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“Good question. I have no clue. I’ll call Mom and ask her later. Let’s go get dirty, Tam.” He grins as he slides the chair out from the table. He places his cup in the dishwasher and tosses his paper towel in the trashcan. Domesticated men are so attractive.
I sigh, pulling myself out of the chair. I take care of my mess and retreat to my bedroom to get my socks and shoes on. Ruston is waiting by the door for me, his keys in hand. “Want to just ride together and save gas? I’ll drive.”
“How thoughtful of you! Sounds great.” We walk out of my apartment.
My parents were great helping me get this apartment. I wanted to be out on my own and they helped me. I pay my own bills and supply my own groceries. They don’t do any of that for me. They taught me growing up how to take care of myself and how to budget my money. I learned well. I started my own photography business right out of college. I’ve only been doing it for about a year but I love it and my clients are amazing. I make my own hours and most importantly, I make people shine.
Ruston drives us the few blocks to my parents’ house. It’s so weird not seeing them here but their vacation was important for them. I unlock the side gate and let us into the backyard. Dad hides the shed key inside one of the hanging flower pots. He’s so unoriginal but I don’t have the heart to tell him that. I reach in and grab it. Ruston puts his hands up so I toss it to him. He unlocks the door and disappears inside. The shed is huge. It’s like a mini episode of Hoarders but much more organized inside. I’m almost worried he’s lost until he reappears with the lawnmower.
“I’ll do the back and you can do the front.” He grins at me.
“I can do it all, Rus. You don’t have to do this.”
“I know, but I want to.” He pulls his shirt off. My jaw hits the floor at the sight of his immaculate body. Who am I to argue with him now? He turns away from me and starts the lawnmower up. I stare like a crazy person as he makes his way around the backyard.
I walk over to the patio furniture and sit at the table. A vibration moves the table and I see his phone going off. I never even saw him set it down.
A text message sits there and his cousin’s name pops up. I try to wave Ruston down but he’s so into cutting the grass that he doesn’t see me. I don’t touch his phone. I don’t want to pry into something that isn’t my business so I wait patiently for him.
I’m so lost in my own thoughts that I don’t even notice the lawnmower is no longer running. I don’t even notice Ruston is standing beside me so close I could almost feel the beads of sweat running down his chest.
“Your turn, Tammy Lou.”
I turn my head abruptly to face him. My tongue sticks out at him as he calls me by my old childhood name. He has never forgotten that one. With time, I’d hoped he would have moved on but I’m still Tammy Lou to him.
“All right, asshole. Oh, your cousin texted you while you were cutting.” I stand and walk toward the lawnmower.
“What did he say?”
“I didn’t check. It’s not my phone.”
“You know I don’t care. What could I possibly have to hide from you?”
“No clue.” I push the lawnmower toward the gate. I don’t turn back to see or hear what he has to say. I’m just ready to cut the grass and get this mess over with.
The lawnmower roars to life and I begin pushing through the lush green grass ahead of me. The front yard is much smaller than the back so I’ll be done in no time. I hum to myself as I cut, knowing good and well that I can’t even hear myself. When I finish, I push the mower back to the shed and lock it behind me. I put the key back in the secret hiding spot and collapse back into the chair I sat in before.
“You all worn out, Tammy Lou?” Ruston grins from the chair beside me.
“Nah, I’m just a little hot. It is pretty much summertime, you know.”
“I just got done talking to Austin. He’ll be here tonight. I was thinking of maybe taking him to have a drink at that bar, Joe’s. Want to come?”
I sigh. As appealing as that sounds, something just feels a little off about it to me. I don’t remember his cousin all that much, and intruding is the last thing I want to do. “Eh, I should probably just stay home. You can have guys’ night or whatever y’all call it.”
“You’re a killjoy, Tammy Lou, you know that? Do you have something to knit?”
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. “You know what? If it will make you leave me the hell alone, then I’ll go. Right now, I’d like to go shower and get out of these sweat infested clothes if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, ma’am, and thanks by the way.”
“The things I do for you. Why can’t I just have girlfriends like normal girls?”
“Because…what is it you said in high school? You don’t have time for all the bullshit drama girls carry around.” He smirks.
He’s right. That’s the exact reason. Ruston understood me in ways no female ever could. He didn’t judge me when my hair wasn’t fixed just right or when my clothes didn’t fit the way I wanted them to. He would just laugh and tell me to chill out, that everything was all right. He would tell me I didn’t need anyone’s approval so I believed him and our bond grew stronger than ever.
I lock the gate behind me and walk toward his truck. “You know, if you ever get tired of me, all you have to do is say so.”
