“F-Fisher …” I sniffled. “You can’t have my heart.”

He smiled and nodded several times while bending down to kiss the corner of my mouth. “I know … I’ll add it to the list.”

Kiss.

“What list?”

He opened the door and shut off the light. “The parts of Reese Capshaw that I can’t have.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but I had nothing. Not one thing.

“We’re taking off,” Fisher announced as we stepped onto the deck.

“Already? I made pie and there’s ice cream.” Laurie looked a little surprised.

“Reese has a tummy ache. Maybe one of the salads sat in the sun too long.”

What the heck!

I had to have looked just as surprised … and mortified.

“Oh dear! I’m so sorry.” Laurie pressed her hand to her chest.

A string of “that’s too bads” and “feel betters” followed from everyone else.

“Take an antacid…” Arnie made a drinking motion with his hand “…and you’ll be good for tomorrow night.”

Fisher ignored him, and I … well, I ignored everyone because I still hadn’t fully processed what just happened.

“Well, thanks. Goodnight,” Fisher said, resting his hand on my back in the platonic region to guide me to the front door.

As soon as he closed the door behind us, I spun around. “Are you kidding me? Did you really just tell your whole family that I have a tummy ache? What am I? Five?”

He shrugged, shouldering past me to the driveway. “Kids were around. I couldn’t say you had the shits.”

“Fisher! Why did you do that?”

“Because we needed an excuse to leave.” He handed me my helmet.

“Why didn’t you tell them you have a tummy ache? Why embarrass me like that?”

He fastened his helmet and grinned. “I haven’t had so much as a sniffle for years. I’m kind of a freak of nature like that. They never would have believed it had I said it was me.”

“Well … well … maybe I haven’t been sick in years. Did you even think about that? Maybe I’m a freak of nature.”

“Oh.” He chuckled while throwing his leg over the seat. “I have no doubt that you’re a special kind of freak of nature. Get on.”

I was the one grumbling by that point as I climbed onto the back of his bike.

By the time we got home, I was still fuming.

“I’m going to bed … I have a tummy ache.” I tossed my helmet on the ground along with the riding jacket and marched my way to the basement door. After kicking my shoes off, I ran up the stairs and locked the door at the top. We were done.

Chapter Sixteen

Fisher: I’m sorry.

Fisher: Are you going to stay mad at me forever?