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She’d done her morning work, and then she’d treated herself to a southwest chicken salad for lunch before stopping here. Once she got home and fixed the light socket, she’d call Blake.
She would.
You will, she told herself as she arrived in front of the socket covers that had a group of four in them. He’d called a few times yesterday, but she’d been busy. She’d met with the printers for Island Sweets, as Bill had approved the final creative designs. She hadn’t actually heard her phone ring for the first two phone calls, as she’d been touring their campus and the machines had been running.
The third time he’d called, she’d been driving and hadn’t recognized the number. She’d met with Allison Aeyers, and by some miracle, the woman had signed a contract with Lauren, officially becoming her third client. She’d wanted to call Blake then, but he’d not left a number for her to reach him at. She’d called his old number, but it was no longer in use.
Sometimes, her mind ran away from her. She imagined him to have fled the island completely. He’d taken Tommy, and they’d packed up their car, and just started to drive. They’d go until they ran out of gas, then refuel, and go some more. They were running from her, and she had no idea why.
He’d called again last night, when she’d been over at Bea’s house. Grant had gone bowling with his new league, and Bea wanted company while she put together a snickerdoodle cheesecake for one of her sons who was coming to visit. He’d arrived today, and Lauren would have to figure out a plan for tonight.
She didn’t want to be alone in her house after dark, she knew that. Why, she wasn’t sure. It felt too lonely, too easy for her to get lost, too…something.
“Just call Blake,” she muttered to herself. He’d come over, and she wouldn’t have to be alone. She also really wanted to know what had happened, as Tommy had texted too.
My dad is trying to get in touch with you. This is my new number, and I know he’d love to hear from you. I would too.
She hadn’t known how to answer him. When things got hard for Lauren, she withdrew. That was her default. She’d learned to rely on herself over the years, and she didn’t need anyone else.
Except she did, and she knew she did. That was why she didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t know how to tell someone she loved them, because she wasn’t sure how toshowthat love.
“You text back,” she told herself, and then she mentally berated herself for talking out loud in the parts aisle. Someone was going to think she was nuts.
“Lauren, hey,” a man said, and she turned toward Scott Anderson.
“Scott.” She accepted his quick kiss on the cheek and smiled at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I ran over someone’s sprinkler heads mowing today.” He wiped one hand down his face. “I have to get over there and fix them, then cross the island for my last job.” He looked exhausted, and Lauren felt it all the way to the soles of her feet and back to the top of her head.
She hadn’t slept well for two nights now, and she knew it was all because she’d been pulling and pulling to get away from Blake. He hadn’t let her go too far, but if she just kept tugging, he might.
After all, everyone else in her life had.
“Then I have to get over to the Lincoln Lightway,” he said. “I’m picking someone up for dinner.” His smile told her that someone would be a woman, and that he was going on a date.
Lauren’s eyebrows went up. “Oh? Is that right? New girlfriend?”
“First date.” He chuckled. “I don’t think anyone would say she’s my girlfriend.”
Lauren wondered if he’d been texting Joy. They had each other’s numbers, and while Joy had never come out and admitted it, Lauren knew she had a mighty crush on the handsome Scott Anderson.
“Well, have fun.” She plucked a socket cover from the display and put it in her cart. Why she had a cart at all, she didn’t know. “I have to run too.”
“Yep. Good to see you.”
Lauren checked out, put her cart away, and drove home. She easily fitted the cover over the outlets and screwed it back into place. She plugged in her phone charger, and then put the right end into her device. It chirped as power started filling the battery, and Lauren knelt on her bedroom floor and stared at the screen on her phone.
She’d said she’d call Blake once she did this task, but she couldn’t do it.
She dialed Joy instead. It might be her lunch break at the elementary school where she worked, and she might be able to answer.
“Hey,” she said breathlessly. “I just finished eating, and I’m walking the track across the street.”
“So healthy,” Lauren said. The smile which came to her face felt natural and good.
“What’s up?” Joy asked. Wind whipped across the mouthpiece, and that felt like the Coastal Bend of Texas to Lauren.
“I ran into Scott Anderson at the hardware store today,” Lauren said instead of telling her anything about the trouble and doubts she was having about Blake. Joy would be able to talk some sense into her, and Lauren didn’t want to admit she’d let herself get to this point again. She didn’t want to be here, where she expected everyone in her life to leave her. She didn’t know when, and she didn’t know how long she’d get with them, but she knew they’d eventually leave. Everyone else in her life had.
