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Emery rolls his eyes and sinks lower in his seat. “Well, I don’t know anyone who does. Well, that’s not true. Lex is hanging out with a bunch of old ladies and watchingGolden Girlsand teaching them how to play video games. He spends more time with them than me actually. But he sure as hell doesn’t mow lawns. I don’t even know if Lex knows how to do that. I sure don’t.”
I reach over and tuck a strand of wayward hair behind his ear. “You don’t need to do stuff like this to impress me.”
He snorts. “I sure as hell need to do something if you decide to keep me.”
God, my chest aches at those words.
“Want me to teach you? How to mow a lawn, that is.”
Emery lets his eyes run down my chest and he tilts his head. “Will your shirt be off for this lesson, Mr. Arnette? Because if so, sign me up. We can mow all the lawns.”
I feel my cheeks flush and Emery wiggles in his seat.
“That can be arranged.”
* * *
“You said the shirt would be off!” Emery yells and I turn to look behind me. Emery is sitting on the back porch with Mrs. Melnyk while I grab the mower from the shed. Emery is leaning back in a rocking chair with a mug in his hand while Mrs. Melnyk adjusts her binoculars.
She’s never pulled those out before, but apparently Emery’s convinced her it was a good idea. He has a way of doing that.
Emery says something to her and then the two of them start snickering.
“Don’t make a liar out of me, August,” Emery shouts again and I just shake my head and then reach down and peel my shirt over my head. I tuck it into the back of my jeans and shiver slightly at the cold breeze moving over my body.
I can hear Emery whistling behind me, and I smirk over at him. Mrs. Melnyk is standing up now, which is unusual. Maybe I should show up more often without a shirt. Help her get in some exercise.
But then my gaze snags on Emery who is running his thumb over his mouth and eyeing me with interest. So, I flex a little and decide to leave my shirt off for as long as I can stand it. I like his eyes on me.
“Get to it,” Mrs. Melnyk cackles and I smile at her as I start the lawn mower.
Earlier at Mr. Katz’s house, I’d shown Emery how to mow a lawn and he picked up on it quickly. I mean, it’s not rocket science. Although the lines of the grasswerecrooked, and Mr. Katz was a bit of an asshole about it and pointed it out. But Emery just shrugged and told Mr. Katz that’s just how his brain is wired and to deal with it.
By the second house Emery helped me get the mower out, but then ended up chatting with Mrs. Jones instead of helping me. And now he’s completely made himself at home on Mrs. Melnyk’s porch. She even made him tea. I watched him pour eight teaspoons of sugar into it.
I love seeing this, him chatting with her like they’re best friends. His mom is seriously missing out on how amazing he is. At least he has Thomas, who seems to be making more of an effort. I’d heard him on the phone last week making plans with Emery. I don’t know what the plans were, but it warmed my heart seeing the excitement on Thomas’ face after the call.
“He wants to hang out with me,” Thomas had said after hanging up, smiling widely at me.
Emery might think that Thomas doesn’t want anything to do with him, but I think Thomas just doesn’t know how to go about it. Starting family therapy again is a good way to figure this shit out together. Emery and Thomas deserve a chance.
When I finally finish up––the lawn mower put away, my shirt back on, and I’ve said goodbye to Mrs. Melnyk––Emery and I walk toward my car. Emery leans into me, cradling a package of cookies in his hands.
“Did you steal those?”
“Do you really think so little of me? No, Edith insisted. She shoved them in my hands and said, ‘Take these, child, my stomach can’t digest them anymore.’”
I glance at Emery, and he smirks at me. “More for me, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Because you’re a heathen who doesn’t eat cookies.”
“I just don’t love sweets.”
Emery sighs. “Why am I so into you, again?”
He leans over and presses a soft kiss to my jaw and I blush at the brush of his lips on my skin.
