Page 24 of Micah

“Where did they come from?” I take a cautious step, maintain my balance, and follow it up with a few more.

“Zac made a list of shit that might be needed and made us bring it all up here the other day. Most of it’s over there.” He waves to the area behind the lights. They’re pointed at the wall, so it’s kind of shadowy back there. “If there’s anything you need, let me know. It might already be here.”

“That’s smart.” And organized in a way I’ll never manage. I might make the list, but then I’d probably lose it.

We spend a couple minutes laying my tools out in the order I think I’ll need them. They’ll all be jumbled together within a day or so, but at least I’m starting with good intentions. Then I clomp over to the crates. There are symbols on the lids, but they mean nothing to me. “Which is the first one?” It’s not going to help if I start at the wrong end.

“Here.” Micah, who was hovering behind me with every step like some kind of nervous chaperone, guides me along the rows. “We laid them out in the order they were stacked. This was the top row. The elf who translated the symbols said this one”—he lays a hand on one—“is first. That’s second,” he adds, pointing.

I nod. “Okay. Not to be a ballbreaker, but I want to look in every crate before I get started. And can we number them in a language I recognize? Like with a Post-it or something? I don’t want to risk that I’ll get them mixed up later.”

“Of course,” he says confidently, prying the lid off the first crate. “Start here while I get a pen.”

I’m already leaning over the crate as he walks away, shining my headlamp onto the components inside. There are five different ones, and I pick up one, holding it close to my face to examine it.

“Huh.”

“What?” Micah asks, and I jump.

“What did Ijusttell you about doing that?”

“Sorry. What were you huh-ing about?”

I tip my head back to look him in the eye. “Is that even a word?”

He reaches out and turns off my headlamp, which was shining directly into his eyes. Oops. “Is what even a word?”

“Huh-ing.”

“I have no idea what you just said.”

“No, it was you who said it.” Wasn’t it? I’m pretty sure. I’d remember if I made up a word.

Maybe.

“Let’s start again,” he suggests, and he doesn’t sound impatient like most people who say that to me do. Instead, there’s a tiny—so tiny I might need to turn my headlamp back on to confirm it—smile on his lips. It’s so weird, but I get this feeling he actually likes me.

I mean, after last night, I know helikesme. Sex is a talent and a vocation I was born with, and I know when a man’s having an excellent time. But that doesn’t mean they necessarily likeme, the person, once the fun times are done. I know my shortcomings. I’m scattered, hyperfocused on puzzles to the detriment of other stuff, and I’m so clumsy, people have joked that I should be wrapped in bubble wrap.

But aside from right after we met, Micah hasn’t seemed bothered by any of that. And when he looks at me, it seems like he’s glad I’m here. Not me the puzzle expert—just me. Cam.

I gaze up at him and wonder if I’m reading too much into this. Maybe he’s just a super patient person and I haven’t had enough time to annoy him yet. That’s cool. I’ll be here for a couple of months. That’s plenty of time to wear on his every nerve.

“What were you thinking when I interrupted you?” he asks.

I blink a few times. “I don’t remember.” Dammit. What if it was important?

Micah’s not fazed, though. He takes my hand and lifts it. I’m still holding one of the components from inside the crate. “You were looking at this, and something made you go huh.”

Oh! “Yeah, that’s right! Thanks, Micah. You’re the best.” I turn toward the crate to grab another component, but he gently turns me back to face him.

“So what was it?”

For a second, I wonder what he’s talking about, then I realize I never told him what I’d been thinking. Doh! “This component—I can’t be completely sure just yet, but I think it has two points at which it could connect to something else.”

He frowns, but I’m not scared. Micah wouldn’t hurt me. It’s not his fault his face is like that. “What does that mean?”

I shrug. “Don’t know for sure. It could just be that the designer wanted to make it a little more fun to fit the components. Like, does this end go in, or this one? Add another lot of possibilities for each step.”

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