Shehmmmed, and I felt the warmth in my chest where my heart used to be, where my blood used to be.
“Go to sleep, love,” I murmured, wanting to see her rest. Wanting to see the lines across her forehead ease, the tightness at her eyes smooth out. I loved it when she slept. It seemed like the only time she wasn’t sad.
She shut her eyes, her hand still stretched out toward me, my palm over hers. From the rhythm of her breathing, I knew she didn’t sleep. Neither did I, but it was good. Good to be there with her.
Until Sunshine called, saying the truck would be up and road ready by the next evening.
Which is why I was leaning on the wall in the garage, watching as Sunshine worked on the underbody of the truck he’d put on the lift, a clean rag hanging out of his back pocket, the short-sleeved, blue shirt with his name over the pocket tucked into a pair of worn, but clean jeans.
Lu was there, too, in the garage where a radio played a mix of rock and country, watching him work. “Jo left early this morning,” she said.
Sunshine ducked out from under the vehicle, his hand still stuck up in the guts of its underbelly. “Did you see her?”
“Yes.”
“Was she…Did it look like she was coming back?”
Lu tipped her head and studied him for a minute. Then every line of her softened, and I groaned.
“He is not adorable,” I said.
“I think that was the plan.” There was humor in Lu’s voice. And fondness.
“They can fall in love on their own, Lu,” I grumbled.
“Did she say anything?” He pulled out the rag, crumpled it in his free hand, then realized he didn’t need it and stuck it back in his pocket again.
“She said she was leaving early so she’d get back in time for lunch with you.”
He dropped the wrench. It gave a harsh ring as it hit the concrete floor.
I shook my head and stared at the sky. “Lost cause. Just can’t let it be, can you, babe?” I crossed my arms, then glanced at Lorde who was lying at my feet, her big fuzzy head resting on her outstretched front paws.
“Tell her to stop trying to get these two perfectly capableadultsto fall in love.”
Lorde wagged her tail, but didn’t look up from her paws, didn’t open her eyes.
Lu glanced over, though, and flashed a small smile. A smile just for me.
“Lunch with me?” he repeated. “She said that?”
“She said in time for lunch. I assumed you’d want to join her.”
“I do. Yeah.” His hand drifted back to the cloth in his pocket, but instead he lifted his empty hand to rub the back of his neck. “You think she…Did she give you any indication that she, um, she might like me?”
The slashes of red across his tanned face were a dead giveaway of just how much he wanted Lu’s answer to be yes.
Lu walked over to him, bent, and picked up the dropped wrench. “I think it’s early, but yes. I think she might like you.”
She held out the wrench, and he grinned, a flash of white teeth and joy, then he reined it in, nodding and nodding. The red still stained his cheeks and washed down the back of his neck. I could sense his heartbeat and it was galloping a mile a minute.
“Easy, Romeo,” I said. “Just because she likes you doesn’t mean she’s staying. In this town?” I snorted.
And just like that, the smile fell off his face and his color went flat. “She’s never going to want to stay here. This town?”
Lu’s eyebrows went up at his sudden change of mood. She turned and glared in my general area.
I shrugged. “Not my fault he heard me.”
