I kept it because I thought he might come back, and then I guess I just stopped thinking about it, the same way I tried to stop thinking about him.
Drew stands and takes the small silver machine from me. His pink lips are softly parted, and there’s a stunned look on his face. “Oh wow.”
A new tidal wave of memories crashes down. I steel myself, trying to hold it off.
“It’s yours if you want it,” I tell Drew.
I turn to walk away and compose myself, but he grabs my elbow. “Thank you,” he says again, his voice soft. “This is so generous of you.”
I turn back to face him. Drew holds the needle in one hand, and his other still rests on my elbow, connecting us and charging the air.
I’m hard and fighting memories, ghosts of his father and mine.
“It’s nothing,” I tell him. “You’re a good kid. You should have it.”
A second passes. Then he laughs softly. “You keep calling me that, but I’m not a kid.”
I realize how close we are. Drew looks bold for a minute, his light shining even brighter.
Our toes almost touch. My heart is pounding.
“Drew,” I say, and my voice comes out rough and low.
The kid bites softly on his bottom lip. I have no idea what he thinks of me. Probably just that I’m a crusty old man with a bad attitude, and he wouldn’t be wrong. But whether he knows it or not, everything he’s doing feeds my lust.
Tentatively, slowly, he reaches out his hand again. His fingers land on my arm, and it’s not flirtatious. It’s more like he’s trying to comfort me.
I spin and quickly step away, my heart pounding.
The relief of his touch feels too good to handle.
“I’m sorry,” he says, “I didn’t mean—”
“You’re fine,” I cut him off roughly, ruining the moment because it’s the only thing I know how to do. All my muscles are tense, and my pulse spikes. I know I look like a maniac when I’m like this, and I can feel my neck muscles popping, so I just keep my eyes on the ground. “I had a long day.”
“Maybe I should be going.”
I turn back. Disappointment sinks in my gut, but I feel a wave or relief, too. “Sure,” I say. “You got the photos?”
He holds them up. “Right here.” Drew gives me a hopeful look. “Thanks for sharing with me, even though my dad blew you off. I know that’s probably hard.”
“It’s fine,” I rasp. “He blew off everyone he fuh…” I catch myself just in time, but Drew’s eyes get wider. “Everyone he fucking knew,” I grumble.
I don’t know what the hell it is with this kid, but I spill all my secrets around him, and I can tell he doesn’t totally buy my excuse. Drew eyes me, trying to read my face.
I steel myself and don’t let him.
“Call the shop, make your next appointment,” I say with a brusque nod.
“Yeah, sure,” Drew answers. He gives me one more curious look, then nods. “Thanks again,” he tells me and then leaves without another word.
Grace growls.
“I know, girl,” I growl back. “Don’t I fucking know.”
CHAPTEREIGHT
DREW
