Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Luke
I can't stop thinking about the night I spent with Deanna. It's been four days since I walk-of-shamed out of her house as Malcolm slinked into his room to change for an early morning at school. It's been years since I had to leave under the cover of night, and I didn't expect to do it in the sunshine as an adult.
"I didn't think he was supposed to be here," I whisper-shout to her as I'm bending, shoving my feet through my pants.
"He wasn't," she whisper-shouts back.
"Mom, I forgot my basketball shoes for practice this afternoon, and the jeans I wanted to wear today. How's it going?" he yells as he comes through the house.
This is just like him , she mouths. "You're gonna wake Addison up. Be quieter."
The knob jiggles as he tries it. We look at each other, eyes wide.
"Are you okay, Mom?" His voice is deeper, taking on a tone that screams he's the man of the house. "Is there something going on? There was an unusual truck parked in your driveway. It wasn't a police one, but did something happen with Kyle?"
I raise my eyebrows at her, the way he calls his dad Kyle.
She shakes her head. "No, nothing happened. I just needed some quiet time last night, and I've started a new exercise routine. I didn't want anyone to come in and see me, so the door is locked. I'm fixing to hop in the shower."
"Okay, I trust you. I'll see you after school? Love you, Mom."
His bedroom door closes as I assume he's changing his clothes and grabbing what he needed. She shoos me out with her hand sweeping toward the door. I'm running, my heart pounding as I grab everything I need. Our eyes meet as my fingers turn the lock. In the space of a few seconds, we have a complete conversation with no words.
I don't have enough time to do what I want. Instead, I blow her a kiss and slink out of the apartment, down to where my SUV is parked.
Present
"Hey," I greet Cam as he walks toward me, wearing paint-splattered clothes and a hat. I'm dressed much the same way. "When I spoke with the new owner, she said she just needed help painting and moving some of the furniture."
We're doing community outreach and helping a new business owner with repurposing one of the buildings downtown that used to be a bar. It was shut down over two years ago because apparently they were selling drugs out the back door.
"What is she making of this place?" he asks as we head across the greenway surrounding our downtown square.
"Last I heard, and from what I can make of it, it's a luxury florist. I saw pictures, and it looks like one of those places out of Lexington. She's going to do well here." We stop at a crosswalk and wait for the light to change.
"What's her name? I don't wanna sound stupid as hell when we get there."
"Maggie. She's from Bowling Green. I'm not sure why she moved up here, but the plans look awesome for this place. It's definitely something that Bellehaven has been missing."
We jog across the crosswalk, and I count three doors down. When we get there, I look in the window, cupping my arms around the glass so I can see inside. She's in there, sweeping the floor. Knocking lightly, I wave as she turns to me. She waves back, walking over to the door.
When she unlocks it and opens it, she greets us with a smile. "Hey, you two, thank you for coming out. I appreciate it."
Cam and I look at one another. "We haven't done anything yet." I laugh. "You might wish we hadn't by the time we get done. Show us what you need us to do."
She pulls out her blueprints, and together we all make a plan of attack for the hours we can spend helping today.
"Is there a dance tonight?" Cam asks as he watches a group of high schoolers walking by dressed up. The girls are decked out in glitter and sequins, the guys are wearing suits with ties.
"Yeah, it's whatever formal." I look out at the group along with him.
We're done, have been done for about an hour, but we're relaxing and shooting the shit. My eyes catch Deanna out there, with Malcolm. She's been carrying her phone, taking pics of everyone with the other parents, but now she and Malcolm are slightly off to the side. He's fiddling with something around his neck. I watch for a minute before I realize what it is he's trying to do. "Be right back."
It's not a slow stroll out there. I'm hurrying, because the tension between them can be felt from where I'm standing.
"Mom, this shit needs to get done," he's hissing at her.
Deanna recoils as if she's been smacked across the face, but she recovers quickly. I'm sure she's used to it. "We'll figure it out, Malcolm. I'll YouTube it, and we'll get it done before it's y'all's turn to take your couple pictures. I promise, okay?"
He's pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and he's chomping down on it as if it's a piece of gum. "Is there something I can do?" I interrupt them.
She turns to me, her eyes pleading for help. "Can you tie a tie? We don't know how."
Now I'm angry. There are four men with this group, and surely to God one of them knows how to tie a fucking necktie. I shoot them all a glare before reaching for Malcolm. I grab the tie and stick it on my own neck. "I can't do it while it's on you, but I can do it on me."
They both nod. "See, I told you this would all work out," Deanna soothes, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing.
When I'm done, I take it off and then put it around his neck. Tightening it, I fix the neck of his dress shirt and then brush off his shoulders. "There ya go, my man. You've got this."
"Thanks, Officer Hartford."
His gaze meets mine.
"I think under the circumstances, you can call me Luke."
He smirks in the way only a teenage boy can. "Thanks, Luke." Turning to his mom, he leans down, kissing her on the cheek. "Love you, Mom."
She mumbles the words back to him and then watches as he runs off with his friends. "You're never ready for them to grow up." She wipes under her eyes, as if she's embarrassed to show the emotion.
"Where's Addison?" Typically they are attached at the hip.
"Spending the night with a friend. She didn't want to be around while he was getting ready. He's kind of a pain in the ass when he's getting ready for situations where he thinks he'll be judged. So I'm alone tonight."
I don't want her to think the only thing I want is to get in her bed. It's imperative I romance this woman. She's never had it before. "Wanna do something?"
"What do you have in mind?" Her light eyes dance as she gazes up at me.
"I stink, and I'm tired, but if you aren't embarrassed to be seen with me, Drip has boozy coffee and fancy desserts on Saturday nights. Would you like to take a stroll over? No funny business." I hold my hands up. "Just coffee and dessert."
A slow smile spreads across her face. "I'd love that. A leisurely stroll?" she asks. "I didn't realize they have fairy lights in the trees down here, and I'd love to see it in the full darkness."
"Whatever you want. We can even do two. One before we have our sweet treat, and then another afterward."
She nods, licking her lips. "I'd love that, Luke."
"Me too." I reach down, grabbing her hand in mine.
"Officer Hartford," Maggie calls from her store. She's holding a couple of roses wrapped in paper. "For your girlfriend. Thank you for the help today."
"Oh, I'm not..." Deanna starts, but I put a finger up to her lips.
"Just say thank you."
She nods. "Thank you, they're beautiful."
Turning to her, I lean down, kissing the tip of her nose. "Let's go, Dee." I give her my arm, and together, we slowly stroll, as if we have not a worry in the world. Little do we know, the worry we have is sitting in a SUV in the darkness on the other side of the square.