Page 64 of Head Over Feels
Malcolmturned around and crutched into the house.Ireminded myself again we needed to stop at a pharmacy and get him a new cane.
Igestured forSilviato enter the house in front of me, but she put her arm through mine again and dragged me along. “Sucha polite boy.Ihope your manners rub off onMalcolm.”
“Iheard that!”Malcolmcalled from ahead of us.
IletSilviahaul me into the house, but on the insideIwas freaking out.I’djust realizedMalcolmandIhadn’t talked about whether we’d mention we were dating.WasIsupposed to keep quiet about it?Crap,Ihadn’t asked him ifIcould tellSteveandCal.ShouldInot have?I’dnever done this before.Whatwas the protocol?
Myold friend acid reflux raised its head again.Iregretted the churro.
Silviaslowed, andItried to pay attention to my surroundings.Tomy left was the living room with a comfortable-looking couch and recliner in front of a largeTV.Tothe right the wall opened up into a counter and kitchen.Alarge dining room was beyond that.Everythingwas decorated in neutral tones with blue and brown accents.FosterandCraig’shome was focused on comfort rather than looks, which made them my kind of people.EspeciallywhenIspied the dog bowls in the corner of the kitchen.
“Youhave a dog?”Iblurted out asSilviabrought me to a halt in front ofCraig.Crap. “Imean, um, hi.Thanksfor inviting me over.”Ididn’t dare look around forMalcolm, butIwished he’d magically appear to save me.Iknew my face was bright red.
Craiggrinned, andSilvialaughed.Shepatted my arm and moved off to the kitchen, abandoning me to my fate.Compoundingmy anxiety,GregShawhovered behindCraig.
“Hey,Felix,”Gregsaid calmly.He’dbeen friendly at the bomb scene, but tonight was a much different situation.PersonallyIwouldn’t have been relaxed around the guy who was on a date with my ex whenIfound out he was cheating.GregnudgedCraig. “Youshould takeFelixto meetLily.”
Craighuffed. “Iwas about to, but somebody interrupted me.”Lilymust’ve been the dog.
Gregproduced a churro from behind his back. “She’sawesome, but she doesn’t do well with crowds.”Hebroke the churro into two pieces and popped one into his mouth.Thenhe looked down atCraig, who was glaring at him. “What?” he asked, cinnamon and dough crumbs spraying out of his mouth.
Craigput his hands on his hips. “Where’dyou get the churro,Greg?Andmore importantly, that other piece had better be for me.”
Gregput his hand over his mouth as he chewed faster.Hiseyes went to the other half of his churro before darting toCraig.Thenthat jerkface raised the piece of churro over his head, way out ofCraig’sreach.Cinnamonand sugar fell onto his shirt, butIguessedGregthought it was worth it.Ichoked back a laugh asCraigfumed.
Fosterwalked up behindGregand without stopping reached up and grabbed the half-churro out ofGreg’sfingers.Ignoringthe accusing “Hey!”, he shoulderedGregout of the way and presented it toCraigwith a slight bow.
“Yours,Ithink?”
Craigclasped his hands under his chin and batted his eyes atFoster. “You’rethe best, snookums,” he simpered.Hesnatched the treat fromFoster’shand and stuffed it into his mouth.
Fosterlaughed and slid his hand aroundCraig’swaist as he turned to me. “Welcome,Felix.Iapologize in advance for anything you might witness or experience here tonight.”
Gregclapped his hand down onCraig’sshoulder and massagedCraig’strapezius a little.Holdon, that was the hand he’d held the churro with.Washe wiping his fingers off onCraig’sshirt?
Whateverhe was doing, he didn’t seem scary tonight.Iwas even having trouble remembering the hard and angry expression he’d worn that night at the restaurant.
Ismiled at the three men.Ihadn’t met any of them under ideal circumstances, but they acted like it didn’t make a difference.Ifthey could get past it,Ineeded to get past it as well.Especiallysince this was shaping up to be a really entertaining evening.
Aslong as no one asked ifMalcolmandIwere dating.
“Iwant to meet the dog before anything else,”Itold them.
* * *
Anhour laterIwas ensconced betweenMalcolmandDetectiveCallahan—Artie, he’d told me to call him.I’ddecided to defer toMalcolmon any questions about our dating status, and my stomach had calmed down.
Iwas on my second beer.Mybelly was full after sampling everythingSilviahad made, along with some of the pieArtieandCarlos—asI’dbeen instructed to addressDetectiveOchoa—had brought.
Wewere waiting forSilviaandCarlosto come back from the kitchen before we started a game.I’dnever playedTelestrationsbefore, much less theAfterDarkversion, butIdid okay atPictionarysoIhopedIcould hold my own.
Otherthan my concerns about telling everyone aboutMalcolmand my relationship, the evening had been fun and not nearly as stressful asI’dimagined.Thiswasn’t even the whole crew.Foster’spartnerAmyand her husband were at some sporting event one of their teenagers was playing in.
Greg, sitting on the other side ofArtie, leaned forward to get my attention. “Felix, how areMariposa’smassage sessions going?”
Iturned toMalcolm. “Areyou okay ifItell him?”
Malcolmeyed me curiously but grunted and gave a chin lift.
