Page 4 of Protecting Clove
“I haven’t had chicken cordon bleu in about twenty years,” Andie said.
Clove loved her daughter, but she talked about everything. Here she was, asking these people to dinner, and they weren’t people she intended on seeing ever again. There wasn’t anything wrong with Bud and his friends, she was just busy working two jobs while trying to raise Neo. She didn’t have time for herself, much less friends or entertaining those friends.
“Sweetie, I’m sure they’re busy.”
Neo moved to the couch and stood on the arm so she was almost eye level with Bud. “You have to eat dinner. You should come then you could taste her food. It’s really good.”
Bud dipped his knees just a little so he really was at eye level with Neo. “You’re not afraid to speak your mind. That is powerful. I like you, kid.”
Neo shrugged. “I don’t know you well enough to know if I like you. But you don’t seem bad.”
Bud stood and laughter spilled out. He was being very patient with her daughter, and kind. His smile was sweet, and when he directed it her way, sparks shot through her. She pushed away the warmth growing inside because she didn’t need feelingsfor her neighbor. They shouldn’t spend more time together. It would only cause problems in the end.
Clove moved to Neo and picked her up, moving her away from the couch and the men. “Honey, let’s not pressure them.”
Bud and Rider finished moving the plants, then placed the piano where she wanted it to go. Bud rolled his shoulders, then turned to her. “I don’t want to make you cook for me.”
“You helped me tremendously. I owe you.” Why had she said that? It was just extending the torture of being in his presence and yet trying not to be affected by him.
He shook his head. “No, you really don’t.”
Andie stood and moved between them. “I have an idea. Why don’t you both come to our house for dinner? We have burgers already prepared. It will be casual, and neither of you have to cook.”
“Yes!” Neo cheered. “I love burgers. Do you know how to do potato fries?”
Andie smiled and nodded her head. “I sure do. We can eat burgers and fries in the back yard and laugh.”
Clove wasn’t sure how her daughter had roped someone else into making dinner for them. Neo kept her on her toes. She came up with a lot of things, but this was the first time her daughter had set up a date for her.
“You don’t?—”
Andie turned to her and took her hands. “Please don’t finish that sentence. Please come over for burgers tonight.”
She had no excuse for tonight. Dinner was going to be cereal and an apple, but the offer of burgers was very tempting.
“Okay, we’ll be there.”
Neo’s cheers of happiness had them all smiling. It shouldn’t surprise her that Neo had wormed her way into their lives. She had a way of making people do what she wanted. It was a blessing, and she didn’t acknowledge the potential downsidebecause she always wanted to think positively about her daughter.
3
Bud couldn’t believe he was headed to Rider and Andie’s place to have dinner with his new neighbor, Clove. The woman was absolutely gorgeous, but he didn’t need to get involved. She had her life, and he had his.
He would go to dinner, but he wouldn’t get sucked in. Andie was just being nice. She had such a huge heart and was kind to everyone. A few weeks ago at the Navy ball, she’d ended up next to Admiral Dickinson and somehow made him laugh. It was only weird because when they weren’t in uniform, they called him Admiral Dickhead because he was such a jerk. Then Andie got Dickinson to sing karaoke and drink a toast with them. Before she and Rider left for the evening, Dickinson had given her a hug and told her not to be a stranger. Andie could bring out the best in everyone.
Bud had just turned off his street when he wondered if he should have offered to drive Clove and Neo over. He hadn’t wanted this to seem like a date. Surprisingly, she was already there when he arrived. Andie had invited Kevlar and Remi over, too. Great, now it was two couples and them. This felt way too much like a date.
Neo seemed to already have Kevlar and Remi looped around her fingers. The girl was precocious, smart as a whip, but probably a huge handful for Clove.
“Come here, Bud. Neo was just telling me how to calculate the reserves on a dive.”
Bud moved to them, listening to Neo doing some way advanced math for her age. She had to ask a few questions because she’d never done scuba before, but she had the math right for the question Kevlar asked. It had taken him a week of hard studying to get that question right.
“What grade are you in?” Remi asked.
“I start kindergarten next month. I don’t think I should have to go there. Mommy said she wanted me to play with the other kids, but that’s a waste.”
Bud tapped her on the shoulder. “You could see it as a waste, but it could also be interesting to learn how friendship works.”
