Page 81 of Feels Like Home

Andy

Ihave a confessionto make.When I said, I don’t really like getting scared, what I meant was I’mterrifiedof being scared. It not only frightens the ever-loving shit out of me, but it pisses me off. But at the same time, I actually enjoy going to haunted houses, mainly because the boys have so much fun. Then again, I did stay with my cheating wife for several years after I suspected she was a cheater. So maybe I’m just amasochist.

Last night, I sat the boys down and told them that the divorce was final and let them know that she gave us back thecabin.

They were ecstatic about the cabin but weren’t bothered by the fact that we were divorced. They simply asked if that meant everything was officially done and she couldn’t take them away from me. When I assured them that we were together for good, they smiled and said that’s all they caredabout.

I had expected theworst.

And I got thebest.

I zip up my black sweatshirt as I make my way up the steps to Christine’s house. It might be the middle of spring, but Michigan nights can still get chilly. And the cold snap we’re going through right now feels more like early fall. Which is probably appropriate for going into the death trap the boys convinced me was a good idea. My nerves are already kicking in, and I wonder if it’s from seeing her, or knowing that in about thirty minutes, I’ll be screaming like a girl in front ofher.

My hand is raised, about to knock on her door, when it suddenly opens. Averyexcited Christine stands on the other side, bouncing on her toes. I can’t help it. My eyes have a mind of their own, and right now they desperately want to take in every inch of her. She’s wearing another pair of skinny jeans, this time light-washed with holes in the knees and cuffed to show a little bit of her lower leg, same white Chucks she wore on our first date, and a maroon shirt under a thin gray zippered hoodie. Damn. Everything she wears makes her even moreadorable.

Her dark hair is pulled into a high pony tail, and her bright green eyes meet mine when they finally make it up there from my completely shameless display of checking her out, shining with happiness. It almost makes me feel excited to go get the piss scared out of me.Almost.

“You ready?” she asks, smilingwidely.

“As I’ll ever be,” I tell herhonestly.

“You’re this big strong man, but a total wuss. I kinda love it,” she tells me, biting her bottomlip.

“You’re such abrat.”

“Watch it. While you’re rocking in the corner tonight like a whiny little girl, I’ll be the one saving your scaredass.”

“One thing very wrong withthat.”

“What’sthat?”

“No way in hell will I sit down and rock in the corner. I’ll be the one running so fast you’d think I could walk onwater.”

She bursts out laughing, and I find myself a relaxing a tinybit.

“Gotta pee before wego?”

“Nope. Just did. Doyou?”

“Peed before I came. This isn’t my first rodeo,darling.”

“So, no pants peeing tonight,huh?”

“Well, the night is young. I make no promises. Houselocked?”

She turns around and locks the door then puts her keys in her purse. “Sureis!”

“Well then… your chariot awaits.” I throw a hand toward mypickup.

I open the door for her, and she climbs inside. As soon as she’s settled, she immediately turns around to greet the boys. Aidan and Reece invited their friend, Nolan. The three of them have been amped up for hours, ready to get their scare on. My boys, of course, know how much I hate it, so that makes them love it evenmore.

“Who’s this?” Christine asks as I climb in, obviously already greeting theboys.

“Our friend,Nolan.”

“Hey, Nolan, I’m Christine,” she says with a smile in hervoice.

“Hey,” Nolan says with a little low wave. Where my boys are typically pretty outgoing, Nolan can be fairly shy until he gets to know someone. When he’s around just us, he’s crazy, funny, and a goofball. Christine must be making him slightly nervous. “My mom told me to tell you that she loves your coffee shop and your pastries are thebest.”

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