Page 84 of Lucy Loves Him Not
He looked stricken. I put up a hand. “Don’t answer that. You’re too exhausted. I’m just impatient.”
His shoulders relaxed. “I am fried.”
I snuck my hands around his waist and we held each other for a bit. I could feel his body relax into the embrace. Meanwhile, my chest was twisting into knots.
People were starting to say their goodbyes and gather their things. It was getting late. Adam whispered into my ear, “Thank you for coming, my Lovely Lucy. You didn’t have to.”
“You had told me to stay with my people.” I rested my chin on his chest. “And now you’re my people.”
He placed his hands around my jawline, running his thumb up to my ear. “No one anywhere has ever felt like home to me. Like family. But you. Like right here,” he slid his hands down to my chest, over my heart, “is where I can finally belong.”
I wanted to say,then don’t leave, stay home here with me. But Adam had been such a supportive presence in my life, cheering on my art and my work, I wanted to be that for him, too. Adam deserved to be championed and cheered. I would let him make his decision without adding any confusion or complication.
Thirty
Festival Repair Team
Happy Fourth, guys! We’re expected to get a few breaks in the rain today while we’re working. Let’s meet downtown at 8:00 a.m. Thanks again for your help!!
The storm was off and on like a toddler playing with a light switch. All of us working downtown got used to the rain on our clothes and in our hair. The sky was still gray and angry.
I started working downtown long before Adam, who was trying to get some office work done with a mile-long list of phone calls to return. Victor showed up as my co-captain until early afternoon when Adam was finally able to make it. He was in relaxed jeans, a worn tee shirt, and a Rangers ball cap. He caught me taking him in, a pleased half-grin creeping up his face.
“How’s it been?” He walked straight to me. My butterflies fluttered awake.
“Great. I’m glad we made our game plan yesterday. It’s helped everything go smoothly,” I said.
“How’s it been with the pouring rain?” he asked, looking up at the currently dry sky.
“Nothing can slow us down.” I flexed teasingly. He grabbed my arms and pulled me to him, nose to nose. My body wanted to melt into his, but now, my defensive brain knewhe might leave.
Adam was grinning down at me like golden sunshine on this rainy day, but the butterflies in my gut reminded me.But he might stay.
“Where do you need me most, Lovely Lucy?” he asked. I wanted to yell,here with me. Instead, I settled for having him work beside me the rest of the day.
“Guess what?” Adam asked. We had been cleaning the storm aftermath. Our big trash bags dropped to the ground for a moment while we took a much-needed water break. “Last night after everyone left, Dylan called me.”
“Adam.” I felt myself light up at the news, eagerly grabbing his forearms. I knew how much it meant to him to have his brother reach out. “How’d the call go?”
“He was checking up on me after the tornado. He’d heard about it on the news. I didn’t even know our family checked up on each other.”
“Maybe you guys do now?”
“We wound up talking for a while. He thought the peanut butter shake message was funny. He’s been reading some Gaiman, so I was recommending some short stories.”
“I always like an Adam Approved read.”
“He even told me he’s thinking of proposing to his girlfriend.” He took a swig of his water.
“Did you give him some brotherly advice?”
“Ha, I’m no one to be giving relationship advice.” Adam wiped his mouth. “I mean, I had to write up a contract to get the girl I like to spend time with me.”
“So what, if you have to pay me to hang out with you?” I gave a playful shrug.
“Yeah, yeah, that’s why you climbed into my lap the other night,” he said, his voice dropping low. Goosebumps everywhere. Then he added more tenderly, “Why you’re more excited than I am that my brother gave me a call.”
I swallowed.I want to write up a contract that keeps him in Sweet River for the foreseeable future.
