Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
MIKAEL
Back at Finn's, we find everyone in the kitchen.
“Food,” Finn yells like Dusty from the original Twister movie. He moves his fingers and murmurs, “Sustenance.”
“Yes, the best sandwiches,” I reply.
Finn, Wyatt, Simon, and Kal are my closest friends here.
“The woman at the shop had eyes for Mikael,” Susan interjects.
“She's a friend.” I refuse to be baited into drama.
“She was chatty,” she counters my statement. She looks at me. For what? I have no idea. I can't keep up. Maybe I don't want to.
“She's nice and friendly,” I interject.
“She likes you,” Bella states, picking up on the vibes in the room.
Finn is giving me a knowing glance.
“I hope so. I'm likable,” I reply.
“Do you have many friends?” Susan asks, which leads me to believe that perhaps she is possessive.
What's up with the third degree? We haven't even had a first date. What will she be like after three? Is she accusing me of something?
“I don't know, Susan. I have friends I think it's healthy.”
She lets out a tiny huff, and that's when I decide she's not dating material. “I suppose,” she bristles and pours a glass of red.
Bella eyes me like she missed something. She glances at the tray of food and asks, “Isn't this the place on Main Street?”
“Yes. Do you know it?” My eyebrows raise.
“Oh, yes. We get all our birthday cakes there. Kenzie is amazing. She's great with kids. I take Kaarina there for a treat once in a while.”
How is it that everyone knows about this bakery? I hope Kenzie buys it. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, and it's a popular bakery.
How did I miss out on this epic find?
I console myself that being late to the party is better than missing it altogether.
“What is Kenzie like?” Susan asks, sipping her wine.
Bella's eyes twinkle when she says, “She's a sweetheart.”
Great. This is working in my favor. This may be a segue out of my predicament with Susan. I have a difficult time saying no to my friends.
We all grab food. I dip my hand into the bowl of cheddar-flavored chips and sit on the couch next to Kal and Simon.
Finn turns up the volume on the TV, and we watch the kickoff.
I sink my teeth into the roast beef sandwich, and it's sublime. I'm a fan of Kenzie's food.
The day is nice and I make sure I avoid Susan like the plague. I chuckle over the fact that Kenzie shared her opinion of Susan, and I agree with her.
If I grabbed Susan's boob, I'd be fearful it would pop—much like her overly filled lips.
Why do women not appreciate their natural beauty?
Kenzie is, well—herself. She isn't afraid to say “vibrator,” either.
By late afternoon, I text her.
“Care to hang out at McGuire's pub tomorrow night?”
The dots appear. I wait breathlessly.
What's the matter with me? I never sweat a text.
“I promised Bo we'd do something. Is it okay if she comes?”
“Great! See you at seven.”
I smile, and Finn catches me.
“You're texting her, aren't you?”
“No,” but my smirk gives it away.
“You like her,” Kal says.
“We're friends.”
“Friends? We'll see how long that lasts,” Finn rolls his eyes as he refills his plate. “I have to say these sandwiches are amazing.”
“So is Kenzie,” Kal chuckles and opens a beer.
“Whatever,” I grumble.
“Mikael is safe until after Valentine's Day. Give him a few weeks.”
“That's right, his phobia of Hallmark holidays,” Kal states.
Kal's memory is infallible.
“You have a point,” I agree.
“Well, you can use her as a reason to bail on Susan,” Finn murmurs, eyeing the women congregating in the dining room.
“Exactly,” I sigh. I've dodged one set-up this week. I have no inclination to rush into something else.