Micah burst into her tiny apartment and immediately went to flop down on the couch and groan. From across the apartment, in the kitchen, Lyndsey laughed as she wiped down the table.
“What was that for?” She called over.
He groaned again, his eyes closed while his hand searched blindly for the tv remote. “I’m done.”
“With what?” She didn’t pause in her cleaning. If she stopped every time Micah came over she would never clean up anything. She half watched him with a laugh, continuing to stuff more dirty dishes into the sink in the process.
“Ha!” He yelled, having found the remote. “I’m done with dating. It hurts too much.” He turned on the TV.
“What happened to Shannon? I thought the two of you were great together.”
He slumped, flipping through the channels so fast he couldn’t possibly know what he was skipping past. “I did too. Apparently she didn’t. And decided to show me instead of telling me by showing up to our date with another date. She stole my reservation I had made months ago.”
“At least you didn’t have to pay for their date. That’s a plus.”
He groaned again. “Well, in any case, I am done.”
“Works for me.” She admitted. Lyndsey had finished cleaning up as much as she was going to for the time being and went to go join her bestie on the couch to wallow with him.
He sat up as she came over. His focus was completely on her even as the TV still flicked through channels. “Why does my lack of dating life work for you? Aren’t you supposed to have some random friend I’ve never met who you think would be perfect for me so you have to set us up now that I’m single?”
“Was that your thought process for crashing into my apartment like a bear and flopping over here as if your life was over?”
He laughed. “No. And again, why does my recent painful and somewhat traumatic breakup work for you?”
She shivered as his blue eyes focused solely on her face.
“We’ll have more time to hang out.” Lyndsey shrugged her shoulders and purposefully kept her eyes glued to the TV.
“How will Grant like having me around? The last time I dropped in he was here and didn’t take too kindly to the idea of me being so comfortable at your apartment that I hadn’t even had the good manners to knock.”
She could feel the weight of his gaze.
“I remember that.” She gave a sort of half-hearted laugh. “It’s funny the odd tidbits we remember after something happens. What I remember from that night was how he held me close the entire time you were there. I’d thought it was sweet at the time.”
“At the time?” Now Micah sat up completely and turned off the TV. “What happened?”
“I thought this was your pity party, not mine.” She hedged.
Picking up the pillow she had thrown to the floor when flopping on the couch she hugged it close.
“Yeah.” He leaned in and gave her a hug. “I changed my mind. What’s going on?”
Shaking her head she couldn’t get it out. Her mouth opened several times and still, no words came out. Micah sat there on the couch next to her, waiting. He was close enough to provide a hug or whatever if needed. Yet he held back. Probably because he knew her better than anyone and was waiting for her to crack and confess what was wrong.
She sighed. “Grant broke up with me.”
“What? Why?” He growled. “The idiot. Do I need to go beat some sense into him?”
That brought out a real laugh. “No. In fact, that would probably make him feel vindicated on why he broke up with me.”
That brought him up short. “Why would me beating on him make him feel justified in breaking up with you?”
“He thinks you and I are secretly dating. Which would mean he thinks I was cheating on him with you.”
“What an idiot.” He growled again, then a smile lit his face once again. “I can still go wail on him for a bit, if it makes you feel better. Who cares what he thinks.”
Sighing, she leaned over to lay her head on his shoulder. “I’d rather sit here and watch a movie with my best friend.”
“That I can do.” As he settled in to hold her he turned the TV back on. “Action or cheesy sappy romance?”
“As much as I know you want me to pick a romance I think I’m in the mood for action, just not a bloody one.” Lyndsey snuggled in closer. No matter how many boyfriends flaked out or quit the relationship, Micah was always there to snuggle with after.
“I can work with that.” He began flipping channels again and she closed her eyes. His solid comfort was exactly what she hadn’t realized she’d needed. It was only when the movie ended that she realized she hadn’t watched any of it. The entire time she had been soaking in his strength and confidence as well as his acceptance of who she was. She didn’t have to pretend or keep up appearances with him. He knew her.
Blinking her eyes open she looked up at him. He was passed out with his head tilted so far back his mouth was gaping open.
She laughed a little and his head popped up as his eyes blinked rapidly. “Movie done?” He muttered.
“Why have you never asked me out?” She whispered.
That got his attention immediately. He squeezed her tight with the arm he was already holding her with.
“You must like me at least a little if we’ve stayed so close all these years.” Her voice grew smaller. He didn’t answer. “Nevermind. Forget I asked. Let’s just call it my hormones running rampant over my heart and things just coming out.”
He shrugged but didn’t look her way. “I’ve been waiting.”
She stilled. “For what?”
He smiled sheepishly for a second then looked away again. “For you to notice me.”
