Page 41 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“Hi, guys.” My mom hurried into line behind us. “Oh, Adam, good. You’re still here. I went and picked up that book you mentioned. It looked so good. I started reading it while I was standing there!”
“Ah, Ms. Rhodes, it’s such a good one. I might need to reread it, too, so we can talk about it,” Adam said. I could feel my eyes bug out in utter dismay.
“Do you have Facebook?” I couldn’t believe my mom just asked him that.
“I do,” he said. “I’ll friend you.” He pulled out his phone.
I looked to Olivia for some show of sisterly support, but she had her phone out and said, “Friend me, too, Adam.”
“I’m not even friends with Adam on Facebook,” I said randomly. No one paid me any attention.
My phone buzzed in my purse and I pulled it out to find a request from Adam. I glanced up and caught him grinning at me. He winked.
Finally, it was our turn in line.
The four of us discussed our finds as Penny, the volunteer who also owned the ice cream shop downtown, added each up. We did this every year, all of us commenting with each other, and usually Penny, about which books we’d read before and which ones we couldn’t wait to read.
This time, opinionated Adam was in the mix, too. Penny said at one point, “I’ve never met you before.” After Adam introduced himself, she asked suggestively, “And how do you Rhodes girls know Adam?”
“He’s a colleague,” I said primly, not taking the bait and ignoring Adam’s sideways glance.
Penny raised a brow quizzically.
As we headed back outside, Mom asked, “Who’s hungry for pizza?”
“Pizza sounds perfect,” I said.
Olivia nodded, saying, “Yes, please.”
Adam started to tell us goodbye and excuse himself, and my world started to return to normal. My heartbeat slowed after speeding along rapidly. Until my mom said, “Come have dinner with us, Adam.”
“Oh, I don’t want to impose—” Adam started.
“You’re new in town. It’s no imposition. Plus, I want to hear more about that book club you’re in,” my mom said.
“Well, in that case, pizza sounds fantastic,” Adam said all too eagerly.
My mom, who has no use for Apple Maps or really her phone in general aside from Facebook, said, “Lucy, ride with him and show him how to get to our house.”
“Why can’t I send him a pin?” I squeaked.
Olivia was laughing.
“What’s a pin?” my mom asked. “Lucy, just help the man out.”
Mom and Olivia walked off together, Olivia turning back toward me for a moment with a sheepish grin.
What was happening?My mind had a traffic jam, too many different feelings and thoughts all colliding at one time.
Adam was standing beside me. “I’m parked over here.” He pointed toward the street across the way. “Your mom sure is sweet.”
I nodded wordlessly and followed him to his forest-green Jeep Patriot.
Fifteen
Adam had a little, single daisy on his dashboard. I twisted it in my fingers as we pulled away from the library. He turned down the ALT station he was listening to, giving me a sideways grin.
“So,” I said, leaning back against the seat.
