Page 27 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“Is it that bad?” Mom walked over and rubbed my back. “You don’t have to work with him, babe.”
“No, no. He actually has this really great vision for the festival. He’s like…” I lifted my head from my hands and looked at her. “He seems to care about what we’re doing as much as me. He’s going to do right by the festival.”
“That’s all good and fine, but if he’s upsetting you—” Mom continued, concerned and caring.
“He’s not, Mom. He brings out the snippy comments, but I think…I don’t know…” I let out a big sigh. “I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
“Snippy comments or flirty comments?” Olivia leaned on her elbows across from me on the kitchen island and batted her eyelashes.
“Olivia. Not helping,” I growled.
Gracie tried to help me out. “I think Lucy just means that it isn’tallbad. Right, Luce?”
“Right. I mean at least he smells like heaven.”Words came before thoughts.I buried my head in my hands again.
“You’re smelling him now…” Mom gasped.
“Oh, here we go,” Olivia murmured to Gracie.
“Let’s go back to our conversation from the other night when we were discussing our almost intervention.” Gracie stood up from the counter, still trying to steer the ship for me. Though, I’m not sure the intervention was a better subject.
“Oh, you guys told her about that?” Mom asked.
“Mom, you were in on the almost intervention?” I sat up with wide eyes.
“Honey, it wasn’t against you. It wasforyou.” Mom gave my shoulder a squeeze.
“But here we are, another summer, and you’re still all about the festival.” Gracie was walking to the cupboard for a glass.
“It’s more than that, though, honey. Another year and everything you’re doing is about someone else,” Mom said tenderly. “Like, I love how much you try to help me by zipping around doing errands for me or trying to help around my house, but I also think about all you could be doing with your timefor you.”
I hadn’t stopped to examine how much of my day was spent running errands for my mom or checking in on my family because it felt like such a natural part of my life. I couldn’t imagine it any other way.
My days were work and family time until this summer. Things have been turned upside down.
“I just want to know—what do you want from this summer, only for you?” Gracie asked before taking a sip of her water.
I didn’t know how to answer the question. Did she mean realistically or did she mean in my dreams as I fell asleep at night? My secret, farfetched hopes or my handwritten to-do list hanging on my fridge?
“I have a few little goals,” I answered feebly. “I want to do something with the extra room. Maybe go on a trip before the school year begins again.”
“I don’t mean goals. I mean, what are some things youwant?” Gracie patted her heart as she said the last word.
“I want some laughter. I want to paint.” I rested my head on my mom’s shoulder. “I might like to start dating,” I confessed. “But I’ll need better prospects than Victor.”
“I’ll set you up next.” Gracie clapped.
“No, I’m setting her up next,” Olivia said. “I already have my eye on someone.”
“I’m not sure what I think about blind dates anymore.” I put my hands up in surrender.
“Okay, can we move this heart-to-heart to the empty bookshelves in my living room? I have some big boxes that I need help emptying, ladies,” Olivia said, tiptoeing toward the living room.
We helped her unpack her hefty collection of literature and academia when we started asking Olivia whatshewanted from the summer.
“Aside from a new house,” Gracie teased as she flipped through a history textbook.
“Aside from endless renovation.” Mom winked.
