Page 65 of Wandering in Darkness
“Probably,” he agrees as he gets out of the car. It’s already nine at night and rather dark out, but Felix must notice us the moment we pull in because he pops out, as nosy as ever.
“Grayson! Cal! How lovely to see both of you. Grayson, I hadnoidea you were coming here,” Felix says. “Like… here you are! Wow! I wonder who was supposed to tell the others you were stopping by? No idea. None at all.” He grimaces a little.
“I take it you were supposed to tell the rest of us?” I ask in disbelief.
“Hear me out… I was going to. I was going to be like amazing and be all, ‘Hey, Grayson is coming over,’ and then a lady came in and was like, ‘You must don your Indiana Jones hat and traverse through the moat into the evil lair of my ex-husband’s abode where you will steal from within a priceless family heirloom.’”
“I was actually there for most of that and that’s definitely not how it went down,” I comment.
“Shhhhh, Cal, I’m telling the story,” Felix says, prepared to tell quite the fictitious story at the rate he’s going. “Anyway. Once that thrilling news hit me, I forgot all about telling you that Grayson was coming. But like… he drove so far. Does he really want to drive all the way home tonight?”
Felix holds up a finger before scurrying over to me. He wraps his arms around me in some weird hug (or maybe it’s a threat) as he begins pulling me backward. What part of this he thought would be successful, I don’t know. But I let him, and as we trip and stumble our way over to the house, Grayson watches us in confusion. Even the dog seems confused.
Felix takes me inside the house and turns me to face him.
“Look at me.”
“I’m definitely already looking,” I assure him.
“What do you think about inviting Grayson to stay the night so he doesn’t have to drive home in the dark?”
“It’s not that dark. He’d be home before midnight.”
Felix’s eyes are scrutinizing my every movement. “So that’s a no? Because itcouldbe a yes. Even if seeing him brings back all of those hard times, I know seeing him also reminds you of the good times,” he says, voice gentle.
I just stare at him, not at all digging his analysis of me. False analysis, honestly.
“So… that’s a no. That’s okay! I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want to do.”
I keep staring at him.
“Should I ask for forgiveness? I really don’t know what this stare means. Ooh, I know, maybe you want to kiss Brigs to feel better,” he says as he hefts the pig up for me to kiss. I feel like ithas to be causing his small body significant muscle strain. “Kiss the piggy.”
Brigs, who would be squealing up a storm if anyone else did this to him, is just chilling, waiting to be kissed.
“Where the hell would he even sleep?” I ask, patting the pig instead.
Felix is clearly struggling as the pig oozes out of his arms and back onto the ground. “He can sleep on the couch.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t want to sleep on the couch.”
“You can let him decide that,” Felix says. “And then we could have a little sleepover and it’ll be so much fun.”
“You only think it’s fun because you are the nosiest man I’ve ever met.”
“Would it make you feel better if I stole his dog?”
I immediately nod. “It would.”
“I’m on it.” He gives me two thumbs up which turns into two finger guns as he starts toward the dog, ready to thieve.
“And that’s fine. You can offer it, but I doubt he’s going to want to sleep on a couch.”
Felix freezes, probably doing his best to suppress his glee at this. “That man would sleep on a bed of nails if it meant getting to see you.”
“I’m positive he could find someone significantly better than me,” I mumble.
“How could anyone get better than you? You’re the best. Besides Lane, of course. He’s da best. But you’re second best. I mean, that’s pretty good.” Felix literally skips out the door and it isn’t long before he comes skipping in carrying Trav while Copper surveys the situation. “I know I said he was ugly in the pictures, but I already love him,” Felix decides. “Lane, I stole another dog!”
