Page 55 of Ask No Questions

“I like them all, as friends.”

“That doesn’t even remotely begin to answer that question. Try again.”

I pretended to be thinking about it more deeply this time. “Well, they’re all very attractive, in different ways. Mike is more outgoing and talkative, and he was the first guy to try to get to know me from school, which is nice. Gage is thoughtful and really listens to me. I feel like there’s never any pressure around him, like I can just be myself. Luke is amazing and so cute. I get butterflies just thinking about him, but he always seems so far away, like I’m constantly trying to reach him.”

“That was deep.” Talia was nodding, and the others sat there with stunned expressions.

“I told you guys. I like them all.”

“I don’t know why, but I’m really rooting for Mike.” I shot Alexis a confused look. I wasn’t expecting her to say that at all.

“I have a few classes with him, so we talk a lot. He really cares about you. I know he comes across as controlling to you, but he is trying to look out for you. He has a past with Gage and Luke and doesn’t want to see you get hurt by either of them. I told him he should just make his move but he’s being a pansy.”

“So he really does like me?”

“He hasn’t come out and said it, but he’s not normally this invested. He’ll voice his opinion, but he doesn’t normally care what people do after that.”

“I didn’t know. I mean, that explains how he’s been acting lately. I feel bad now that I lashed out at him. I should just be grateful he even cares enough to get worked up over it.”

The girls nodded and moved on with the game, but I zoned out for most of it. I kept thinking of how rude I had been to Mike, and how he’d been nothing but a good friend to me. I really wanted to leave then to go talk to him, but I knew that would make me seem crazy.

Twenty-Three

The girls’ comments last night got to me. I fell asleep long after the others had, and I woke just as the light began coming through the window. I got up and grabbed a hoodie from a pile in the corner and headed out to the sand.

I took a seat a few yards away from the water and watched the ocean turn and push waves toward me. It was the most peace I had found in days. I ran through the previous two weeks in my mind. Mike had accepted me so freely and had looked out for me since school started. Maybe I was too harsh on him. It was hard to believe his feelings could be more than friendly, considering he treated all of the other girls the same as me… but if he did, it would explain his mood swings. No wonder he didn’t want to talk about Luke or help me with him.

I sighed and stood up, walking back to the house. I needed to apologize to him. Mike might not be the one I was interested in, but he deserved better from a friend.

I shook Talia awake and got directions to Mike’s house. They didn’t seem to be very reliable since she was still half asleep when she told me, but I took my chances. I grabbed my keys and drove to the house she described. It was still early when I got there. I sat in my seat, drumming the steering wheel, debating my next move. I figured I would see if there were any lights on and knock if necessary.

As I walked by the side gate to the backyard, I heard a guy calling commands. I peeked over and saw Mike’s shirtless back. He was holding a thick knotted rope. Before I could consider what it could be for, there was a black Lab charging to the gate, at me. I shrieked and jumped back as the dog slammed against the fence.

Laughing at myself, I moved back to the fence and knocked. Since when was I afraid of dogs? Mike opened the gate and looked surprised. He reached down and held the dog back with a few fingers looped through the collar.

“Aubrey? What are you doing here?”

I guess showing up at six-thirty in the morning wearing boxers and a hoodie might appear odd. “I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by and say hi.”

Yikes, he didn’t even smile at my joke. This was going to be more challenging than I thought. “I came here to tell you I’m sorry.”

His face softened, slightly. “Do you want to come back?” I followed him through the side yard as his golden retriever raced around us jumping on me a few times. “Oden! Get down!” He pulled the dog by the collar away from me.

“It’s all right. I love dogs.” I bent down to his level and rubbed behind his ears, cooing at him. I glanced up and saw Mike smile. Evidently, the way to his heart was through his dog.

He wandered over to a patio set, and I took this as my cue to follow him and sat in a chair next to him. Oden settled in next to me and put his head in my lap, having obviously enjoyed my head scratch.

Mike was staring ahead, not willing to help me in this conversation. I couldn’t think of a way to lead into things, so I just blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

“I’m sorry I used you for information about Luke. I didn’t know you two had a past, and I definitely didn’t mean to hurt you by being friends with Gage.” I paused, waiting for him to say something… Silence. “I owe you a lot for befriending me from the first day. You have been nothing but loyal and honest with me, and I took that for granted. You deserve a better friend than me.”

He finally turned and looked at me with something in his eyes. Was it anger? “You still don’t get it, do you?”

Apparently not, since that was not the reaction I was expecting. Before I could respond, he started again.

“Yes, in the beginning, I wanted to be your friend, at least. I made the effort to get to know you, I took you out on a real date, and I made sure my friends welcomed you too. What did that get me in return?” Another pause, but I figured this was a rhetorical question. “I became your go-to for dirt on other guys and the bad guy when I tried to protect you.”

He was growing more and more tense by the second, and I could feel my face reddening. I wasn’t prepared for this onslaught, but I guess I did deserve it. “Mike, I…”