Page 33 of Save Me

No, Mom, I don’t want to come listen to you guilt-trip me about how I’m the worst son in the world and no one loves you enough. Not even for the cupcake bar she always sets up.

I start pacing, and Princess scuffles behind me, both of us marching from one side of the room to another. He’s probably following the blood trail from my toe like a shark, but can I really fault him? I also never stop until I get what I want.

Suddenly, I come to a stuttering stop, an idea hitting me so hard it takes my breath away.

Holy cannoli. This could work!! The more I think about it, the more my mood elevates, and suddenly I’m floating.

I could go to Mom’s party and pay Maddox to come along to watch Princess! Mom loves Princess, so that won’t be too weird. I’ll pay him so he can’t say no! This will be awesome!!

I grab my phone and shoot off a message.

Me: Wanna come smash some cupcakes with Princess and me?

The answer is almost immediate.

Maddox: What time?

I squeal and jump up and down.

All we need–and yes, we’re absolutely a we, he just doesn’t know it yet–is more time together. If I just show him how much love I have to offer, he’ll hear what I already know–we are meant to be together. And nothing can ever tear us apart.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Princess, no!” Darting down, I grab him around the belly as he tries to use his bottom jaw as a shovel to get more gravel in his mouth.

“Spit it out!” Grabbing his mouth, I try to assist. Princess fights me, scrambling to get away with his prize. Apparently, according to Micah, ‘Gravel is a delicacy only enjoyed by the finest palates, and Princess has the finest, so just watch him.’ Someone dropped their loaded plate right in front of me, and I took my eyes away from him for two seconds. Two seconds!

“Ah, there you two are!” Micah strides up, and my stomach sinks. Shit, he’s going to yell at me about Princess.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize, scooping gravel off Princess’ warm tongue. “I don’t think he swallowed any.”

Micah immediately drops to his knees beside me, and my heart starts racing. I brace automatically.

“Scallywag,” Micah says, his voice soft. “Giving Maddox a hard time. Now that’s not gentlemanly of you, and you know it.”

Micah’s fingers brush against mine, and for a second, I think he’s going to grab my hands and rip them off his pet. Instead, he just helps remove the last bit of the rocks from Princess’ mouth, after which Princess gives a loud sneeze.

“I don’t even want to hear it. That wasn’t an apology.”

Micah’s acting chill. Why? I failed the one job I came here to do. Risking a glance up, I meet his bright blue eyes, and he tosses me a smile. “Sorry about that.”

Is he…apologizing to me?

“He’s a stink.”

What the fuck kind of game is he playing? I narrow my eyes, searching his pretty, flawless face, before wiping my own expression. “No, I’m sorry I should have been watching.”

Micah leans into me, and I lean back. His voice is conspiratorial. “I saw Uncle Tim drop that macaroni. Did you get splattered?"

Micah’s proximity makes my heart flutter and electricity zip across my skin. His skin is so pretty and soft-looking, and up close, I can see that, even though he doesn’t have facial hair, he does shave.

Then, I remember he asked a question. I glance down at myself. I did not, in fact, get anything on me, thank goodness.

“I’m good.”

Micah scoops up Princess and his leash and drops into a nearby chair in the shade. For a second, I’m not sure what to do. My skin prickles as people have conversations I have no context for, and people glance at me like I don’t belong. Because I don’t.

So I follow Micah, sitting in the chair next to him. “I can take him.” My hands itch with the odd need for Princess in my arms. Like maybe people will look at me less if I have the skunk with the bright blue tail.