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Lucy’s mom was an exquisite woman—a very young, beautiful woman. Her teeth were straight and white. Her blue eyes were remarkable. Even with the dark circles and messy bun… I was enjoying the bun since it gave me a glimpse at her slender neck. It was hard to get much else when she wore nothing besides scrubs. I couldn’t make out her curves in them. Kind of bummed about it if I were being honest.
“How old are you?” I asked before I realized how rude that sounded.
Her lips thinned, slight happiness fading as she stiffened. “Twenty-one… Why?”
“I thought you might be nineteen at the oldest,” I admitted with a grunt.
Her nostrils flared. “Are you insulting me? I can’t tell.”
“What? No.” I sighed. “I knew you couldn’t have been too young with you being in a nursing program but still, you do look kind of like a teen despite those scrubs.” And those giant tits…those giant leaking tits. That’s the only vivid detail not hidden beneath that loose material.
“Well, I’m sorry for looking like a kid!” She huffed. “Come on, Lucy.” She grabbed Lucy’s hand, pausing momentarily. “Wait, how old are you?”
I scratched my chin out of habit. “I turn thirty next month.”
“Me too!” Lucy added, which made me smile. I think she meant her birthday was next month too, not her turning thirty.
“Hmm…” Hadley sniffed cheekily. “I thought you were older—by a lot.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Just how old do I appear?”
Jesus Christ. I worked out every day. I didn’t eat healthy if I were honest, but I ate my vegetables and fruits and ran every day. How did I look old?
She sucked her cheeks in to keep from laughing, and I squinted at her, then it hit me. “Oh, I see what you’re doing.”
She gave me a full-blown smile this time, and it knocked me off my axis. It was like she shot me with a laser beam or something. “See? It doesn’t feel good, does it?” She switched the car seat to her other hand. Her arms must be hurting.
“How is looking younger than you are a bad thing? You’ll like that when you’re fifty,” I told her.
Hadley shrugged. “It always sounds offensive when you’re a young parent.”
“Let’s go,” Lucy took her mother’s hand and tugged her away from me. “Will Mamaw make my gravy and biscuits when we get there?”
“I don’t know. She might. You’ll have to ask her.” Hadley turned away from me, but not before meeting my gaze purposely that time. “Bye, Elijah.”
“Bye, Elijah.” Lucy waved. “Remember Skittles. I also like Twinkies.”
“Get in, and I’ll buckle you up,” Hadley told Lucy as she watched her daughter walk to the car. Then she turned back to me. “Sorry about Lucy. Her grandparents spoil her a bit, and she doesn’t realize how weird it is to ask a stranger for something.”
“We’re not strangers, anymore,” I said.
“You know what I mean.” I knew she wanted us to stay strangers. “Please don’t get her anything else. If you still feel guilty, don’t. Lucy doesn’t even care about the chip incident. She’ll keep bugging you if you keep this up. So don’t. You’re our neighbor, and I really don’t want to waste my energy scowling in your direction the next time you have something bad to say about Lucy.”
My eyes widened as she turned away. I couldn’t let her leave just like that, not when she was still waiting for me to make an ass of myself again. “Wait.” She paused and frowned over her shoulder at me. “Jesus.” I wiped my hand down my face and sighed. “You still think I dislike Lucy? I’m insensitive sometimes—okay I am a lot—but I would never intentionally hurt a kid’s feelings. I just have a low tolerance for them.” Her eyes hardened, and I was screwing this up, but I wanted her to understand me. “I like Lucy though. For a kid, I can tell she’s headstrong already and goes for what she wants. I can respect that she’s got a grumpy asshole like me bringing her chips every week like it’s my job to do so.”
Yes. I made her smile. But it was short-lived.
“That’s what I’m saying. For your sake, please just stop going along with her. It’s not so bad now, but Lucy remembers these things, and she’s persistent. It doesn’t matter how many times I tell her it’s rude, especially when you ignore me and bring her stuff, anyway. She’s a kid. She knows she’s not supposed to do it. You didn’t help matters by bringing those chips every single week like you were obligated.”
I knew I didn’t have to do it. I wanted to do it.
Holy shit. That was it. I wanted to. Any excuse to venture over here toward them.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “But I have to go or I’ll be late.”
“I’ll see ya then.” I took a step back as she smiled lightly.
“Bye,” she mumbled before walking away from me.
I realized in that very instant that I wanted to befriend them, but she was making it impossible.
