23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Maci
A fter our date, Sutton brought me back to Nana’s, walked me to the door like a gentleman, and then pressed me into it hard, kissing me very much unlike a gentleman. I didn’t invite him in and he didn’t ask. Then he waited for me to go inside before he stepped off the porch.
I knew I was screwed before, but I’m royally fucked now. Walking away from him when everything is done here is starting to seem like it will hurt instead of just being a bummer.
That’s a problem for another day.
Uncharacteristically, I lie in bed playing on my phone Tuesday morning. I should be packing up to head home today. A text notification comes in.
Leah:
Maci, what are you doing today?
Me:
Driving home.
Izzy:
You are home.
Have all the women in my life set out to conspire against me? I don’t know where they get the idea that I can simply keep this house because I want to or have an emotional attachment to it.
Me:
.
Leah:
Ok, fine.
Let’s do Taco Tues. before you go.
Izzy:
I second this motion.
I chew my bottom lip. Another day with my besties is never a bad thing, and after my conversation with Izzy yesterday, it could be the perfect time to see what’s up with Leah.
Orders from the Halloween mini sessions and my two family shoots last week are trickling in. I decide to complete the orders I have today and use dinner with the girls as a reward. Plus, it will be the perfect time for Izzy and me to check in on Leah.
Me:
Taco Shack at 6?
Leah:
(three high five emojis)
Izzy:
It’s a date.
Me:
Speaking of dates. I have one to tell you about.
A welcomed breeze blows through my hair as I shut the door of my Jeep. Leah and I lock eyes across the parking lot of our favorite taqueria on Main Street. She’s selected a table on the patio and calls out, “Taco Tuesdayyy!” from her chair, waving her half-full margarita at me.
“Be right there!” I shout back with a grin, before hurrying through the heavy glass door at the front of the building. The scent of homemade tortillas, salsa, and fajitas washes over me as I soak in the soothing familiarity. Behind the peeling Formica countertop stands a beautiful teenage girl with jet black hair and eyes. She wears a bored expression.
I don’t let her lack of enthusiasm dampen my mood. It wasn’t long ago that I was sixteen and hated a job in the service industry. Instead, I smile brightly, rattling off my order.
Behind the cashier, someone presses a service bell and places a large paper bag of takeout in the window separating the kitchen area from the checkout area.
The girl swipes my card without acknowledging her co-worker or the food, then hands me a plastic number on a placard and my card wrapped in a too-long receipt. Her thanks is half-hearted at best.
On the patio, Leah is texting when I slide into the seat beside her. Two foil wrappers are smashed into tiny misshapen balls on the table and her margarita glass is nearing empty.
“We said six,” I tell her, raising my eyebrows because it’s only a couple minutes past the hour.
Leah sets her phone aside. “Yeah, I know.” A gust of wind blowing through the covered patio sweeps her dark hair out behind her. The foil balls rattle in the grated table, but go no further. “I was starving!” Leah drops her chin indignantly.
I shake my head, unsurprised. “Where’s Izzy? ”
“I’m here, I’m here,” Izzy says, pushing open the glass door. She’s still in scrubs and her ice blonde hair is pulled up in a beautifully curled ponytail. One section of hair is intricately braided starting above her temple and wraps around the hair tie. “Sorry—” Her trendy bag gets tossed into the fourth chair at our table as she sits next to me. “My last cleaning was the sweetest little boy who was terrified, so I took some extra time with him.”
“Well, as usual, Leah couldn’t wait for us.” I’m joking, but Izzy and I cross our arms in unison, pinning Leah with hard stares.
She shrugs. “If it makes you feel better, I’m happy to order another round of tacos.”
“This little piggy went to market,” Izzy says with a loving laugh. Leah grins back.
The cashier pushes open the patio door and sets a tray of tacos between Izzy and I.
“Thanks!” I call at her retreating backside. “How did she manage both of ours at once?”
“I pointed you out when I ordered,” Izzy says matter-of-factly. Because, of course she did.
“I’m going in for another round. Need anything?” Leah stands abruptly and looks between Izzy and me. Our eyes lock.
Leah’s eyes flit between us when I turn back to her. “Maybe you could wait?”
She furrows her brows. “I’m just running in real quick. You can tell us about your date when I get back.”
“It’s not that.”
Leah’s frown deepens and she eyes Izzy.
“Can we talk a sec?” Izzy gestures at the empty chair.
Leah sits without speaking. Her posture is guarded .
“Izzy and I want to check in with you. It seems like maybe you’re going through something you haven’t mentioned.” I don’t want Izzy to always have to be the one to say the hard things, so I dive in.
As expected, Leah throws herself against the metal back of the patio chair and crosses her arms. “You guys are so ridiculous sometimes. I don’t need an intervention.” Her tone lacks true anger.
“We aren’t saying you do,” Izzy argues, leaning forward. “We just want you to know we’re here for you.”
“I haven’t been good at checking in on you.” I chew my lip.
“You don’t need to! You’re dealing with Nana’s passing.” Leah’s face turns red and she looks away from us.
