Page 28 of Waves
“You pet my back until I conked out on you.”
“Should I not pet your back?” he asked, his grin still plastered on his face.
“Only do it if you intend to put me to sleep,” I muttered.
“I did. You don’t sleep nearly enough.”
“What are you talking about? I slept fine last night,” I said with a small laugh.
“That still doesn’t seem like enough.” Kai said this mostly to himself, his brow furrowing while he shook his head.
Such genuine concern elicited a smile, but I couldn’t understand why it worried him in the first place. Then it hit me. Of course, it didn’t seem like enough sleep to him. A seal would’ve had about a dozen naps by now, while I only slept twice today. “We are both getting an appropriate amount of sleep for our species, I assure you.”
Kai grumbled to himself, and I couldn’t hold my laughter back a moment longer. He really had been fretting over this non-issue. I sat up while still laughing and gently bonked my head to his. He finally stopped frowning and smiled back at me.
* * *
Ishmael was not thrilled to see us leaving. He followed Kai from room to room while carrying Mr. Lobster in his mouth and whining. Before we left, I turned the radio on low for him and stuffed some snacks into a rubber toy to keep him busy. While happy to have the treat, he glared at me once we stepped out the door.
The drive out to Mary and Eric’s place took me twice as long as it should. I remained anxious the whole way there, and even more so when we arrived. Not so much because I thought anyone there would dislike Kai. His personality shined in comparison to mine, so I felt sure he would have no issue mingling with complete strangers. The text I got from Thom this morning worried me more than it should, as did the subsequent messages I ignored throughout the day. As much as I hoped not to see him tonight, I knew in my gut he would show his face and make a scene.
The streetlights provided a false sense of safety, so I parked my car down the street and climbed out right away. Before I could walk too far, Kai snagged my hand and stopped me. While I tried not to swoon at him wanting to hold my hand, I turned and waited for him to speak.
“Uh, Ezra, just how much do your friends know about me?” Kai asked.
“Well, I haven’t really said much of anything to anyone other than Mary,” I said.
“Mm,” he said with a nod. “Can you... can you not tell them that... uh...”
“Oh, no, I haven’t said anything like that... you’re just... you’re a new friend of mine.”
Kai laughed, his giggle sharp and nervous. “I was more concerned about you lamenting my absence because I am a seal for weeks at a time.”
“What? Oh, no. No, I haven’t mentioned that to anyone,” I stammered. “Actually, no, that’s not true. I told Mary a few days after you left, mostly because I thought I was losing my mind. She pretty much laughed in my face and decided I was pulling her leg. As far as she’s concerned, I got swept away by a mysterious man I met at the beach.”
“Oh, mystery man, I like that,” Kai said with a smirk.
Kai pulled me closer while we stood beneath a halo of glowing streetlight, and all the anxiety melted away while in his embrace. This would be fine. No, this would be fun. We were going to have a good time, dammit. I was not letting someone else dictate my life for me any longer. I intertwined my fingers with his and didn’t let go while we climbed the stairway to the second-floor porch together and knocked on the front door.
“You actually brought him!” Mary shrieked with joy when she opened the door, her red hair bouncing while she jumped in place.
“Owe me another fiver,” Eric called from the hall behind her.
“Nice to see you, too,” I said while rolling my eyes.
While Eric truly proved himself to be a good man over the years, some might consider him somewhat intimidating. He had a build similar to Kai, taller and bulkier than average, though not nearly as toned or tanned as Kai. His brown hair, grown out for now, would likely get buzzed down soon for the summer. He also had more tattoos than anyone I knew, most notably two half sleeves.
Eric stayed in the hall when we walked inside, and he greeted us with a wave, a six-pack of bottles in his other hand. “Hey, Ezra, I’ve got a new lager you can try. Assuming you stay more than twenty minutes this time.”
I mockingly laughed, and accepted the bottle he offered.
“I’m Eric, by the way.” After a handshake, he lifted the pack to show Kai. “Would you like one as well?”
“Oh, yes, thank you,” Kai said while examining the bottle. Eric handed him an opener next, and Kai popped the top right off. He tilted his bottle back and smiled after he swallowed. “This is very good.”
“Well, that’s it. Eric has to like him now,” Mary said, while she crossed her arms.
“How could I not get along with someone who appreciates my craft?” Eric said with a huge smile and a shrug.