Blythe: Shut up!
Justin: Don’t worry. I’m taking you back to my place.
Blythe: Do you have a basement? Still sounds suspicious.
She spent the day doing her usuals with Addie and Evie. They were on a roll after only a couple of weeks, and the house was getting more spick and span every day. Four o’clock rolled around a little too quickly, and she still hadn’t decided what to wear.
“I like this top…” Evie said, popping her head out of the closet.
“Your mom always said green was my color. Matches my eyes, she used to tell me.”
“Wear it, please!” Evie insisted.
“What jeans should I wear with it?” Blythe opened the dresser drawer and started pawing through her pants.
“How about these?” She held up a pair of light wash Levi’s, the same pair she was wearing the day she met Justin. They were her favorite, after all.
“Perfect!” Addie said from the closet doorway.
“Boots or sneakers?” Blythe pointed to the row of shoes on the floor. Both little girls looked at their options.
“Boots!” they both said in unison.
“I think you’re right. This outfit is perfect. Thank you for helping me.” She reached out and hugged her little helpers.
“Are you going to marry him?” Adelaide asked sincerely.
“Oh, my goodness, no! We barely know each other. This is just a date.”
“I think you should. Then you can move out here, and you won’t have to leave at the end of the summer.”
“You know what?” Blythe looked at each girl lovingly. “I don’t know that I am leaving here at the end of the summer. I’ve been thinking about it, and I have no one and no home to go back to.Whether I keep seeing Justin or not, I’m thinking about sticking around here for a while.”
Addie and Evie threw their arms around her in a hug that let her know they were relieved and excited. She hurried the girls out of her room and down the stairs with her, hoping her date hadn’t decided to show up early.
She heard a high pitched whistle and looked up as she landed on the bottom step. Justin’s shoulder was propped on the wall just inside the opening that led into the kitchen. He was looking her up and down. She thought she saw his tongue peek out, then the corner of his mouth lifted.
“My, my, sugar pie…”
“Shut up…” Blythe couldn’t help the sheepish smile that plastered itself on her lips as he moved to greet her half way. When they walked into the kitchen, she could see Chris with his arms folded, butt up against the counter.
“Hi.” Blythe smiled and tucked her hands into her front pockets.
Chris smirked and pushed off the granite slab. “I knew this was a good idea.” He pointed a finger at them both as his smile grew to a full grin.
Blythe rolled her eyes.
“I’ll have her back before midnight, you have my word.” Justin looked at Chris and nodded.
“Excuse me, I am a grown woman, and I do not have a curfew. I can stay out as late as I want, thank you very much.”
They all laughed, and the girls waved them off.
Justin reached down, and she felt his fingers thread through hers. He led her to the passenger side of his two-door Chevy truck. He opened it for her, and she stepped up inside. The seat was carpeted, and the air smelled like leather with a hint of grease…but somehow she found it delicious—in a weird, masculine sort of way. Blythe watched him round the hood andjump up behind the wheel. As he pulled the door shut, she blurted out, “I didn’t know you liked old cars.”
“Sugar, this is a pickup truck.”
“You know what I mean…” She rolled her eyes. “What year is it?”
