Page 44 of Lucy
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Mr. Wheeler, you made it with two minutes to spare.” My PO looked at me and grunted. “Breathalyzer.” He shoved the machine in my face and I blew into it then he shoved a cup in my hand. After he tested my piss and read the blood alcohol results he let me go.
Lucy was still passed out in the passenger side of my truck and I laughed thinking of what would happen if she got tested. That machine would blow up. Before I woke her, I took a few minutes to stare at her. We were friends but damn, she was gorgeous. I took a chance and touched her cheek then pulled my hand away.
“Lucy, wake up. Come on, crazy.” I shook her shoulder.
“Chase,” she whined and my throat got tight. She didn’t call me Hush. Even when she was asleep she thought of me as Chase. Maybe she did see me for who I really was. If all we were going to be was friends, then I made a silent vow never to let a friend as special as Lucy go. She was crazy but she was good. Good people are rare.
“Wake up,” I shook her again. She opened those pretty eyes and looked at me in a drunken haze.
“Shit. Did you make it?” She asked, sitting up.
“I made it. I can sneak out later and take you home.”
“You live with your PO?” She asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Nah but he works close enough to see if my truck is still here. Plus I have a tracker on my phone. After he leaves, I leave the phone and do what I want.”
“No, Hush. I’ll stay the night with you and we can leave in the morning. I don’t want you risking anything on my behalf.” Staying the night with Lucy Waters?
“I think I’ll risk it to take you home,” I laughed.
“Don’t. Please. I’ll sleep on your couch. I’ve slept on enough of them.” She let out a burp and looked surprised at herself. “That was a big one. Shit.”
“Is that normally what you say after a burp?”
“Oh, excuse me. Sometimes I forget how to act like a lady and all that other shit.” She hopped out of my truck and stretched, her crop top inching up toward her bra. I tore my eyes away and motioned for her to get back inside.
“Let’s go.” Against my better judgment, I took Lucy home with me. My apartment wasn’t much but I did have two bedrooms. Lucy tossed her bag down and walked around like she was touring the White House or something.
“This is nice, Hush. It’s a lot cleaner than I would have expected.”
“Everyone can’t have an entire collection of Fruit Rollups on the floor like you do with your car,” I joked.
“Fuck you. I love Fruit Rollups and I never know when I’m going to want one. Besides, they go on sale a lot.”
“Probably because you buy them all the time. You’re moving units for those stores.”
“Whatever,” she laughed. “My stomach hurts. I may have overdone it on the liquor.” She flopped on the couch and I sat beside her.
“You want some water? I can make you a piece of toast.”
“Can you rub my stomach?” I looked down at her tiny waist and flat stomach and nerves got the best of me. She was so petite. My hand was bigger than her torso.
“I have a heating pad in the linen closet.”
“Oh my God, just rub my fucking stomach, Hush.” Hesitantly, I reached out and placed my palm on her. She was so compact that my fingers hung over the side of her waist. “Your hand is so warm,” she sighed. It almost sounded like a moan. I didn’t want to hear Lucy moan. It would make my brain foggy and I was busy committing her to memory as a good friend.
I put the TV on and rubbed her stomach while she sighed happily. I could do that. It was okay after a few minutes. We were friends and she was an alcoholic that needed a stomach rub.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” She asked me out of the blue.
“No.” My brows furled together.
“Why not? You’re so sweet. I mean…there’s the whole punching people thing but other than that, you’re sweet.”
“I don’t do girlfriends. I’m not romantic. I don’t talk a lot and I’m private so I don’t do social media posts and all that other bullshit. These women out here wouldn’t want me.”
