Page 43 of Huge Dynamite
A little thrill of energy shoots up my spine, and I break out into a smile. As an orange and white cat darts across the sidewalk just before me, I decide there isn’t anywhere that could be more perfect.
“I said, ‘hey, baby.’”
“Oh!” Stopping short, I catch myself before I bump into a man who just popped out of a building and is now standing before me. Shit. I really hope he’s not about to ruin this. Taking a deep breath, I glance down at his hands to make sure he’s not carrying a weapon—because if he is, the can of mace I’m carrying in my oversized bag won’t do a damned thing. There’s no weapon. Whew. Relaxing, I shake my head. There I am, judging someone—and what’s worse, judging them on their appearance and location. Just like Robert and, I guess, Seth would do.
Not me. I’m giving this man a chance. Besides, I was told this area was “emerging”, and it’s a family neighborhood. There are no gangs, and the crime rate is low. I run my gaze up and down the man who’s still blocking my way, and I notice he’s wearing jeans, no-name sneakers, and a clean white tank top. He’s just a kid. Looking back up into his eyes, I smile and adjust my bag strap. “Hello,” I answer.
“You lost?” He nods to me. “Fine lady like you out here. Don’t make sense.”
“No, actually.” Standing up taller, I take a deep breath. “I’m going to look at a building.”
“Why?”
“Because I might buy it.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m thinking about—” I catch myself. Breathing deeply, I remind myself of my yoga teacher’s mantra:Positive thoughts yield positive results.
Just then, an azure bluebird flies by and lands on the top of a bus stop sign. Looking at the kiosk next to the stop, I notice it’s clean and there’s no graffiti scrawled on it, but there is a homeless woman sitting on the bench inside.
Looking down, I exhale deeply. “No. I’m not thinking about it. I’m buying that building over there.” Nodding toward the end of the street, I point at a run-down building next to a chain-link fence. Honestly, it’s the ugliest building in this quaint neighborhood, and it could use some TLC. In my gut, I know that building is meant to be mine.
“What’d you buying dat for?” He tilts his chin higher to look me in the eye.
“I’m opening a clinic. For anyone who needs it.”
“Here? In effing Greenville?”
“Yes.” Smiling, I nod. “In effing Greenville.”
“What, you like a doctor or something?”
“Yes, I am. Not like one, I am. A surgeon and an ER doctor.”
“Damn. Well, welcome, doc. You need anything, Julius is your man.” He bangs his chest and then puts out his hand.
Suppressing a chuckle, I smile. “Thank you, Julius.”
“See you around, doc.” He disappears as fast as he popped up, and the catcalls disappear with him.
Doc. When Julius calls me doc, it reminds me of Nick and the Steel Knights and, of course, my mind floods with thoughts of Seth. How he clamped his strong hands on my waist, how when we kissed, his mouth opened mine as he pulled me closer and held me in his strong arms—
Crap. I have been trying to push him from my mind, but it’s not working.Everythingseems to remind me of Seth. Damn it. Why did it have to end like it did? Taking a deep breath, I look up at the sky. The view is only partially blocked by power lines, but the sky is a bright blue—the same color as that bluebird’s wings. It’s a gorgeous day. I just wish Seth were here to enjoy it with me.
Breathing deeply, I push away my sadness. No way. I will not let my life’s dream be affected by a fight with a man I barely know. No matter how much he rocked my world.
A car drives by and pulls up alongside my building. My heart races and my palms begin to sweat—is someone else looking at my building? There’s no way. Clutching my bag tight to my chest, I begin moving faster down the sidewalk, dodging a man walking three dogs and a woman who’s hand-in-hand with her daughter. With my eyes glued to my building, I watch as a woman with curly hair gets out of the car. She clamps her hands onto her hips and looks up at the building.
Shit.
“Excuse me!” Passing by a man walking his dog, I run faster. The smell of freshly-baked bread fills my nose and burns my lungs as sweat trickles down my spine. Moving quickly, I come up on the chain-link fence. There’s no way I’m going to lose this building to some gentrifying—
“Holly?”
The woman turns and smiles as I approach.
“Yes?”
