Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out, #2)(12)

But here he was now, texting him.

Hey, hope you’re well. Sorry you didn’t start today. Next week, huh?

Micah’s fingers flew over the screen as he typed his response. That’s what I’m hoping. How are you?

Good! Settling in. Made new friends. Working hard. Sorry I haven’t been in touch.

It’s okay. I know how busy it is.

Yeah, I know you do. Moving’s hard. But it’s been worth it.

Micah wasn’t convinced that he could say the same thing just yet, but maybe Kyle was setting a precedent for him to follow, in which his time in Perth would start improving. Thanks for thinking of me.

Cool. Don’t be a stranger.

You too.

By now the other players were infiltrating the change room, and Micah realised after a while that Kyle had probably stopped texting. He was just about to put his phone away when it buzzed again. He almost lost his grip, he was so excited at the thought of Kyle’s response, but it was just a message from Declan. Want to meet at Gate 3 in 20?

Sure. See you there.




HE FOBBED off after-game drinks. Some of the players seemed pretty impressed he was meeting up with Declan Tyler. A couple of the older guys said to pass on their hellos, as they had played with Dec at the end of his career and the beginning of theirs. Declan Tyler had everyone’s respect, it seemed. Micah hoped one day they would feel the same way about him.

Simon and Dec were already waiting for him. Simon was swinging on a gate, and Dec was telling him he was going to fall off and break something. Some things never changed.

“Oh, hi!” Simon yelled, and the gate slammed shut with him on the other side.

Dec rolled his eyes, and brought Micah in for a hug. “Hey, how are you?”

“Good.” Seeing the two of them in the flesh again made him feel much happier than he had in a while. Almost like the way things had been last year before life and work intervened.

“Oi!” Simon yelled, and rattled the iron gate unhappily. “I think I’m stuck.”

“Of course you are,” Dec murmured.

“A little help, please!”

It took Simon pushing on the gate and Dec and Micah pulling on it from their side to finally release Simon. Instead of walking through like a normal person, Simon jumped on the gate again, and rode it out, whooping.

“Simon, don’t!” Dec yelled to no avail.

Simon jumped off before it crashed into the brick wall opposite with such force that it bounced back, narrowly missing him, and wedging shut again.

“Perfect dismount!” Simon crowed. “That’s a ten from the Russian judges, can you believe it?”

“How much has he been drinking?” Micah asked Dec.

“Would you believe only three beers during the course of the game?”

“At least he’s a cheap date,” Micah shrugged.

“Who said I’m cheap?” Simon grabbed Micah and strangled him in a passionate bear hug. “I’ve missed you, Micah Johnson!”

“Really?”

“Really.” Simon nodded. “You’re our little project, now grown wings and flying. In fact, one could say, you’re the wind beneath our wings.”

“I’m really not. And please don’t start singing.”

“Let’s get him some coffee,” Dec said to Micah.

“Coffee!” Simon’s eyes brightened at the thought. “Is there a place in Perth that actually sells coffee?”

“You fucking Melbourne snob,” Micah said.

“Well, you do have lots of Maccas, so I guess you can get coffee there. But then again, McDonald’s coffee, blurgh.”

“Maybe we could just leave him here,” Micah suggested.

“Somebody has to make sure he doesn’t antagonise the locals,” Dec said. “I would like him to come home in one piece.”




ONCE THEY got some coffee into him, Simon began to sober up. “I think someone put something in my beer,” he groaned.

Micah had driven them into the café strip in Leederville. He and Dec had gotten a bit of attention on the street, so they found the darkest corner in one of the least inhabited coffee shops so they could get some peace.

“No, you’re just a Cadbury Kid,” Dec told Simon.

“I refuse to believe three beers did that to me.”

“You’re right, somebody obviously spiked your drink,” Micah said.

Dec threw his hands up in the air. “Okay, I admit it! It was me! I did it so I could have my wicked way with you later tonight!”

Simon grinned. “You don’t have to spike my drink in order to do that.”

“Ugh, time out,” Micah protested. “Impressionable teenagers present.”

“You were never impressionable,” Simon pointed out. “And you’re not even a teenager really. Okay, you’re eighteen. But that makes you officially an adult. You’re a big boy, now!” He winced. “That sounded wrong.”

“So wrong,” Dec agreed.

“What made you want to come to Perth, anyway?” Micah asked Simon. “I mean, Dec had to. It was his job. You didn’t have to suffer so badly.”

“Ah, Perth’s not that bad. I’ve discovered spearmint milk. Who would have thought minty milk could taste so heavenly?”