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Lucky remembered me.
I caught glimpses of him checking me out. Finally, I caught his eye and sent him a wink. I nearly laughed out loud at his reaction. He probably thinks I’m a cougar.
Lenny’s proposal went off without a hitch. Afterwards, Junie was uncharacteristically quiet, spending many long moments staring at the ring on her finger, her face soft. Finally, Lenny scooped her up and put her on his lap where she settled in until she found her feet again.
Well, her voice at least.
Although Lucky’s glances became emboldened, he did not approach me. And other than a few pleasantries exchanged over the course of dinner, we did not speak.
We sent Willa home to rest and helped Junie clear up the kitchen.
When I returned to the backyard to gather my things, Lucky was gone.
Chapter Five – Thoughts and Fears
Lucky
Throwing my leg over my bike, I settled myself to wait.
It didn’t take long before the front door opened and Minty stepped outside, immediately followed by Junie, a huge grin spreading across her pixie face when she spotted me sitting at the curb.
“Fuck.” I laughed. I should have known there’d be an audience.
Minty looked over her shoulder, her raised eyebrows giving away her surprise.
As the afternoon hours slipped past, the craving to know her overcame all but one ounce of the self-preservation I had left. Slipping away to wait outside, I thought I was being discreet.
Not for my sake. For hers.
There was no help for it now.
Both women watched my progress as I swung off my bike and headed up to the door, relieving Junie’s arms of the weight of Minty’s dishes.
“I’ll carry these to your car,” I murmured.
Junie opened her mouth to speak, her eyes dancing, but I cut her off with a laugh. “Go inside, Junebug.”
Junie giggled and waggled her fingers at Minty. “Have a good night,” she sang, closing the door.
Minty assessed me quickly, a hint of uncertainty flickering over her face before she composed herself and murmured, “Thank you.”
Our brief trek to her car was made in silence. She opened the door, and I slid her dishes across to the passenger side.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she met my eyes and coolly announced. “I don’t play games.”
“What makes you think I do?”
“You didn’t say more than three words to me all day and now you’re waiting by my car?” She answered softly.
I nodded. “I can see how that might look.” I turned to lean against the side of her car. “Here’s the thing. I’m reasonably certain you’re too good for me.” Her eyebrows flew up, but I continued. “My sense of self-preservation insists that I keep my distance, but watching you all afternoon…” I petered off, unsure how to finish. Finally, I turned and faced her head-on. “There’s something about you that pulls at me, and I want to get to know you.”
The sound of feminine laughter spilled from around the side of the house as Mara and Bex burst around, bumping into each other as they walked, Bex’s arms waving as she talked. Rhys and Zale brought up the rear with the kids and the dogs.
Mara caught sight of us first, stopped walking, and grabbed Bex’s arm. “Bex!” She pointed right at us. “Look!”
Bex’s head swung around, and she clapped her hands.
Zale snaked an arm around his wife’s waist and pulled her around to face him. I watched as she melted against him.