“I think we’re all dealing with that,” I offer softly. “Still, if there’s something else going on with you, I will always make time to listen. You know that. You guys are my best friends. My sisters.”
Izzy squeezes my hand from next to me.
Quiet hangs between us all. When Leah finally speaks, her words are quiet and her eyes stay on the stained concrete floor. “Lily called and wants to move in with me. She says it’s temporary, but we all know that’s not true.”
“What did you tell her?” Izzy’s voice is also quiet.
“I told her my landlord doesn’t allow people not on the lease. She thinks I’m talking to them.” She sighs heavily.
I’m not surprised Leah doesn’t want her sister moving in. Through the years, we’ve seen Lily’s ability to coerce people into helping her at their expense. She has a knack for attracting drama and isn’t great with general cleanliness. Not to mention the kids involved. Unfortunately, Lily also has a tendency to be persistent and I imagine Leah is under more stress than she’s letting on.
“I’m sorry. ”
Leah forces a tight-lipped smile my way. “I’ll figure it out. I just didn’t want you taking on my bullshit, too.”
“I will. Anytime.”
“We both will.” Izzy maintains her hold on my hand as she reaches over to take one of Leah’s.
Leah nods at the ground. “Ok then,” she says looking up at us, “I guess I’ll get a soda. Damn buzzkills.”
We dive into taco sorting as Leah heads inside. When she returns and plops down, Izzy and I are both chewing ridiculously large bites of our tacos.
“Spill it.” She crosses one leg over the other with sass and shakes her flip-flop-clad foot at me.
I roll my eyes and open my mouth to speak, but movement behind her catches my attention. It’s not so much that there is movement from the parking, as much as, without trying, I recognize the truck and fiery butterflies take flight in my chest again.
Leah shifts her torso to look behind her chair inquisitively. “Is that him?”
The truck settles into a spot.
Izzy sets her taco down and wipes her hands with a napkin. “Sutton?” She focuses on me while Leah stares down the truck.
My cheeks heat. The three of us watch as the driver-side door swings open in the parking space and Sutton emerges. He presses on his phone and puts it up to his ear as he makes his way toward the front door.
“Are you going to say anything?” Izzy prompts.
“He looks busy.” My argument is lackluster at best. Truthfully, I know I won’t be able to hide my giddy grin and blushing cheeks from my friends.
“Sounds like as good a test as any to me.” Leah is facing me again, with her head cocked to one side, as she references him. I know they won’t let up .
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, standing and making my way from our table to the edge of the patio. The outdoor tables have filled up, thanks to the beautiful evening.
Sutton steps up onto the sidewalk near the patio, still talking into his phone. “Ok, Mama. We’ll figure something out.”
Pressing my back against the wall where the fence is attached, I lean one hip against the metal. “Hey, Cowboy.”
Sutton’s eyes fly to me and a wide grin takes over. His eyes light up. “Alright, Mama. I’m here picking up food. I’ll be home soon.” He stops in front of me, saying, “Love you, too,” before pocketing his phone.
“Firecracker.” Something like relief is infused in the word.
His nickname for me sliding off his tongue reminds me of last night.
“How are you?”
“Better now.” He’s practically touching the fence. No more than an inch separates us. “I thought you were headed back to Austin.” His eyes catalog my face appreciatively. There’s no way for me to stop the flush sweeping over my skin. He smirks knowingly.
I gesture over my shoulder with my chin. “Taco Tuesday.”
After a beat, his gaze follows, as does mine, to Leah and Izzy who wave at him. He places a hand on his hat and tips his head forward in acknowledgment. His eyes skim the bricked patio, then slide up my body to my face.
Jesus, it’s hot. Where did that breeze go?
“Everything ok with your mom?” I have to diffuse this tension before one of us jumps this flimsy ass fence.
“Yeah. She’s stressed because the photographer who was going to take photos at the Fall Festival had to cancel and she hasn’t been able to find a replacement. ”
“Oh.” It occurs to me then that he doesn’t know what I do. “When is it?”
“Next Saturday.”
“I can help.” I blurt the offer without considering. I know I don’t have anything scheduled that weekend as far as photography goes, but that doesn’t mean I have any idea what they need at the Fall Festival.
Sutton’s eyebrows pinch briefly. “You’re a photographer?”
“I am.”
He licks his lips and my eyes freeze on the movement. Only the grin that follows encourages me to meet his eyes again. “Ok.”
“Give your mom my number and we can work out the details.”
His eyebrows jump before he clears his throat. “Yeah. Or you can use me as the middle man.”
My brows dip. He doesn’t want me to talk to her? “Ok. Well, I guess get me load-in info, location, and time frame. And whatever packages they marketed. I’ll match them.”
“Mm. I kind of like Bossy Maci.” He’s smothering his sexy smirk again.
“Then be a good boy and do as I say.”
One eyebrow hikes. “What do I get if I’m good?” Before I can respond, he shakes his head quickly. “Never mind. Don’t tell me. I’m about to have dinner with my parents.”
I grin.
His eyes dart hungrily to my mouth. “I’m going to grab our food. Have fun.” Before walking away, he glances once more to my friends and then back at me. “And quit eye-fucking me or you’re going into the truck, too.”