Chapter 19
CRUTCH
She’s studying the bakery case like the answer to world peace lies in the red velvet on display.
“Lulu, they have food here. Do you want something to eat? I’m hungry.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll take the soup and sandwich combo. Tomato soup and chicken salad sandwich.” She quickly goes back to ignoring me, asking the bakery attendant a question about the icing on the chocolate cake.
I head over to the register and pick up a menu, browsing to see what I want. A college-age girl walks from the back to stand behind the register. “What can I get for you today, sir?” Her posture and attitude completely change when she looks up from the machine and sees me standing there.
Uh-oh. I know that look.
Her smile flashes, showing her white teeth, and she immediately stands tall, pulling the kitchen apron lower on her body, exposing the small amount of cleavage poking out from her V-neck T-shirt. “We have a special on the potato soup bowl today. Tell me, have you been here before?”
She’s really pretty. Normally, the kind of girl I’d be fucking in my truck a few hours from now.
I rub my hand over my jaw. The stubble scratches my fingers. I need to remember to shave tomorrow. “No, this is my first time.”
And of course, it’s just my luck, I had to use a sexual innuendo.
She giggles. Lowering her voice an octave, she says, “Well, we need to make this first visit extra special so you’ll have a reason to come back and try other things on the menu.”
Of course, Lulu walks up right when the girl is saying this. In no time flat, Lulu’s eyes roll back in her head. Each time this happens, her eye roll gets more dramatic. One day her head might actually fall off.
“Did you pick something out?” I ask her.
Swallowing her pride, she politely looks at the cashier. “We’d like the chocolate cake on the second shelf, please. The chocolate and vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.”
I add to the order. “And we’ll take two orders of the soup and sandwich combo. Both with tomato soup and a chicken salad sandwich.”
She looks into my eyes. “For here?”
I nod and she quickly gives us the total. I reach into my back pocket to grab my wallet as Lulu starts to dig through her purse. “Here, let me get this. It was my idea to get a cake for Harlan.”
I firmly put my hands on hers, stopping her movement. “Lulu.” My warning gives no room for debate. Sure, the total made my heart stop for a second, but I’ve still got some nuts attached to my body. No way I’m letting her pay for this.
Taking the cake box with us, we head over to a two-person table. I fix us each a drink while she grabs the napkins and utensils. Sitting down, Lulu opens her mouth to start a conversation, when we are suddenly interrupted by a loud, nasally voice.
“Ella, darling. It’s been so long since I’ve seen that gorgeous face of yours. I nearly forgot what it looked like.”
Lulu immediately stands, stiffening her back, squaring her shoulders. Trying to be the gentleman, I stand as well.
“Mrs. Plott. It’s nice to see you too. Pleasant weather, isn’t it? Hard to believe tomorrow will be thirty degrees cooler.”
Weather. Why do rich people wanna talk about weather?
“Yes, I know. What can you do? The woes of living in the South.”
Lulu softly chuckles.
The lady’s gaze travels over to me. A total cougar, her eyes dilate in appreciation. Fondling the pearls on her neck, she looks back at Lulu. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Of course, how rude of me. Mrs. Plott, this is Ryland Crutchfield.” Lulu stares into my eyes. Taking a deep breath, she turns back to the woman. “Ryland is my boyfriend.”
Her what?
The woman’s mouth gapes open in shock.
“Ryland, this is Mrs. Noreen Plott. Her son, Hudson, and I are classmates.”
“Oh dear, you’re more than that. You two have been friends since you were in preschool.” She reaches across the table, and I shake her hand.
She’s one of those women who doesn’t really shake your hand, though. She simply holds her hand on top of mine, like she’s the queen waiting for me to kiss her knuckles.
“Hudson didn’t mention you had a boyfriend. Neither has your mother. I just left her at the country club.”
Lulu nods. “Yes, ma’am. You know me. Quiet as a mouse about some things.”
Ella may be. But My Lulu is louder than a tomcat in heat.
And growing louder every day. Finding more of her voice. Becoming more of who she really is.
The rich girl people say is a bitch is really just a feisty, spunky woman trying to break free of the cage she’s been trapped in.
“Well, I’d better head out. I just came in to buy some of those gluten-free, high-protein muffins that Hudson likes so much. I’m sure you’ve noticed how much he has been working out lately.”
“I suppose so.” She leaves it at that as they say goodbye, and she walks away, leaving a trail of overwhelming perfume burning the insides of my nostrils. We both sit back down, and I lean back in my chair, spreading my legs wide in front of me. Lulu takes a large gulp of her drink.
“Boyfriend, huh?”
She looks down at her hands, fidgeting. And then she remembers who she is and she stares deeply into my eyes with her head held high.
“Well, Ry, it’s been a month. We’ve been seeing each other nearly every single day since we met. I feel that is the most logical title.”
I tilt my head, watching her. “Go ahead and ask me. I know you want to.”
“What?”
“Don’t beat around the bush, Lulu. I like you when you get to the point.”
I’m an asshole. This is something the guy should do. Not the girl.
She licks her lips and clears her throat. One hand reaches around to the back of her neck, fingering her scar. “Ry, do you wanna be my boyfriend?”
Right then, the pretty cashier delivers our food to the table. People have a real knack for interrupting us at pivotal moments.
She’s removed the black kitchen apron and applied fresh lipstick. Crossing her legs over one another as she stands there, propping her hand on the back of my chair, she says, “I had the chef do a full chicken salad sandwich instead of just a half. Like I said, we have to make this first visit special.”
Lulu’s eye roll drives me completely over the edge. I was already teetering, about to fall. About to fall so hard I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get back up. Ever be able to walk again.
And that head swivel and eye roll is what do me in.
Pushing back from the table, I stand. Grabbing Lulu, I pull her from her seat and swing her into my arms. And in the middle of the bakery on the rich side of town, I kiss her.
Holy shit, do I ever kiss her.
And I know it’s way better than that chocolate cake she just ordered.