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Weston
Present Day
Lucy thruststhe back door open and slams it behind her. Her face is flushed, her eyes wild as she scans the kitchen. When she sees me standing there, she takes a deep breath and tries to calm her breathing.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Her curls cling to her skin. She pushes them away with a swipe of her hand and leans against the counter. I might be pushing forty, but some things are ageless. When a woman says she’s fine, it’s a lie. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and step close to her. She tenses, barely, but I notice and stop before reaching her to hold out the bottle. She takes it from me and relaxes a fraction before twisting the cap and taking a long sip of the water. When she finishes, her hazel-green eyes meet mine.
I lean against the island opposite her and let my gaze travel the length of her body. She’s not short, standing at about five-six, but she’s so tiny she seems smaller. The shorts she’s wearing hug her frame in all the right spots, and I physically force myself to stop looking at her. She isn’t mine, and even if she weren’t dating my son, she’s still too young for me.
A fact I’m forced to remember every time I see her.
“I bet you’re glad to finally be done with school.”
She huffs a little. “I guess. Mostly, I’m just ready to be out of the house. If I have to live there one more second, I think I might scream.”
I knew Lucy had issues at home, but she’s never been very talkative about them, and it wasn’t ever my place to push. When I first met her, before I knew she was dating Malcom, she was in a bar, hunting for her mother. “Is it that bad?” I ask.
“It’s fucking hell.”
“What do you have planned?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been saving so I can get a place of my own. Becca and I were thinking about splitting something, but then she got accepted to the university.” She stares off in her own mind for a moment then shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to unload all of that on you.” She takes a breath, squaring her shoulders. “The graduation party sounds like it’s a hit.”
I weigh my next words carefully, wanting her to know she can talk to me but also not wanting to scare her off. “You know you’re more than welcome to stay here.”
She laughs humorlessly. “I’m not sure that would work out well.”
“Why do you say that?”
She turns to face me, her body less than a foot away now, and meets my gaze before replying, “You don’t think that would be strange?” She tilts her head to the side and rakes her eyes up my body. “Me staying here without Malcom. Alone... with you.”
I don’t know what to say. Yes? No? Fuck. When I first met Lucy seven months ago, it was under very different circumstances, and then she popped up on Malcom’s arm and my world shifted on its axis.
“You love Malcom and he loves you. I don’t know why he would have a problem with you here.”
She scoffs, almost like she’s irritated with my response. I don’t know what to think about that. “Right. I’m sure you’re right. Where is he, by the way?”
“Last I saw him, he was in the den with a couple of guys from the football team.” She grabs the bottle of water from the counter and moves to step past me. I wrap my hand around her wrist, pulling her to a stop. She stumbles into my chest. “If there’s something you aren’t saying, I can’t help, Little Dove.”
Her breath hitches in her chest. Her eyes focus on my lips as they move, and her tongue darts out, moistening her own. Her body leans into mine, and I inhale her intoxicating scent. Every instinct in me is screaming to pull her close and press my mouth to hers. I haven’t once forgotten the feel of her lips on mine, the taste of her tongue as it danced in my mouth.
“I’m f—”
“Don’t tell me you’re fine. Don’t do that. It’s obvious you’re shaken up. If you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll let it go. But don’t ever feel like you have to hide behind placating words. It’s okay to not be okay.”
“I just... I can’t.”
“I understand. But my offer still stands. Just say the word, and I’ll have a room ready for you.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the offer.”
“Anytime, Little Dove.”
This time when she brushes past me, I don’t stop her.
