What was I thinking when I invited Lily to come with me to the hardware store? The invitation was out before I’d thought it through, which wasn’t like me at all. I’ve got too many responsibilities in my life to go off-script.
It was this, more than an abiding love of country music, that had me singing along to the radio. There was something about the woman that had my words coming out all wrong. She has me saying things I don’t mean to, like that crack about her wanting me to keep to my boxers.
And for once in a long time, I want to make a good impression. I want to compare favorably with her ex. A man who Alice had nothing good to say about, although she was staying tight-lipped about what led to Lily’s divorce.
Despite allowing me to open my truck door for her when we left her place, she’s quick to exit the vehicle on her own at the hardware store. Likewise, she keeps some distance between us as we walk across the crowded parking lot towards the front of the large store.
Conscious of not wanting to wander around the store like a married couple, as soon as we’re through the automatic doors, I turn to her.
“I’ll be out in the lumberyard.” I wave my arm wildly in that direction, coming close to taking out a staff member in a bright green apron. “Oooh, sorry. Didn’t see you there.”
My arms safely back down by my sides, I briefly shake my head to center my thoughts. “I can catch up with you in the kitchen/bathroom section once I’ve finished.”
When she doesn’t immediately move, I point her in the right direction. I’ve not taken more than half-a-dozen steps on my way to the lumberyard when I think of something. This has me retracing my steps and hurrying after her because the girl can move.
And I don’t just mean how fast she’s walking, with the sway of her hips mesmerizing. Thanks to this, my, “Lily!” when I call out to slow her, has a strangled quality to it. Fortunately, it’s loud enough to cut through the background noise, with her stopping and turning to face me.
On joining her, I’ve already got my phone out. “There are some price ranges you should work with. Last thing you want is to get in so deep you end up losing money on the joint.”
She nods slowly before she speaks. “I guess that makes sense.” She then looks at my phone. “You can email them to me, if you like.”
“Oh, yeah, okay.” With nothing else to delay me, I do just that and am soon headed back the way I’d come. Well, that didn’t go how I’d expected. Or was that hoped? Because now that I think back on it, part of me had wanted to join her as she looked around.
“Damn it, man. You’ve got work to do. How about you get on and do that?” As loudly as I’ve said this to myself, a guy browsing the power tools straightens as though caught doing something he shouldn’t.
Rather than explain that I’m slowly losing my mind thanks to a tempting brunette, I pretend I had said nothing and speed off. I’ve got lumber and other supplies to redirect to Lily’s place so we can start work on Monday.
Because I’d planned everything out the night before when putting the costs together, I’m able to rush through everything. There are a few extras we’ll need to order in, but nothing that will hold us up.
I then make quick work of walking the length of the store, soon spotting Lily in the middle of a large display of bathroom ware. She’s next to a free-standing soaking tub I know will blow the budget.
It’s not until I’m next to her I spot that, rather than be looking at the tub, she’s looking longingly at what’s sitting in the bottom.
She glances at me before returning to gaze at the small boy sitting in the empty tub. “His mom put him in there while she looks at tiles. I said I’d watch out for him.”
There’s something about the way her voice catches on this simple statement that has me looking more closely at her. However, there’s nothing to show on her face as she looks across the open space to the woman dithering over tiles.
A brief look in the same direction and I know why the boy in the tub had looked familiar.
“Have you looked at anything yourself?” I hunker down next to the tub before carrying on. “I can keep an eye on this little pirate, if you like?”
Now I’ve got her attention.
“Oh, I’m not sure that’d be right. I said I’d look after him. I…”
“It’s okay, Lily. Just let Gemma know Tyler is looking after Coby. She’ll be fine with it.” As if to reinforce my ability to look after the little boy, I grab the plastic sword he’s abandoned in the tub next to a cardboard pirate hat.
Using my best pirate voice, I declare, “Go away with you, landlubber. Get you to yon display and select some tap ware.” I follow this up by swatting Lily’s ass with the flat of the blade.
By now, the small boy is laughing uproariously and doing his best to grab the sword off me. It’s enough to have his mom looking in our direction, even though she’s busy adjusting the sling that holds Coby’s little brother tight against her back. On recognizing me, she returns my jaunty salute with one of her own.
“See, it’s okay. Off you go. Check out what you think would work with the vintage look in the kitchen. We can then use the same theme in the bathrooms.”
With the way she leaves my side, you’d think I’d asked her to walk the plank. Eventually, though, she wanders off, glancing back over her shoulder until she turns the corner and disappears into the next aisle.
As suddenly as she’s gone, she’s back again, walking in the other direction and down the aisle she’s actually after. “That woman needs a treasure map, because she’s lost for sure.”
Just how lost I’ve yet to find out.
