My mood feels a bit better because of it.
He’s trying. I can feel it.
“Let’s try the snack option first,” I say. “Mimi would come at us both if I showed up tipsy or otherwise after all of this.”
I think we’re out of the dark woods of serious conversation. Especially since he nods and gets out of the car.
However, the mood changes again once he helps me out of my door. His brows are drawn together.
“There’s also something else I need to talk to you about before we go inside. The reason I called you earlier in the first place.” He runs a hand across the back of his neck. He’s still thinking on what he’s about to say. “There was a lot happening, so how I normally would’ve handled it might’ve been different, but well, I had an unexpected guest show up before Damien did. Matter of fact, I showed up earlier on them, hiding in the basement.”
I tilt my head to the side, surely hearing him wrong.
But then he adds, “And he was asking for you.”
Beau’s not mad about it, or tense.
Just curious.
That cinches it for me.
I know who it has to be.
My body is too tired to produce any more adrenaline, but it definitely has enough to start moving on its own when the front door opens wide behind us.
The boy standing in the doorway gives me one long look before he runs at me too.
That’s why I couldn’t get ahold of him earlier.
He was at Big House.
We meet in the middle of the front porch stairs. We crush into each other for a hug that hurts.
Micah.
I sag against him as he tucks his arms around me. I smell his shampoo when I rest my head on top of his.
We stand there a moment or two.
We’re stressed. We’re happy.
Every second we’re there, I feel something in me start shifting.
I realize as we break our hug what it is.
I’m about to lose it.
He doesn’t know though. He’s just looking at my injuries.
“I heard them talking about you before they drove off. Kissy, what happened?” he asks, alarmed. “Are you okay?”
I wave his concern off. “Nothing I can’t handle.” My voice breaks on the last little part. I nod toward the house. “Go inside and let me talk to Beau for a second.”
Micah hesitates, looks to Beau, but then nods. “Okay.”
I watch him retreat into the house.
I stand there a few seconds more.
