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The boys follow Leddie’s chair back into the living room.
“She didn’t touch her spaghetti,” I murmur as I sit down on the stool beside Meadow.
“She doesn’t eat that much anymore. I don’t know how to get her to.”
“Have you talked to her doctor? Sometimes they prescribe steroids designed to help with that.”
“They’re very cautious what medicine they give her because of her kidneys,” she responds, and I can tell she’s really worried.
“She’ll be okay, Doe. We’ll get her to eat.”
“What are you doing here, Blue?”
“I’m thinking of taking my mother up on her advice,” I tell her honestly.
“That sounds dangerous. I’ve heard your mother’s advice before. Wasn’t she the one who told Bryant to kidnap Maggie?”
“That worked out in the end, Doe,” I can’t help but point out.
“If you try to kidnap me, Blue Lucas, I promise you I will make you live to regret it.”
“That wasn’t her advice to me, baby,” I laugh.
“I wish you would quit calling me that,” she mutters, taking a bite of her food and avoiding eye contact with me.
“What’s that? Doe or baby?”
“Both,” she snaps.
“Okay, sweetheart.” I take a bite of my own food to hide my grin. I watch her ears deepen in color. God, it’s sweet to be close enough to her to watch her reactions. I knew that I missed her, but I don’t think I realized just how deep that went.
“Very funny,” she huffs.
“Aren’t you going to ask what her advice was?”
“I think I’m afraid to ask.” She sighs, as she looks over at her mother. An idea starts to blossom, but I know I’ve got to proceed carefully.
“She told me to kiss you,” I answer.
“Well, you’re not going to do that,” she says, and it’s not my imagination when I see true panic written on her face.
“What makes you say that, baby?”
“What did I say about that name?” she snaps. She pushes her spaghetti around in her plate. “And you won’t do it because I don’t want you to. If you try it then this little farce of yours would be over.”
“Farce?”
“Exactly. I don’t know what your game is yet, but I truly don’t believe you’re doing it without a reason.”
“What if the reason is exactly what I told you, Doe. I want to be in your life. I want you in mine.”
“Sure,” she laughs. Damn, she’s going to play hardnose.
“What would you say if I made a deal with you?”
“What kind of deal?” she asks, eyeing me skeptically.
“If I get your mom to eat a good dinner then you will freely give me a kiss.”
“You won’t get Mom to eat. Don’t you think I’ve tried every trick in the book since I’ve been back home? She’s lost so much weight that it’s starting to scare me.”
“You leave all that up to me. I’m just saying if I manage it then you’ll give me those sweet lips of yours without fighting.”
“No way,” she laughs. “You have lost your mind.”
“Are you chicken, Doe?”
She looks at me, her eyes narrowing, and the pink on her ears deepening into a red color. Making her mad shouldn’t turn me on as much as it does.
“Blue—”
“Well?” I ask. It’s taking everything I have not to let her see the enjoyment I’m getting out of this.
“Fine. If you manage to get Mom to eat all her spaghetti,” she says with a shrug. “Then, I’ll give you a kiss.”
I hold out my hand. “Fine. It’s a deal. Let’s shake on it.”
“You really are insane, aren’t you, Blue?”
“Nope. I’m a man on a mission,” I tell her. “You just get those lips ready to pucker, baby.”
I give her a wink. Then, I gather her mother’s food and walk into the living room where she and the boys are watching television.
Now, if I can just get her mother to cooperate…
Chapter 22
Meadow
I watch as Blue whispers something to Mom. I have a bad feeling immediately. When Mom looks up at me laughing, I’m pretty sure I’m in trouble. When Blue looks at me with a wink, I know it. Turncoat. I thought my own mother would have my back.
To prove I’m slowly going insane, I take his food and drink into the living room. If he’s going to get my mother to eat then I can at least be nice to him, right?
God, I sound pathetic.
“Thanks, baby,” he says, as I put his food and drink on the coffee table in front of him.
“What did I say about that nickname?” I mumble quietly.
“That you loved it?” he responds, making me roll my eyes. When I look at him like this, it’s hard to believe he’s the same man who looked like he could kill me from across the room. I don’t understand how everything changed in the blink of an eye. I should be thankful, I suppose. Instead, I’m panicked. I could handle a Blue that resented me—that hated me. This Blue? He’s dangerous as hell. I go to leave, but he grabs my hand. “Where are you going?”
