Page 57 of Lucky Mother Pucker

I make a silent promise to myself that I will. For my dad.

Chapter 21

Lucy

“So what did you do for those birthdays that you didn’t go to the Cheesecake Factory?” Leo asks.

“Nothing.”

He leans back, like he’s shocked. “You didn’t do anything to celebrate your birthday after he died?”

I shake my head. “I was too sad and depressed. So was my mom. Looking back, I think she had pretty serious clinical depression after he passed away, but she didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Concern etches in Leo’s wrinkled brow. “Did she ask her doctor for help?

“No, she refused to go. I tried to take her a few times. I even made appointments for her, but she never went. And I didn’t know how to make her. I wish I had tried more. Maybe it would have made a difference.”

He gives my hand another squeeze. He’s been holding my hand this whole time, patiently listening to me talk, letting me get emotional as I talk about my parents.

“You did your best, Lucy. Trying to help a parent who’s struggling in the depths of depression would be insanely difficult for anyone. You were just a kid.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I just…sometimes I wish I could go back in time and try harder to keep her from meeting my stepdad…”

I trail off, emotion choking me.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about that.”

I look at Leo. “Thank you for letting me talk about my parents. And thank you for listening.”

“Thank you for telling me about them. It means a lot that you shared them with me.”

I pack up my leftovers, and we head out of the sandwich shop and into the parking lot.

As we walk to our cars, I feel lighter. Happier. As emotional as I was talking about my dad and mom, it also felt good. Like I was honoring their memory by telling someone new about them.

Leo walks me to my car. When I see my tired reflection in the driver’s side window, I let out a tired laugh.

“God, I look exhausted. My skin makes me look like a vampire.”

Leo chuckles. “Stop. You look great.”

That tingle in my tummy is back. Even though I know Leo doesn’t see me as anything other than a friend, it still feels good to get a compliment from a guy as hot and handsome as he is.

“Thanks, but I’ve really let my skincare game fall to the wayside.” I lean back against my door. “You know, when I was in high school, my dream was to go to school to become an esthetician. I wanted to go to massage therapy school too. I wanted to work at a spa.”

Leo leans on his car, which is parked next to mine. He stands across from me, that deep brown gaze focused on me.

“That sounds like a cool job.”

I cross my arms. “It’s just a pipe dream. I’d have to save enough money to go to school. That’s thousands of dollars I don’t have.” I check the time. “Oh, wow. It’s late. We should get home.”

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Leo says.

“Sure.”

“Um, do you like working at the strip club?”

“Not really. But it’s good money, and there’s really no other job that I’m qualified for that will pay me that much. All I have is a high school diploma. That’s it. And I don’t have the money for college, so I’m stuck with whoever will hire me. And I’d really like to get my own apartment soon, so I need to keep this job and save as much money as I can.”