Page 44 of Whirlwind
“Wow, this is…”
“Impressive, I know,” he says, and I grin.
I hold a jersey up against me, and we both laugh at how comically huge it is. Sorting through a stack of T-shirts, I stop when I find the perfect one. The graphic is a UFO beaming up a man, with the wordsask me about my buttholeemblazoned across it.
“This one,” I exclaim.
“Fucking hell,” he says, grabbing it from me.
“You said I could pick!”
“That was before I remembered this was in here. It was a gag gift from Lottie.”
“I want that one, Tyson,” I say, pointing at it.
“Fine,” he relents, handing it to me. “You change in here; I’ll go brush my teeth and leave a spare toothbrush out for you.”
Before I change, I pull my cell phone from my waistband and send a quick text to Willa.
Me:
I told Tyson I want to date. I told him about Derik. Now we’re having a non-sexy-time sleepover at his house.
I promised I would check in with her, and knowing her, she’s waiting up until she hears from me.
Willa:
You’re good then? Like, totally good? Do you need to talk?
Me:
I’m good. I’ll call you tomorrow.
Willa:
I’m so proud of you! Don’t push yourself past your limits. Call me if you need anything. I’m leaving my ringer on. I love you!
Me:
I love you too, thank you for always being here for me.
Willa:
ALWAYS
“You good?” Tyson asks, from the other side of the closet door. Again, he’s being a gentleman and not peeking in.
“Sorry, yeah. I’m good, I was texting Willa.”
“Don’t apologize, take your time.”
He’s sweet. Or he’s a normal man, and I haven’t known enough normal men in my life. Either way, I could get used to it.
I change quickly into his silly shirt and rush next door to the bathroom, where a new toothbrush is sitting out for me. When I head back into the bedroom, it’s with a new apprehension. I pause just outside of the door. Tyson is already in bed, scrolling on his phone, bare chest on full display.
“Hey,” he says. When he notices me, his eyes narrow. “Talk to me, Kit. What’s wrong?”
“You have spare toothbrushes,” I say, my toes curling into the soft carpet. His face falls but he recovers quickly.
