“What would you guys do?” I ask. Frankly, I’m so surprised that he’s sharing, but I’m also soaking up every ounce of it.
“Go to the batting cages. We’d do five rounds each, grab a lemonade and nachos from the concession stand, then sit at our favorite picnic table and just talk. There were days where we talked for longer, and some days we didn’t talk at all. Breaker and Huxley were never that close with Dad. They never came with us, so when he passed away, I suffered from the loss the most.” His eyes connect with mine. “I know, ever since losing him, I haven’t allowed many people in my life for fear of losing them. It didn’t take me long to figure that out.”
“Hence why you don’t want to be friends.”
“Exactly,” he exhales. “But with you, Kelsey, it just doesn’t seem like I’m able to shake you off, no matter how hard I try. I like hanging out with you.”
A smile spreads across my lips. “I like hanging out with you too, JP.”
“So, then I guess it’s settled.” He sits back up, stabs his fork into the middle of his plateful of food, and scoops up a giant mouthful. “We’re friends despite the odds of that happening because, you know . . . I still believe men and women who work together can’t be friends.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sure you do, because you can’t possibly be wrong about anything, right?”
“Correct.” He smirks.
“Okay, so we’re friends, which leads me to ask . . . why did you get drunk last night?”
He glances away and pushes more food around on his plate. “How about we save that question for another day? Let’s just focus on the new bond we have.”
I don’t like pushing whatever was bothering him aside, but I also like this new side of him. He seems more . . . free, so I’m not going to push it.
“I think I can manage that.”
“Good.” He sips his water again. “Want to catch a movie today? There’s an old-school theater near the Angelica Building that runs old movies. I heard they’re playing some sort of romcom two-for-one special.”
I perk up. “Like . . . two romcoms in a row?”
He nods. “Yup. I believe it’s When Harry Met Sally and He’s Just Not That Into You.”
I clap my hands together. “Ooo, good ones. And you’d go with me?”
“Wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t want to.”
“But I thought you didn’t like movies like that?”
He shrugs. “I know you like them, so, they can’t be too bad, right? Plus, reviews say their popcorn is salty and makes your lips burn. That’s my kind of popcorn.”
“I do love a salty popcorn, as well. Okay, let’s do it, but we have to do something you want to do after . . . that’s if you don’t have plans.”
“My plans consist of hanging out with you, babe.”
“Okay.” My smile grows even wider. “Then what do you want to do after?”
I watch him chew thoughtfully and then he says, “A touristy thing.”
“What? Seriously? But I thought that was beneath you?”
He chuckles. “Hate to admit it, but your touristy outing we had was entertaining. How about a nighttime tour of Alcatraz?”
My eyes widen. “That’s way too creepy.”
He levels me with a glare. “Hey, I’m going to the romcom marathon. And you said we could do anything I wanted, so I say we do that.”
“As long as you have no problem with me burying my head in your chest the entire time.”
“Trust me, babe. No problem with that at all.” He smirks and takes another bite of his food.
“Kelsey, you can open your eyes,” JP whispers into my ear as I cling tightly to his arm. “It’s not like a monster is going to pop out.”
“You don’t know that,” I whisper.
“Babe, open your eyes.”
I open one eye and then the other, and the main hall of prison cells comes into view. Because JP can’t do anything the “peasant” way, he booked us a behind-the-scenes tour, so we’re alone with a tour guide, walking through the eerie halls of Alcatraz. I would’ve preferred more people.
“See, not so bad,” JP says.
Still clinging to him, I look around and say, “I honestly feel like my skin is crawling. Is your skin crawling? There are ghosts everywhere.”
“According to legend,” Kathy, our tour guide, says, “Alcatraz is one of the most haunted places in the country.”