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I tuck my phone away and place my napkin on my lap. “Um, he asked me to go to Logan and Kelly’s wedding as a plus-one. Just as friends,” I clarify, waving off the brotherly suspicion. “Then he asked if I wanted to hang out and we went skydiving. We spend time together sometimes.”
My phone buzzes and I unlock it, and the text from Casper brings with it a small wave of butterflies.
Casper
Favorite cryptid?
“That him?” Rhys asks. I can hear the tension in his voice.
“Yeah. Speak of the devil, eh?” Casper and I have continued our game of questions since the other night. I quickly tap out Wendigo and hit send.
“What’s he saying?”
“None of your business,” Micky answers Rhys, looking offended on my behalf.
My brows bunch together. “She’s right, but if you must know, he asked what my favorite cryptid is.”
“Mothman,” Micky blurts, emphasizing with her wineglass. “Mothman is sexy.”
I chuckle. “We’re not dating or anything, we’re just friends.”
“Uh-huh.” Rhys has always been protective of me, especially since my recovery.
“Just ignore him.” Micky cuts into her food. “So, do you text throughout the week?”
“I guess so—”
“How often?” Rhys asks.
I sigh. “I dunno, sometimes daily.”
He scoffs at that answer.
“You’re being so dumb right now, dude.” I shake my head, picking up my silverware. “He’s my tattoo artist.”
“Hot!” Micky chirps. Not helping.
“It’s not like you’ve never met the guy,” I say reasonably. “You’re the one who referred me to him with your dazzling review, remember?”
Rhys’s jaw stiffens and the silence grows awkward. “Well, yeah, but . . .”
“Come on, Rhys, give her a fucking break. She goes to NA, goes to dance, and still you hound her for more. Now she’s doing what you’ve asked and you’re giving her shit for it? Stop being a dick. This is good for her! Look at her!” She gestures to me with two open palms. “She’s happy! She’s smiling!” Micky punctuates her rant with an eye roll at him, then steers an exclusive grin toward me.
“Thank you,” I say, turning slightly toward her.
“So, are you going to invite him to Thanksgiving?”
I snort. “No, that would be weird. We aren’t that close.”
“Well, who knows, you might be closer by then. Still, you could invite him anyway. You went to the wedding as friends, right? What’s the difference?”
I chuckle. “The difference is I wasn’t meeting his family. Besides,” I begin, pointing to Rhys. “This one is already acting like a bulldog, he’d probably spend half the day interrogating the poor guy.”
Rhys crosses his arms. “What, am I supposed to have a conversation with him and not ask questions about his life?”
“Holy shit, it was a fucking hypothetical. You’re pissed about a relationship that doesn’t even exist.” I look at Micky, pinning her with a glance. “And you keep trying to create a relationship.”
“You’re right. You’re right. We need to chill,” Micky says.
