“Well, I’m not going to spoil it for you,” I tell him with playful defiance. “I don’t like this Lando guy, by the way,” I add. “I don’t trust him.”
He laughs. “Just keep watching. You might change your mind.”
“I shall prepare some popcorn then.” I press pause on the TV and walk over the kitchen with my phone still pressed to my ear. “Do you need to get back to your work?”
“I’m good,” he answers. “I’m really not doing anything productive right now. Although I did make a hanger out of a paperclip.”
“To…hang some Barbie clothes on?”
“Huh, that’s actually not a bad idea. I wonder if Mattel will want a patent. I bet I could make millions off something like that.”
“A little ambitious of you, don’t you think?” I toss a flat bag of unpopped popcorn into the microwave and press some buttons before it buzzes to life.
“I’m just thinking of ways to make my first million without putting all my eggs into the lotto ticket in my wallet,” he explains with an exhausted rasp to his voice. “Maybe a game-changing idea like Barbie hangers could be my ticket out.”
“And you say you’re not doing anything productive.” The popcorn finishes popping, and I still have my phone pressed to my ear.
I take the bag at the edges, pinching the corners as the steam slowly filters through the narrow slit. I curl my feet under my thighs, settling into a comfortable nest of throw blankets and Buster’s warmth. I’m wearing Andrew’s shirt again. It’s run through a few cycles in the laundry, so his scent has washed off, but it’s still soft and warm whenever I slip it on. For some reason, it still seems to have a small part of him. As if his smile and playfulness has been stitched into the fibers.
“Okay,” I finally say, adjusting the popcorn so it’s out of Buster’s reach. “I’ve got my popcorn. I’m ready to continue.” I hear creaking, some movement like he’s settling in, and a groan that usually comes with a long stretch.
“And I’ve got a cup of coffee and a half-eaten Snickers bar.”
I press play on the TV and sit back with Andrew’s voice pressed to my ear. We share moments of silence, relishing in the fact that we’re enjoying each other’s company withoutreally being in each other’s company. I blurt out questions and comments—or rather, outbursts—of protest as the movie plays out. And when the moment he so covertly brought up happens, I gasp.
“Oh my god.”
“Right?”
“Oh my god,” I repeat, my voice a quiet whisper. “So what happens next?”
“I don’t know,” he tells me, the sound of his voice full of pride. “You have to watch the next one to find out.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Grace
“When did you start building LEGO?”
Jade’s index finger pokes at the hard plastic petals, shifting the bouquet sitting on my kitchen counter with an inquisitive brow turned squiggly and twisted.
“Just recently,” I tell her innocently. “I thought it would be a fun hobby.”
“They look cute.” Avery juts her chubby fist where her mom’s hand is still curiously examining my new hobby when she adds a little oomph to her touch, knocking a petal off one of the roses. “Oh, no, Avery,” Jade warns. “Let’s be gentle with Auntie Gracie’s flowers.”
I hide the concern in my face with a fond smile while wondering whether or not I kept the instructional manual for the LEGO set. Luckily, Jade is able to snap the broken piece back on with expertise. No harm, no foul. But to be safe, I tug the vase closer to tuck it further onto the counter out of reach of probing hands.
I slide the coffee I brewed in my Keurig over to her, scooting the sugar bowl and the Coffee-mate creamer closer to her reach as well. She does the smart thing by handing me Avery whileshe prepares her coffee, making sure Avery’s active fingers don’t hook over the lip and make a mess.
“So, did you get the list of suitors Mom sent you?” Her question is joined by an enticing bounce in her brow with her focus on stirring in just the right number of sugar scoops.
“How do you know about that?”
“She sent them to me too.” She lifts her mug to her lips, taking a loud sip.
“Why?”
“I think she wants me to help vet them,” she answers with a shrug. “Especially after the last one.”
