Page 72 of My Almost Ex

“You know what I mean.”

“If you like motors between your legs so much.” I eye her up and down her body, and she shakes her head.

Her cheeks flush and she disappears into the bedroom.

Fuck. Things are changing between us and I’m pretty sure my willpower is gonna say mercy and do what my body and mind both want to do. But where the hell will that leave us?

She comes back out, and we leave the house and climb into the truck. On the road, she hooks up her phone and puts on some grunge music. I side-eye her.

She says, “What? It’s my new favorite music.”

I nod and laugh. “You don’t wanna know what I’ve been listening to.”

“What?” She turns toward me as much as her seat belt lets her.

“Motown.” I don’t go into the story of why because of our promise not to discuss anything about her leaving or her memory.

“That surprises me. You were always more of a garage band kind of guy. You’d always find these bands I’d never heard of.”

“I guess things change.” I look at her for a moment and she sighs, relaxing in the seat.

“How about grunge on the way there and Motown on the way back?” she asks.

“I’d say that’s a good compromise.”

She smiles at me, and again that familiar feeling of what it’s like to find happiness around Lucy overwhelms me.

We’re halfway down the trail when we stop for lunch on the shore of one of the lakes. The water looks inviting, like glass on top and surrounded by trees, but it’ll still be freezing this time of year. Lucy lays out the blanket and I place the cooler between us just to get some space. Having her at my back with her arms around my stomach for the entire ride made it feel as though no time has passed. Except the old Lucy never wanted to go in the mud and the new Lucy pointed for me to go through it. Not that I’m telling her that though. I keep biting my tongue on so many things that have changed about her. It’s not good or bad—just different.

“Having fun?” I ask, lying on my side, grabbing a few chips from the bag.

“Yeah. Do you think I might be able to drive a little on the second half?”

I want to put my hand on the back of her neck, pull her to me, and kiss her senseless, but instead I answer. “Sure.”

“I’m guessing I never—”

I put my finger to her lips. “We’re not talking about that, remember?”

She smiles and picks up a sandwich I made. “Tell me what you’ve been doing?”

How do I tell her what I’ve been doing is pining away over her? That my family was worried about me? “Just working really.”

“No town gossip?”

I sit up and take my sandwich out of the bag. “Cade and Presley were the biggest town gossip for a while.”

“Tell me about her.” She sits with her legs crossed.

“She’s perfect for him. You know how he was.”

She nods. “I remember you two being very different about your mother’s death.”

“Yeah.”

“You always wanted the family. The happily ever after.”

I’m surprised. “You remember that?”

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