Page 49 of Breakaway Heart
“I suppose so.”
Randall gave me an odd, satisfied smile.
“What is it?” I threw back at him, annoyed that he’d found something to smile about in the story of my failed marriage.
“It’s just… This is nice. Lucy, since my mom, you’re just about the only person I’ve spent time talking with about anything real. Or even seems interested in talking to me. Not Randy, not The King. But the version of me that isn’t always certain, that gets scared sometimes, that hurts sometimes.”
“Hmm. That’s sort of sweet for you. But it can’t always be about what you want. You get that, right?”
I remembered what Hayden had told me. About how he was different.Was it true?He was looking at me more intensely now.
“Lucy, I’ve got to ask you something.”
“Go on.”
He paused, wondering how to ask.
“I want to fake date you again.”
“Ha! Nice try! I mean after everything...”
But I could tell from the look on his face he wasn’t going to give it up that easily. I also knew that, maybe, I didn’t want him to.
“I know that perhaps I don’t deserve it, but I’m not asking you for anything, except a chance. I’d really like to show you who I am. Maybe evenwhyI am.”
“And how do you plan on doing that?”
“Come meet my family.”
“Ohhh. Hard pass. Thanks for the offer, though.”
“It would help you understand, is all. Also, I could use a date so I don’t look so ridiculously useless and alone.”
“I don’t do so well with parents, Randy. Historically, that is.”
My brain delivered a slideshow of broken memories of deathly dinner silences, broken heirlooms, awkward conversations, unflushable toilets, being woken naked in bed by seemingly innocent mothers with cups of tea…Nope. Definitely not good at that.
“It wouldn’t even be a good date. They’re… Complicated. But, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be there.”
“That’salmostsweet, Randy.”
“What could I do for you in return to make you come?”
“Um… Right now? I’m hungry.”
“Oh. I know a place.”
21
CRAP BURGERS
“This place is kind of dead, Randy,” I told him, while trying to figure out how best to get the enormous burger in my hand into my mouth.
“Sure is. I mean, what were they thinking?”
I raised an eyebrow, unsure exactly what he was making a point about.
“A burger joint, in this area? Rich people don’t eat in burger joints.”
