Chapter 33
By the time she pushedopen the front door, Lydia dragged her feet into the house, ready to collapse.Two double shifts in a row at the diner to cover for Madison, who came down with a cold, had wrung her out completely.Her feet throbbed.Her back ached.Her brain was wrapped in a haze, as if cushioned in cotton.
But the house smelled like heaven.
Garlic.Butter.Tomatoes simmering.
Her stomach growled loud enough to echo.
Baddy stood at the stove, stirring a pot of sauce.A tray of garlic bread sat on the cutting board, the edges a golden brown.
He glanced over his shoulder, ogling her from head to feet."Come here, sweetheart."
She limped awkwardly toward him, leaning against his chest and letting him take most of her weight."You feel good."
He tilted her face and kissed her."Rough day?"
"Uneventful," she said, moving back and dropping onto the barstool like gravity had doubled."But super long."
He nodded toward the counter."Sit.Rest.Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes."
She lifted her head."Anything I can do to help?"
"Nope."He pointed the wooden spoon at her."You're done for the day.I got you."
She didn't argue.Didn't have the energy to.Just watching him move around the kitchen with confidence and ease helped ease her after the day's stress.
"Please tell me that's spaghetti?"She propped her chin on her hand.
"It is."He winked."Hungry?"
"Starved."She sighed."I fell asleep during my lunch break, even though I was starving."
"Is Madison feeling better?"
"I think so."She yawned."Patty mentioned that she'd be back for tomorrow's shift."
For several minutes, the only sounds were the bubbling sauce and the softclinkof utensils.She stifled another yawn, letting her body relax.
Then the question she'd been avoiding all day slipped out.
"Is my mom still at the clubhouse?"
Baddy shoulders tightened before he turned off the burner."Yeah.She's there."
All week, she'd purposely stopped herself from asking about her mom.But as hard as she tried to put everything out of her mind, her thoughts continually went back to her mom.
Lydia swallowed."Is she planning on staying at the clubhouse?"
