Page 50 of Sunset Tides
Lucy turned to her. “What about me?”
“Are you and Rob official yet?”
She made a face. “Officially what?”
Lillian smiled to herself. Lucy always acted like she was above relationships. She could have a full-blown boyfriend for a year and never once refer to him as such.
For years, Lillian didn’t understand what that was about. Now she knew, though. It was Lucy’s way of trying to head off heartbreak, as though it could be prevented if she just didn’t admit she loved the person.
“You know,” Lillian said. “Officially dating.”
Lucy stood up and walked to the kitchen. “I don’t need this from you.”
“What!” Lillian laughed. “Oh come on, I told you about Mason. It just seems like…”
“What?”
“Like you and Rob get along well. That’s all. He’s cute, too. Don’t act like you haven’t noticed.”
Lucy lowered herself so her face was half obscured behind the fruit bowl on the counter. “I’m not blind.”
“Maybe you can reschedule your horseback ride for something more romantic.”
Lucy stood. “He’s a work friend. A sort of colleague.”
“What? Because he does his work at the farm shop?”
She shrugged. “Yeah.”
Right. Lucy was heavily in denial. For her to make up this colleague line meant that she was too far gone, probably madly in love. “You should ask him out.”
“Why?” Lucy made a face. “I’m not – ”
“Before someone else does,” Lillian added.
A scowl crossed Lucy’s face and she stared, chewing the inside of her cheek.
If there was anything Lucy couldn’t resist, it was competition. The thought of some other chick asking out the guy she refused to admit she liked?
Infuriating.
Lillian tried not to smile. She wasn’t trying to be annoying, but a little taunting went a long way with Lucy.
Lucy’s face moved from a scowl to a blank stare, and just when it looked like Lucy was about to answer, the sound of Lillian’s cell phone rang out.
“Hold that thought.” She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to keep arguing with Mason, but she wasn’t going to ignore him either. She pulled the phone out of her pocket. “Oh. It’s Mom.”
Lucy leaned over. “Oh no. Do you think she’s okay?”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Lillian said evenly.
Lucy still hadn’t gotten over the last hospital scare. It was best to keep her from obsessing.
Before Lillian could think of how to gracefully leave the area, Lucy reached over and tapped on the screen, answering the call and turning on speaker phone.
Lillian let out a sigh. “Hey Mom.”
“Hi honey. How are you?”
