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With that, he walks away.
You linger a moment, your gaze drifting to her, before you leave.
You don’t know this, but that girl? She cries the entire way home from school. She isn’t crying because she got in trouble. It isn’t out of guilt or shame. Her tears have nothing to do with herself. She cries for you, because of the look she saw on your face when you walked away. There’s anger in your eyes again and tension in your jaw, and now she knows what that means.
Chapter 7
KENNEDY
“Surprise!”
I'm caught off guard as that word rings out behind me, startlingly close in the aisle. Spinning around, eyes wide, I nearly slam right into a lurking body, all six-foot-three of him wearing a straight black suit, looking the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. “Whoa.”
“Didn’t scare you, did I?” he asks. “You looked like you were in your own little world. Almost didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Oh, no, I’m just... surprised to see you,” I admit, gazing at him. Drew. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see you,” he says. “Haven’t heard from you since you cancelled our last date. I tried calling, but figured you were busy with work, so I thought I’d stop by, maybe buy you lunch.”
I frown. “I just took a break.”
“Pity,” he says. “Maybe dinner?”
“Maybe,” I say. “I’ll see if I can get somebody to watch Maddie.”
“Or you could bring her,” he suggests, holding his hands up defensively when I cut my eyes at him. “Or not.”
“I’m sure my dad won’t mind,” I say. “If he’s busy, I know Meghan will be happy to do it.”
“Meghan,” he says, making a face at the mention of her.
“Oh, don’t be that way.” I nudge him, laughing. “She’s been a life-saver. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“I do,” he says. “I know what I’d do without her.”
“Be nice.”
He mock salutes me.
Drew is, well… what can I say about him? He isn’t the easiest person to warm up to, but once you get to know him, he can be kind of charming. Sarcastic, a bit rash, but unshakably determined. We've been acquainted for years, but it wasn’t until recently, when I ran into him while out somewhere with Meghan, that I opened myself up to the possibility of anything happening between us.
It makes sense, you know. I’m busy. He’s busy. He’s one of the few people that I don’t feel compelled to hide my secrets from.
He hates my best friend, though, so that’s a big strike against him, and the feeling is mutual, but that might have something to do with the fact that Meghan’s as protective as bulletproof armor.
“I’ll call you,” I tell him, “as soon as I know.”
“Good.” Reaching over, he nudges my chin. “I’ll see you.”
I wait until he’s gone before pulling out my phone, shooting a text to Megan quickly, since I’m on the clock. Any chance you’re free to watch Maddie tonight so I can steal some adult time?
The bubble pops up, her response coming through. I can be there by 6. Who’s the lucky prick?
Laughing, I type ‘Who do you think?’ before shoving my phone back in my pocket, not bothering to look at it when it vibrates with a message, knowing it’ll be a stream of disgruntled emojis with a few choice curse words thrown in—you know, for emphasis.
There’s a knock at the apartment door, but before I can answer it, the door flings right open and in waltzes Meghan. She’s nearly six feet tall in her shiny red stilettos, at odds with the drab gray dress suit she wears, like she’s not sure if she’s going to work or heading out to a party. That’s Meghan for you. Bright red lips and perfectly messy blonde hair, the kind that looks like she’s doesn’t care, but I know she spent an hour in the bathroom getting it that way.
Her blue eyes narrow, pointed right at me. She’s trying hard to look mad, but she doesn’t have it in her, cracking right away as she makes a face. “Really? Andrew?”
“Could be worse,” I say.
“Could also be better,” she counters. “Wouldn’t be hard, you know. Few people are worse than Andrew.”
Before I can argue, Maddie runs out of her bedroom. “Aunt Meghan!”
“Hey, candy-doodle pumpkin-bread,” she says, scooping Maddie up and swinging her around in circles as she slathers kisses all over her face. “How’s my favorite little munchkin doing today?”
Maddie giggles, trying to ward off the kisses. “Guess what, Aunt Meghan?”
“What?” she asks as she stops twirling, now swaying. Dizzy.
“Breezeo got in a accident, so I made him a card and Mommy says she got it to him!”
“Is that right?” Meghan asks, raising her eyebrows as she regards me, setting Maddie back down. “Mommy gave it to Breezeo, did she?”
“Yep.” Maddie turns to me. “Right, Mommy?”
