Page 36 of The Scars We Heal

“I love my daughter, don’t get me wrong. She’s my entire world.” A sigh escaped my lips. “Sometimes, though, I feel like I exist solely for her.”

“Maybe this bucket list will be a good thing, then.” Bec offered me a smile, and I returned it. “Here’s the restaurant I was talking about.”

She stopped in front of a cozy looking café with big windows and a welcoming front patio. Conversation buzzed in the air, but the café itself wasn’t too busy, so we were seated immediately.

Our server brought us some water then left us alone to peruse the menu.

“Okay, so one of your bucket list items is to try new hobbies. What else?”

“Have a yes day for myself, take a solo trip, say no to something I don’t want to do,” I rattled off a few list items, and Bec nodded and hummed her approval with each one.

“Those are good. This neighbor”—she shot me a devilish grin, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth—“is he cute?”

“W-why would that be important?” I stumbled over my words.

She laughed in response, the sound bright and teasing, not malicious. “I mean, he’s putting in all this effort to make you a bucket list. That has to mean something. I doubt a guy would do that just for the fun of it. Most men are too lazy.”

A rapid thrum, thrum, thrum, pounded in my chest as I spun the rings on my fingers. “I-I guess so. I don’t know, I assumed he was just trying to be nice? He’s also my landlord?” It wasn’t a question, but the statement came out that way regardless.

Bec was in the midst of taking a drink, but she stopped her glass halfway between the table and her mouth. “Hold on, repeat that.”

“He’s just trying to be nice.”

“No, the other thing! He’s your landlord?”

I swallowed, my throat suddenly drier than the Sahara Desert. “D-did I say that?”

“Yup. Now explain.” When I didn’t say anything, she backtracked. “Okay, fair. We hardly know each other, so if you don’t want to elaborate, you definitely don’t have to. I got a little too excited there.”

“N-no, it’s okay. He’s letting me stay in his guest house until I can find a more permanent place to live.”

“That’s nice of him. What’s your rent like?”

Rolling my lips between my teeth, I averted my eyes.

“Don’t tell me he’s letting you live there rent free! Girl, this man is way more than just being nice to you. Okay, wait, tell me more about him.”

“I’m not sure what there is to say.” I laughed a bit awkwardly. Other than the fact he was my younger brother’s friend and he made me feel more like myself than anyone else in the world did. He saw me in a way I’d searched for maybe my whole life.

“You’re literally blushing!” At this point, Bec had placed both of her hands on the table and was leaning forward. As though she became hyperaware of herself, she relaxed. “I’m sorry. This is probably so weird, and I haven’t even told you anything about myself. Ask me anything.”

Still twisting my ring on my pointer finger, I asked, “What’s your kid’s name?”

“Noah. He’s five. His dad took him for the day, thank goodness. They’re a handful at this age. Just last week, he took a Sharpie to our walls. In his defense, he was drawing himself with Mommy and Daddy, so it was adorable, but I still haven’t been able to get it off. I’ve tried everything.”

I blew out a raspberry. “Luckily, that hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’m just mentally preparing myself for the day it does. Whitley, my daughter, is in a phase where she gets into everything. I swear, sometimes, if I leave her alone for five minutes she’ll be playing with something she’s not supposed to have.”

She chuckled, nodding in understanding. “That’s the life of a four-year-old for you.”

“What does your husband do for work?”

“Oh, Noah’s dad? We’re not married. Or together, really.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed,” I apologized, but she waved me off to continue.

“It’s okay. We met when we were young and dumb. One night led to another, and then Noah happened. A happy accident, as they say. I don’t know if either of us were really ready for a kid, but he stayed around and took responsibility. At least he does when he can, because he’s a power lineman. Most of the time he’s working during the day or traveling, so I have Noah about eighty percent of the time. I got lucky, though. He’s off for the next few days.”

Sounds familiar.