Chapter 18

“Jesus, Alyx, just ask her out already!” Mick flung his hands in the air, nearly knocking over his beer as he and Alyx settled in at their favorite pub. “You pretty much already had a date! Make it official!”

Alyx leaned across the table, whispering harshly, “No. Us watching Anaconda and me having an attack in the middle of the night is not a date.” He slumped back into his seat, letting his beer thump on the table after taking a swig. “And she would never say yes after that anyway, so what is the point?”

Sam hadn’t said anything, and for the most part acted exactly the same as usual the next morning when he shuffled out of no-longer-his-room and beelined for the door; she smiled and waved and said good morning as usual, but something in her eyes was different. Alyx was certain it was a mix of pity and disgust, and he wasn’t going to touch that with a ten-foot pole.

Mick gave him a long hard look, but when Alyx just looked away, he leaned forward on his crossed arms, his voice low and threatening. “You ask her out by tomorrow, or I’m telling her how you feel.”

Alyx’s gaze snapped back to Mick. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Dark eyebrows rose on a tanned forehead. “I wouldn’t? I’m Mick. I do this kind of shit all the time, Alyx.”

“She would never believe you.” He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You think?” Mick grinned. “I bet she would. So ask her out, or I tell her you love her.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me. Now let me help.”

* * *

Sam’s phone beeped at her as she was getting out of the shower after her skift in the hanger, and she waited a few minutes, drying off and getting dressed, before checking it.

Unknown number: Hey Sam, want to have dinner and a movie with me tonight?

Staring at the message in confusion, she brushed damp strands off her face and quickly typed back.

Sam: Who is this?

There was a long pause, and she spent the time puttering around the bedroom that was now exclusively hers, gathering her homework supplies and textbooks to study for her finals. Then it buzzed rapidly.

Alyx: Alyx. Never mind. Forget it.

Confused, she quickly added him to her contacts, and then texted back.

Sam: What? You’re buying right?That’s how dates work.

Sam’s eyes widened, a blush creeping up her neck as she glanced around bashfully, despite knowing Paxton didn’t get out of class for another half hour. A few miles away in the new apartment, Mick was dodging Alyx as he chased him, trying to get his phone back.

Sam: Oh…. A date, huh?

Alyx now lay on top of Mick, reaching for the phone that the slightly smaller man was holding in his stretched out arm, the two of them wrestling nearly silently even though she couldn’t hear them. It buzzed and Mick cried out in triumph, tilting his wrist trying to see the message, and Alyx managed to snatch it and storm away, Mick scrambling after him.

Alyx: No, unless you want it to be

Mick was grabbing at the phone as Alyx typed the last bit, making it nearly unreadable, but he didn’t dare take time to fix it in case Mick stole the phone again. Sam, on the other end, was staring at her screen with wide eyes.

Sam: Is it a date or not?

Mick had control of the phone and was typing far faster and more accurately than Alyx could manage, while running for the bathroom to lock himself in with Alyx’s phone.

Alyx: A date, if you are ok with that.

Alyx pounded on the door, shouting at Mick now. Sam sat down on the couch, staring at the phone. What was going on? Every text was different, and it was throwing her off.

Sam: I’d like that. Why are you being weird?

Mick crowed in triumph, yanking open the door and showing Alyx the phone screen. “Told you!”

Snatching the phone back, Alyx was quick to text her, shoving Mick away with one hand as the man laughed.

Alyx: Mick keeps trying to steal my phone

Sam giggled, easily imagining how Mick would be teasing the other man, and could feel Alyx’s frustration.

Alyx: Okay, soI’ll pick you up at 6?

Sam: Sounds great

Sam buried her face in the couch cushion, squealing, while in another apartment Alyx sat in a daze as Mick cheered.