His fingers curl even tighter around mine, like he’s afraid to let go. “And what about you?” he whispers. If he notices his family staring at us, he doesn’t mind. “Do you care about me?”
I snort a little laugh, trying to ease the tension before I get lost in his bright blue eyes.Too late.“I already told you I like you, Houston.”
“Just checking,” he says with a chuckle, and then he presses a kiss to the top of my hat. Stupid hat has gotten in my way twice now, and I’ll have to ditch it before the night is over.
“Hey, are we eating or smooching?” Jordan asks loudly. “I’m happy to do either, but I want to know which—”
Houston steals my mitt and throws it, nailing Jordan in the chest.
Laughing, I lean up on my toes and channel my Tamlin confidence as I say, “There will be enough time for everything.”
Houston’s face goes slack, his cheeks filling with color.
I have to pull him with me to the table, and even after we start digging into the incredible spread, he seems a bit in a daze. He’s nearly kissed me more than once, but this is the first time I’ve given him any kind of permission. That makes this feel all the more real, and the anticipation might very well kill me.
Thank goodness for the Briggs siblings, who don’t take long to start throwing more questions at me.
“How is it living next to Houston?” Micah asks, starting things off.
“I rarely see him,” I answer honestly, and then I take a huge bite of pizza because I refuse to miss out on any of this delicious-looking food because I’m too busy talking. I can be strategic about this.
“You should have seen the way Houston greeted her when she showed up to move in,” Jordan says, already laughing before he describes the horror scene I walked into.
“The paint was everywhere,” Houston complains. “I was just trying to get it all cleaned up before they showed up.”
“They?” Chad asks with poorly concealed interest.
I swallow a bite of the best spinach artichoke dip I’ve ever tasted. “Yeah, me and Jesse. He’s like a brother to me.”
“Likea brother,” Jordan repeats, but he’s looking at Houston with his eyebrows high. What is that about?
“What brought you to Sun City?” Fischer asks.
I still don’t have a good answer for that one. “A lot of things.”
“And do you like it so far?” Brooklyn asks.
This one is easier. “I really do.”
“I’m glad Sun City hasn’t scared you away with its tendency to be cautious with newcomers,” Jordan says.
Uh, I’m not sure what he means by that or how to respond. At least, I don’t until he winks at Houston and Houston groans, dropping his face into his palm. Ah, okay, so we’re not talking about Sun City. Two can play at this game.
“I wasn’t sure about Sun City at first,” I say casually. “It’s a little too glorified for my taste, but the longer I’ve been around town, the more I’ve come to know the city that’s under the shiny surface.” Houston looks up, but I keep going, pretending I have no idea what Jordan was hinting at. “There are a lot of hidden secrets, but I’m excited to get to know everything I can because I have a feeling Sun City and I could really be something good.”
I’ve left the table stunned, everyone staring at me like they never could have expected someone like me. Houston is frozen solid beside me, and I’m too afraid to look at him in case I was just too bold for his comfort.
Chad speaks first, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles at me. “I think Hou has met his match in you, Darcy.”
