Page 24 of Tough Love

“I don’t mind, really,” Addy says.

Great, now she’s indifferent to me. I think I liked it better when she gave me attitude. Fuck, I am all over the place. What the hell is going on? My mouth moves before my brain does. ’Bout time I got my shit together.

I drop the tongs on the grill and Reed files in to take over. “Don’t screw this up, Huddo.”

“Mind your own business.”

I walk to where Addy stands waiting and run my hand across the back of my neck. The t-shirt and jeans I’m wearing feelunderdressed next to her flowery yellow dress. But she smiles at me. Lightning flings through my veins a heartbeat later.

“Ah, this way.” I walk to the white gate and hold it open for her.

“Thanks,” she utters.

I head for the table under Ma’s favorite ancient weeping willow, and she’s right beside me.

“Happy birthday, Howard.”

Her mouth gapes a little and then she chews her bottom lip. The last of the blood circulating in my misfiring brain sinks south. Jesus.

“Thanks.”

“Sorry about my family. They think everyone should belong here, whether they want to or not.”

“It’s sweet. You’re lucky to have them.”

Charlie trots between us and ahead toward the tree, leading the way.

“You have lunch out here a lot?” Addy asks.

“Every Sunday. Kind of a tradition now.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

She looks around. The breeze plays with her hair, and I resist the urge to sweep it from her cheek and behind her ear. We reach the table. Shit, I should have brought the cutlery and cloth.

“Oh, we could have brought some things out with us. I didn’t even think of it,” Addy says, but she wanders under the weeping willow tree and peers up into it.

Her face is pure wonder as she takes in the gnarled and twisted branches and the many, many veils of weeping green. She runs a hand through one and huffs a soft laugh. I sit on the end of the table and cross my arms over my chest.

“Howard. How old are you?”

She turns back, surprise lighting up her eyes, her lips tipped in an incredulous smile. But she walks to where I sit and tilts her head. “Why?”

I wasn’t expecting that. Although by now, I really should, since she constantly surprises me.

“I don’t know, was just thinkin’.”

“Did it hurt, Hudson?”

My mouth gapes, and chuckling, I shoot up from the table. “Hey!”

She spins away and prances away from me, giggling. Heat tingles through my core. For all the hard edges of me she gets, she takes everything in stride, evening out my roughness with her sweetness. I sink back onto the table as she goes back to wandering around the tree, running her hand through the green veil of willow that she gets close enough to. I could watch her all damn day long.

The white gate squeaks. Ma is heading our way, arms full. I push off the table and jog over to take the load from her arms. “Thank you, Huddy.”

Her focus lands on Addy, still wandering, looking. Ma smiles and walks back to the house. Reed meets her halfway, his arms loaded with dishes. I make my way back and set down the cloth and cutlery. Addy appears by my side and takes the cloth. I pick up the things from the top as she throws it up and lets it settle over the old, weathered boards. I move around the table, setting five places. Two either side, and one at the head for Pa.

Reed dumps the food down.

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