Chapter Forty #2
We walk around the market, checking out the weird little shops. I buy some orange, black loose-leaf tea for my mother with a cool teapot and mugs.
For my dad, I buy a North Face fleece, and just to piss off my brothers, I buy them Seattle Ironbacks’ hats from the Seattle Shirt Company store on the pier.
With a shit ton of bags, we make our way to the rides. I get us the VIP gondola for the Great Wheel. It’s an unusually sunny day in Seattle, and the view over the Sound to the mountains is pretty spectacular.
“I love the water,” Mikayla whispers as the gondola hovers above the Sound.
“You think you’ll be happy in Texas? Without the lake?” Jack asks. “Without the Sound?”
Mikayla smiles and looks over at him. Jack sits across from us. “Caine’s property has a river that runs through it,” she says dreamily. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s your home too,” I point out. But she just rolls her eyes.
“What the hell?” I ask, annoyed with her. “It’s your home,” I repeat.
“I don’t own any part of that property or house, let alone anything in it,” she says. “Do I feel at home, absolutely, is it my home? I…”
“So, buy shit for the house, make it yours,” I argue. “It’s your house. Do what you want.”
“Really?” she asks, her eyes wide, her voice full of surprise. “I can decorate?”
“You’re weird, Micky,” Jack says, shaking his head at her and smirking.
She frowns at him and crosses her arms over her chest. “Well, you’re rude.”
“Would you both just shut up?” I respond, interrupting them. “You’re ruining this perfect day with your bullshit.”
Jack’s lips twitch. I know he wants to laugh. But the look of death from his sister keeps him from fully enjoying himself.
“Babe, seriously, get the stick out of your ass!” I tell her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her until she giggles. “Stop taking everything so seriously! Just have fun right now. We’re tourists.”
“We should get drunk tonight. Eat at a nice restaurant, have some good food and get drunk,” Jack says. “A big fuck-off Heidi evening.” He lifts both his hands and holds up his middle fingers.
“So, two drinks for this one?” I ask, holding my thumb out and pointing it at Mikayla.
“Okay, Grandpa!” she mutters in an old man’s voice.
I reach over and tickle her, her face turning bright red. “I can’t…” she giggles. “Caine!”
“You two are weird,” Jack says, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as our gondola stops to let us off. But I see his smile.
I throw my arm around Mikayla’s hip, holding the bags in my other as we walk along the pier.
“Have you thought about staying in Crystal Falls?” I ask Jack nonchalantly.
I kiss the top of Mikayla’s head as she leans into me. She turns and looks at her brother.
“I sent HR an email asking if I could relocate,” he says. He stops walking and looks at me. “If I stay…”
“The place is yours, of course!” I state firmly.
“Really? Cause it’s bigger than my apartment in Atlanta,” he says. “I’ll just sell my stuff there, pack up and drive back.”
“Wait, you’re serious?” Mikayla asks, walking out of my arms and over to her brother. She takes his hand with both of hers. “Tell me you’re serious!” she yells, jumping up and down.
“I’m serious!” he yells back, a huge grin on his face.
“Jack!” she yells and jumps into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you!” She giggles as Jack twirls her around.
We walk back to the hotel and drop off our bags before heading back out. We walk down the road until we find an Asian fusion restaurant that Mikayla says is amazing.
She orders an overly fancy drink that just makes me think of Hawaii, and Jack and I get beers. The menu has shared plates, so we order shrimp fried rice, seven flavored beef, chicken Pad Thai, bok choy and sea bass with peanuts and fresh Asian herbs and spices.
“Are you gonna learn how to ride a horse and become a cowboy?” Mikayla asks, teasing her brother.
“You’ll be prime pickings for the buckle bunnies, but I don’t recommend dating one,” I tell him as I scoop more fried rice on my plate. This food is like crack! I can’t stop eating it!
“Buckle bunnies?” Jack asks, raising a brow.
“The ladies that follow the cowboys,” Mikayla explains. “Apparently, the town is full of them. Caine hides me away on the ranch, so I have yet to see one in the wild,” she says, placing her hand up and wiggling her fingers as though there’s something mysterious about buckle bunnies.
“You want to go to a bar and watch me get hit on?” I ask, quirking a brow.
Mikayla laughs, throwing her head back. “Or we can sit on a plane, and I can watch you get hit on. You’re hilarious. I have nothing to worry about. You, on the other hand, would get all ornery if a guy hit on me.”
“If this becomes a bet on you guys getting hit on, I’m going back to the hotel,” Jack says.
Mikayla looks at him and frowns. “Um, no. But…” she taps her lips with her index finger before turning to me. “Let’s play a game. Let’s pick a woman for Jack!”
“Ah, hell no! One, that’s weird, and two, I do not need your help,” he says.
The waiter comes by, and we order more drinks and chocolate mousse for dessert. Mikayla is definitely drunk, and I’m not sure if I’m going to get lucky or get a girlfriend who passes out as soon as we get to the hotel.
When she tries to order a fourth drink, I look at our waiter with a death stare. I don’t even have to shake my head. When he walks away without taking her order, she turns and looks at me.
“I’m not carrying your drunk ass back to the hotel!” I argue.
“I’m no-not dr-drunk,” she slurs. Her eyes blink at me excessively. I grab her water and plop it down in front of her.
“Cheap date, drink this,” I suggest.
“Yo-you’re rude,” she says, pointing her finger at me.
“Jesus, she really is a lightweight,” Jack says.
“You didn’t know?” I can’t help but laugh.
“We’ve never drunk together like this!” he says, his arms outstretched. “Three drinks…” he shakes his head. “Hey, Micky, can you feel your lips?” he asks, a huge grin on his face.
“Fuck—you,” she answers, pointing her finger at him. She’s a little too loud for this establishment.
“Shh!” Jack says, holding his finger to his lips as he laughs at her.
“I want another drink,” she whines, looking around for our waiter.
“And I want a girlfriend capable of consenting,” I say, shaking my head at her.
“I don’t know if I should be grossed out or grateful,” Jack says, his upper lip curled.
I look over at the bar and see two women staring over at our table. When I look over, one girl smiles and waves at me. I grab Mikayla’s hand and kiss it. The woman frowns.
In a silent conversation, I lift my chin and point it at Jack, and her eyes dart to him. She shakes her head but elbows her friend and points at Jack.
“I think I’m gonna take Mick back to the hotel,” I announce after I sign for the bill. Jack tried to pay, but I’m not having it.
“Okay,” he says, about to move out of the booth.
“You should stay,” I say, my voice low.
Mikayla is far too drunk and isn’t paying attention to us as she looks around the restaurant. I hope the walk sobers her up.
Jack quirks a brow at me, and I smirk. I jut my chin over to the woman at the bar.
She’s young, black hair and big blue eyes.
She’s holding her drink to her lips and sipping from the straw, her cheeks pink.
I don’t know whether she’s drunk or embarrassed.
She’s definitely not as forward as the blonde friend beside her.
“Let’s go, lush.” I extend my hand to Mikayla.
“Keep talking to me like that and you won’t be getting any tonight,” she says, again, too loudly. I can’t help but chuckle as the couple sitting behind us looks over, eyes full of scorn on their faces.
Jack sits back and puts his arm over the back of the booth.
“Have fun,” I say, lightly punching his shoulder before dragging Mikayla out of the restaurant.