Page 59 of More Than Chemical
Emma glanced at Priya. “But what about everything else we know about him?”
Priya raised her hands, palms up. “Who cares?”
“I don’t know. I’m hesitant, and I think Ade should be too.”
After a short lull, a tray of three creamy shots appeared on our table.
“Hi, ladies.” It was Dallas, no longer in his gear but still wearing his racing jersey. He smiled down at us in that way that always made my insides feel like unset glue. “I thought you all could use a little something to warm up your cocoa.”
“Awesome!” Priya watched him distribute the plastic tumblers around the table.
Emma lifted her shot to her nose and took a sniff. “Baileys.”
Priya poured hers in and took a sip. “Mm, this is good. Really good.”
Emma dumped the shot into her cup and swirled it around. “You’re definitely getting points for being thoughtful.”
I added my own, stacked the shot cups up, and put them back on the tray.
“I’ll be right back.” He picked up the tray. “My dad’s here, and I’ve got to find him.”
He walked away, and I almost choked. “Did he just say his dad?”
Both Emma and Priya nodded in unison, their eyes bright.
I watched Dallas go to the bar and return the cups. He glanced at his phone. Typed, and within moments, an older man carrying a half-filled pint of beer walked up to him and hugged him. He was the same height as Dallas and had a similar sloped nose, but with short silver hair and a thick waist.
I took a large gulp of my cocoa and Baileys. It heated a path straight to my stomach.
They talked for a little bit and then both headed in our direction.
“Dad, these are the friends from the dorm I was talking about. Ade, Priya, Emma, this is my dad, Mike.”
Priya chimed in without missing a beat. “Hi, Mike, nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” His dad smiled—the same smile as his son’s.
Priya gave me a look and a slight nod.
But I still couldn’t find words.
“Is it okay if we sit with you?” Dallas asked.
“Of course,” Priya said, keeping the conversation going.
Dallas’s warm body slid onto the bench to my left, smelling musky.
My heart slowed to a more restful pace. Funny how that happened. How being close to him relaxed me more than not. Even with one of his parents around. I wouldn’t have thought it would be that way.
His dad sat on my right.
“You must have been watching Dallas race,” Priya said to his dad.
“Yeah. Pretty great stuff. What did you all think of it?”
Dallas’s hand found my thigh, and a tingle ran up my femur and into my hip joint.
I nudged his hand away. His dad was sitting right there.
