Chapter Five #2
Luckily, the visitor just kept talking. “We’re going to meet in Coach Swift’s room, if you want to come by. Maybe we can all help each other. Who do you have for English?”
“Uh, Mrs. Brandt. I’m in…honors.”
“Oh my God.” The girl leaned over the counter with hopeful enthusiasm. “Do you understand gerunds?”
Sammy shrugged. “Kind of, I guess.”
“Even better. Sarabeth will help us with math, and you can help us with English. Are you in bio?”
“Yeah.”
“Perfect. I can help you with that. I’m in chemistry this year because I’m ahead in science. Do you have Mr. Mallory?”
Sammy nodded.
“I had him last year. Stop by if you can get to school early, okay? We’ll help each other out.”
If Sammy didn’t agree, Lia was about to agree for her, but finally Sammy nodded.
“Yeah, okay.”
Lia put lids on the coffees and handed them to the older woman. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” the older woman said. “The antique store closes at three, Izzy, but you can stay here and talk with your friend if you want.”
“I have to work,” Sammy said, not exactly unkindly, but definitely not inviting any talk.
“Okay. Well, see you tomorrow,” Izzy said, unfazed. She waved to Sammy as the two left, and Sammy waved awkwardly back.
Lia watched the pair exit the bakery, then turn in the direction of the antique store. The girl grinned up at the woman, clearly enjoying their muffin and coffee and time together, and Lia felt an odd, softhearted pang.
“Well, that was terrible,” Sammy said miserably once they were out of sight.
Lia looked at the teen dubiously. “Yeah, she seemed so cruel.”
“You don’t know what it’s like,” Sammy said, miserably and cryptically all at the same time.
“What what’s like?”
“Having to hide everything so no one finds out who you really are.”
Yeah, Lia actually knew exactly what that was like. Maybe not at fifteen, in fairness. But not far off that. Of course, Sammy wasn’t in witness protection, so she meant it in the teenage-angst way.
“Who you are isn’t half bad, Sammy,” Lia said firmly.
Sammy clearly did not see this as a compliment or even something that needed to be said. “Yeah, but when people start asking questions about parents, things get real bad, real quick. Deadbeat dad I never knew. Teen drug-addicted mom. Everyone’s out then.”
Okay, maybe not average teenage angst. Still. “I’m sure there are other kids with crappy parents,” Lia said.
But Sammy clearly didn’t agree, because she went and got the supplies to clean the tables and actually got to work without Lia having to harp on her anymore.
So, Lia did her end-of-day tasks. Maybe it wasn’t her place, but she’d make sure Gard knew about the invitation so he could encourage Sammy to take it. The girl might be worried about how the truth of her parents would affect relationships, but she needed friends her own age.
Lia knew how important that was. To find people who…felt safe. And teenage girls were a whole thing, no doubt there’d be drama, but it should be…fifteen-year-old drama. Not adult drama.
Lia had learned that one the hard way.
Like clockwork, Gard entered the bakery right at three, dressed in his uniform. No matter how many days she saw it, Lia’s heart did an obnoxious flutter. Worse as the days went on, because now she knew he’d stay and chat.
Flirt.
She liked to think she’d remained strong, but the fact of the matter was, it wasn’t hard to remain strong when the guy never made a move. Sure, he flashed her that knee-melting grin. Said something with a little innuendo that had her cheeks heating and her imagination running away with her.
But he didn’t ask her out. He asked her what kind of music she listened to, what movies she liked.
He asked pertinent questions about the bakery business.
He told her funny stories about his day—never getting into the nitty-gritty, though she was beginning to recognize that bad day look in his eyes.
But he didn’t ask her out. Which was good.
“We need to go by the store on our way home,” Sammy told Gard. “I’ve got a recipe I want to make tonight.”
“Sure.” Gard leaned against the counter Lia stood behind. “I’ve certainly been well-fed lately.”
Sammy walked out the door, nose to her phone, but Gard lingered. Not uncommon. If they needed to discuss something a little…touchy regarding Sammy, this was the time to do it.
So Lia jumped in, because even with a counter between them, with him leaning against it he felt…
close. So Lia kept her gaze on Sammy outside the big storefront window, typing away on that phone.
“So, um. This girl Sammy knew came by and invited Sammy to get help with some homework before school starts tomorrow. Sammy said she’d go, but I just wanted to…
She should go. Make sure she goes. The girl seemed nice. Studious.”
“Two of my favorite words for people who want to be friends with Sammy. Yeah, I can get her to school early if she can drag herself out of bed.”
“Good.” Lia lifted her gaze from Sammy to Gard’s blue gaze. Damn. She had to focus. “She’s a good kid.” Which was an inane thing to say since she knew he agreed.
“Yeah, and she’s got you wrapped around her finger.”
Lia bristled. “Not any more than she has you.”
“Wanna bet?”
She served him a disapproving look. Hopefully. “And just how would either of us prove this bet?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.” He studied her then, in that way that had her pulse jangling like she’d never talked to an attractive man before when she certainly had.
“So, when am I going to be making this up to you?”
Something complicated twisted in Lia’s chest. She didn’t like him treating it like a…transaction. Like she was doing anything to be owed. “I’m not helping her for you,” she said resolutely.
“I know. You’re doing it for her, but that in turn is doing something for me. So…”
“So…what?”
“How about—”
The bell jangled violently on the door. Sammy stuck her head in. “Are you coming?”
Gard blew out a breath, something Lia couldn’t quite read flickering in those blue eyes. But he smiled at her, and he didn’t finish whatever he’d been about to say. “See you later, Lia.”
“Yeah.” She blew out a breath of her own, because she’d gotten the distinct feeling that maybe that How about…had been the start of some kind of invitation.
And not about Sammy.
Which led her to have to admit to herself that if he’d asked her out in that moment, direct blue eyes and ridiculous intent expression, she would have said yes.
And then she would have regretted it and probably backed out.
But first, she would have said yes.