Lee
Fandom? I appreciate the flattery, but I don’t have a fandom.
Stella
Pick up a romance novel sometime. Nothing is hotter than a single dad. And a single girl dad…
Lee
So you think I’m hot? Maybe you’re projecting and the fandom is you.
She’d be the only fandom I want. I’d spot the looks from some of the mothers at pickup, but I’d give them a polite nod and move on. Stella looking at me that way was something different. Something I’d pay attention to, even if I couldn’t do anything about it.
This was our usual back-and-forth and giving each other a hard time. It was normal, but not. Like everything else between us now.
Stella
I meant that you’re a hot commodity. There’s a difference.
Lee
It still sounds like you think I’m hot.
Stella
Anyway, Diane gave me muffins today. Got me right as I came home.
Lee
The blueberry ones? I’m jealous.
Stella
You should be. They’re amazing. She can spy on me all she wants if she makes these every time. I also met Jimmy. He said I won’t have any trouble here, so I guess you told him about Zach.
Lee
I told him you had trouble with an ex and a few of his friends, so he’d keep a lookout for any strange guys getting close to the house. Nothing more, I promise.
Stella
What did he mean by “come see him at the shop”?
Lee
He owns a flower shop.
Stella
He does not.
Lee
He does. At Christmastime, his firefighter son drives the fire truck around the neighborhood covered in red flowers. Jimmy rides in front with him in a Santa suit.
Stella
Stop it. That is the sweetest thing. I thought shop meant mechanic or something else.
