Page 41 of Lucky
“Then maybe don’t overthink it.The good ones don’t come around every week.”
He ruffles my hair like I’m still ten.I swat him away but keep smiling.
“But I’ll kill him if he hurts you,” he adds.
“Yeah, yeah,” I drawl.“You know where to hide a body.”
Caleb tweaks his daughter’s nose.“You ready to go, kiddo?You’ve got school tomorrow and I want you to practice your math facts.”
Sadie pouts and burrows in closer to me.“I don’t want to.I’m going to stay with Aunt Winnie and Buttermilk.”
I give her a sympathetic squeeze.“Sorry, bug.The world needs your brilliance.”
Caleb grins.“Come on, now.Remember what Grandpa always says—”
Sadie groans as we recite it together: “‘Education is the passport to the future.’”
She huffs and scurries off the porch swing.“Fine.But I’m not doing multiplication unless there’s a cookie involved.”
“I think we can manage that,” Caleb says, taking her hand.He bends down, kisses my cheek.“See you next week.”
After Caleb goes back inside, I sit on the porch for a while longer, watching the late-afternoon sun stretch over the winter-browned grass.Buttermilk is reclined beside the steps like he’s just finished a marathon nobody asked him to run.
Smiling, I shift to reach for my phone, heart tapping an unsure rhythm.I could wait for Lucky to reach out again.
He probably will.He always does.
But I don’t want to wait.
I want to let him know that I’m as interested in seeing him again as he is me.I want to feel that spark again.The one I keep pretending doesn’t mean anything because it scares the crap out of me.
The one that was decidedly missing last night with Nate.
I open our text thread and type:I know you’re probably getting ready for your game so no need to respond.I was thinking… what if I took the lead on date number three?
I hesitate before I send it because this level of forward action and initiation is unusual for me.My old-fashioned principles always seem to wait for the guy to make the arrangements.
But what the hell!
I hit send and set my phone down.He probably won’t see that until after the game tonight, which will be super late my time since he’s on the other side of the country.
To my surprise, my text chimes almost immediately and I scramble to grab it.
It’s him.That depends.Are you asking me out, Ms.Shaw?
I bite my lip, smiling as I reply,I am.When are you free?
The three little dots blink.Then:Tomorrow night.We’re flying a red-eye back.
I start to tap on my screen, but I see the little dots blinking again, indicating he’s got more to say, so I wait.
But I’ll only agree to this third date if there’s a kiss at the end.I’m starting to feel like I’m in a very flirty hostage negotiation.
My heart does a whole cartwheel.I stare at the screen for a second, then type back:That’s a bold assumption.
His reply is an emoji.The purple devil one.It’s a bold request.But I like my odds.
I shake my head, cheeks flushed.Bold indeed.
