Page 56 of Head Over Feels
WillandJasontook one look atCole’sno doubt delighted expression and my less enthusiastic one and came to the proper conclusion.
“Whatdid he do now?”Willdemanded of me.
Ishook my head. “You’llfind out.”IpointedColetoward the driver’s door. “Getin.”Ishowed him how to baby the seat adjuster so it would stop where he wanted it to.
Ipointed under the dash. “Feelthe toggle switch under there?”
Colefelt around and nodded. “Foundit.”
“That’sa kill switch.There’ssomething wrong with the electrical system.Ifyou stop and just turn the car off and walk away, the battery drains in a couple of hours.Rodney, the guy who owns it, didn’t want to pay for diagnostics, so he put this switch in to shut everything off from the battery.”
Jasonleaned over the passenger door and looked whereColewas fiddling under the dash. “Oh,Iget it.Youflip the switch off when you park the car and flip it back on when you want to drive again.”
“Exactly.Otherthan that, it’s in great condition, especially for how old it is.Pleaseleave the key in the glove box when you get back.Oh, andI’drecommend practicing turning and stopping before you leave the ranch.You’llneed to get used to how huge and heavy it is.”
Cole, unsurprisingly, was up for the challenge.WillandJasonargued over riding shotgun, thenIwatchedColecarefully back theBuickout of the parking space and glide down the drive.Hehollered and waved as they rounded the curve.
Shakingmy head,Icrutched back into the house.Mariposareclined regally on the couch, andFelixwas in the kitchen.He’dput the lasagna in the oven and was examining the instructions on a package of frozen bread.
AfterIwashed my hands,Idug around in the fridge and came up with butter and jarred garlic.Therewasn't any lettuce for salad, butFelixandIagreed the spinach in the lasagna would be plenty of vegetables.
Weate at the small table in the breakfast area.Forthe first few minutes we made stilted comments about the food.Itwas painfully uncomfortable.Finally,Ihad the brilliant idea to askFelixwhere he’d metSteveandCal, and that generated enough conversation to get us through the remainder of the meal.
Felixinsisted on cleaning up the dishes, soIpulled out the whiskeyI’dsampled the night before.
Itwas way too early for bedtime.Thenext few hours loomed ahead, andIhad no idea how to fill them.Well, obviously,Iknew howIwanted to fill them, but how the hell wasIsupposed to go from awkward conversation to seduction?
You’reprobably wondering how the hellImanaged to work undercover in a crime syndicate for months ifIcouldn’t make small talk with a guyIwas interested in.
You’renot alone.
Icouldn’t shake the image ofLisarolling her eyes at me at our next session whenItried to explain whyIhadn’t talked toFelixabout my feelings.Fuck.
Grippingmy drink like a shield,Iused one crutch to move down the counter next to the sink.Itwas exactly as smooth as you’re picturing.
Ipropped myself up against the cabinets and set my crutch aside.Felixglanced at me but then focused on the plate he was scrubbing.Iappreciated thatFelix, like me, cleaned off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.Didit waste water?Maybe.Didit make me feel like the dishes were cleaner?Definitely.
Icleared my throat, which made me think of my grandfather, who used to do that all the time before he spoke.Whichmade me feel old.Whichmade me ask myself why the hell would someone as young and vibrant asFelixwant to spend time with a crotchety asshole like me?
Iwas about to reach for my crutch again, butIcaughtFelixlooking at me.Heglanced away again, andIwatched in wonder as his face turned pink above his beard.
Holyshit, he was attracted to me.Itshouldn’t have come as a surprise, since we’d slept together and all.ButI’dbeen so wrapped up in why things wouldn’t—shouldn’t—work between usI’dforgotten how much chemistry we’d had the other night.
“Felix,”Irasped out.
Heshut the water off and carefully dried his hands on a dish towel before turning to face me. “Yes,Malcolm?”
Hisface was stiff in a bland, neutral expression, but his hands were strangling the towel.
“Ican’t stop thinking about the other night.”There, that was a safe way to test the waters.He’dunderstandIwas interested, and we could go from there.
Instead,Felix’sface got even more stiff and he backed up a step.Heset the dish towel on the countertop.Istraightened in alarm.Whatwas happening?
Felix’splush lips flattened, and he said, “I’vethought about it too,Malcolm, andI’mnot doing it again.”
“What?”Iset my drink down and reached out to touch him, but he backed up again. “Ithought you enjoyed it?Wassomething wrong?DidIdo something wrong?”Iwas babbling, slightly panicked.
Felixfolded his arms and lifted his chin. “You’refine,Malcolm.Youdidn’t do anythingIdidn’t want.”Iexhaled in relief. “It’sjust, what happened yesterday?Thebomb?Itdrove home how life is short, you know?”Inodded.Didn’tthat mean we should seize the day?Apparentlynot.
