Page 96 of The Darkest Chase
“Officer Micah Ainsley. Only Talia can tell you if we’re friends. You must be Gerald Grey. I’ve always admired your work when I’ve seen it around town.”
Grandpa chuckles loudly.
“The boy starts with flattery. Smart.” He shakes Micah’s hand firmly—then stops, still clasping his hand, giving him a long look. “Strong handshake.”
“The only respectful kind.” Micah inclines his head.
“Yes, yes, it is.”
Whoa.
There’s some secret man ritual passing between them, something I don’t get. Their hands clasp together almost like warriors meeting off the battlefield.
But I remember now.
A long time ago, before I was born, Grandpa left Redhaven. He doesn’t talk about it much, his old combat memories from Vietnam. But upstairs in the albums there are photos where he’s young and dapper. Decked out in his uniform, even if his eyes are haunted by war.
That’s the way he and Micah look at each other now.
Like soldiers.
Like two men who share a certain strength that makes them kin, even though they’ve never truly met before.
Soon, Grandpa pats Micah’s hand with his other hand, then lets go, smiling brightly. “It’s good to see you, young man. Well, up close, I should say, since you didn’t come in last night.”
Oh. My. God.
“Grandpa, no. He was just walking me home.” I drop my face into my hand.
“All I’m saying,” Grandpa says innocently, “is that he could’ve popped in to say hello.”
Micah smiles blankly. “Truth be told, I wasn’t entirely sober, sir. I wouldn’t have made the best first impression.”
“Hmph. Not all sober yet he still thinks to walk a girl home after dark, huh?” Grandpa’s eyes twinkle. “Tally-girl, you’ve found a good one.”
Oh no.
No, no, no, I do not want Micah knowing about my silly little crush.
I definitely don’t want to think about how he almost kissed me last night or how maybe he didn’t and I just misread the signals.
I don’t want any of this and I step forward quickly, breathlessly catching Micah’s wrist in my fingertips.
“We need to talk about something for work,” I say quickly. The man in question stares at me with the most startled look I’ve ever seen, blinking down at my hand around his wrist and then up at me. He even stumbles a step as I tug him desperately toward the stairs. Please just go along with it. “We’re heading up.”
“Don’t forget to make tea!” Grandpa calls after us as I try to drag Micah upstairs. “I’ll be going out, so behave yourselves!”
I stop a few steps up, eyeing him past Micah’s shoulder. “Where are you going?”
“Errands, girl.” He’s still feigning innocence. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
Even if he’s feigning innocence… there’s a real worry there.
He knows it, too.
He knows I worry when he goes out alone, wondering if he’ll have a bad spell and wander off, but he really does seem okay today.
So I nod slowly while he gives me a heavy look.