Cheesy on the Eyes by Teagan Hunter Page 0,12

it illegal to sell your children?” my dad mutters.

“We’re adults now.” Jonas pushes off the wall, striding toward the table and plucking a slice of pizza from the box. “For Frankie,” he explains, though I don’t believe that for a second. “If you wanted to sell us now, I’m sure it’d require a whole slew of paperwork and some understanding of the dark web.”

Our parents lock eyes, frowning.

“Missed our shot when their old babysitter offered…” Mom says.

“Could have made a fortune,” Dad agrees.

“Babysitter?” Jonas stops in his tracks. “What babysitter?” He looks at me wildly. “What are they talking about, Thea? You’re older—do you remember a babysitter?”

“There was our neighbor, Miss Marr…”

His eyes widen more, if that’s even possible at this point, and he rushes from the room. “Frank! Promise we’re never letting any strangers watch our baby, especially if they try to buy it.”

“Who will want to buy our baby?”

“Probably a lot of people. He’s gonna be so cute.”

I look at my parents. “If I wasn’t adopted, at least tell me Jonas was, because I’m not sure I want to share DNA with that moron.”

“We’ll never tell. Right, Harvey?”

My dad zips his lips, tossing away the key, and then they cackle like they just told the best joke ever.

I love how they can make each other laugh like goons over something so silly.

I wish I had something like that, something so sure and lasting.

First, I have to find a date for the wedding.

Slice Four

Sully

Thea.

Despite my mother blabbering on in my ear about some old lady at the nursing home she works at trying to make strip bingo a thing, my mind wanders to the beauty I met last week as I pull open the door of Slice to meet my friends for breakfast. It’s Sunday. We always do breakfast on Sundays.

The night after I met her was one of the few times I’ve settled back with a beer in a while, and I knocked it over straight onto my lap like a total moron, soaking my jeans and her note that was in my pocket.

I don’t want anyone in town all up in my business, so I haven’t asked around about her. Instead, I’ve come to Slice every day since, hoping she’ll be here. I’ve even found myself looking for her on the docks, too. Thea mentioned she works nearby, so I’ve been keeping an eye out for her at every restaurant and shop where she could be employed.

For a split second, I thought about setting up my very first social media account so I could find her there, but then I talked myself out of doing something crazy like that.

Besides, it’s a small town. We’re bound to run into each other again, I’m sure.

My only battle then will be convincing her to give me a chance since I haven’t called or texted, and I know we’re way past the social norm on that.

Nice going, dumbass.

“Listen, Ma,” I say as she comes to a natural pause. “I gotta go. My friends are waiting for me.”

“Oh, tell those boys I say hi. And, Sully? Come visit soon,” my mother says. “A mom misses her children. Besides, I’m sure your sisters would love to see you again.”

I miss her too. I just wish I could see her and not have to worry about seeing my father too.

“I know. I’ll try to get some time off soon to come visit.”

“Please do. I love you, Soulful.”

She’s called me that since I told her about my butterflies.

“That’s just your soul speaking to you, Sully. You’re soulful, deep. You feel differently.”

“I love you too, Ma. Talk to you soon, okay?”

We hang up as I arrive at the table, sliding into the booth.

“About time,” Porter says when I relax into the spot next to him. “Thought you were going to ditch us and leave me alone to deal with these two morons.”

I chuckle. “I’d never put you through that torture, man.”

I met Winston a few years back when I came to town on a bit of a bender. My dad had just been released from prison and my mom had moved him back into our house. It took all of one week before I broke. I couldn’t do the whole pretending to be a happy family thing. I was twenty-five, working a dead-end job, and going nowhere with my life. I could do that anywhere.

So, I left.

I made my way down the coast one motel and bar at a time. By the time I made it