However, he couldn’t be less humble if he tried. In fact, when someone isn’t speaking to him, he searches for someone to.
It’s…ridiculous, to say the least.
We’ve been nonstop spoken to from the moment we hit the door, and his charm that he throws on everyone puts me on edge a little. It comes so easily for him that I can’t constitute anything he says to me as true or valid.
“Are you thirsty?” Thaddeus asks as he strolls with me on his arm to a long table with beverages and a punch bowl, where a few groups of people are conversing.
More people.
“Yes,” I lie because I want to see if he gets me a drink first or gets caught up in another conversation. “I’m parched.”
“Lemonade or—Mr. Parkins, I got your note the other day about a neighbor painting their home the wrong shade of white.”Oh my God.“I think we should schedule a time to meet up to go over it.”
I don’t bother honing in on Mr. Parkins or his response. I just stand still, thinking about how I’m going to call off dating to begin with.
“He’s going to lose hismind,” I hear a woman suddenly whisper loud enough for me to hear. “He liked that girl.”
Focusing on the whereabouts of the voice, I find two middle-aged women cuddled together conspiratorially, both sipping on red punch and staring at something behind me.
Maebelle and Agnes.
I should’ve known.
“He was no good for her anyway,” Agnes replies loud enough for me to hear and anyone else not in another conversation. “That was years ago.”
“You know how he gets. He’s a man-child.”
Mindlessly, I smirk, immediately getting caught by Agnes and Maebelle’s stare. I swear, I would’ve hated to be their kid. You couldn’t get away with anything.
“Ask sweet Sienna over there,” Agnes says with a nod in my direction. “She teaches his kid.”
I frown as Maebelle shrugs. “A kid raising a kid. Except Luca has always shown up for his.”
We’re talking about Micah.
“He’s going to lose his mind. He liked that girl.”
“He was no good for her anyway. That was years ago.”
What girl from years ago?
Heath’s mother?
“HowisHeath?” Agnes asks me from the other side of the beverage table, appearing concerned. “Is he doing okay?”
I guess it depends on your definition of okay.
“He’s…good,” I finally reply. “He’s a smart kid.”
“Good,” Maebelle says with a bit of sighed relief. “His mama doesn’t need to be in his life.”
“Not at all,” Agnes tacks on. “She’s trying to get custody, and Micah has been fightin’ tooth and nail to stop that from happening.”
“Has a big city slicker boyfriend, I hear.”
“Corrupt.”
“Sells cars but lives in a two-million-dollar home?”
