Page 91 of Bad Luck Club

“The line moved,” a woman with two preschool-aged kids grumbled behind him. She had two packages of kids’ valentines and two bags of candy.

“Sorry,” Lee said as he took a couple of steps, biting back the urge to tell her that her proximity to the register wouldn’t affect the speed at which she checked out. Then he looked back, and he actually saw her—the frazzled look in her face as she glanced at her phone and the way she was squeezing her youngest child’s hand.

“You can have my spot,” he said with more warmth than he was used to using with strangers. Hell, who was he kidding? With anyone. “I forgot something, so now you’re only three places back.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Thank you. Danny spilled apple juice all over the valentines last night, and now I’m going to be late…” Her voice trailed off, and her face flushed. “Sorry. You don’t want to hear the nitty-gritty details.”

He realized he wanted to do something else to help her, but he had no idea what, so he just nodded and hurried to the card aisle.

He wasn’t sure what kind of card to get Blue. Was there a card that said,Last night was the most amazing night of my life. Do you want to be my Valentine?They hadn’t been together long enough for him to get her a sappy card, not that there were many left. So he found one in the kids’ section with a large, floppy-eared bunny that reminded him of Buford, which said,You make my heart go hippity-hop.

Victoria would have raised a royal fit if he’d gotten her a card like that. Who was he kidding? She would have thrown a fit if he’d gotten her something as crass as a greeting card period. Even if it was accompanied by a two-hundred-dollar bouquet of roses. But Blue would love it.

There was a bucket of cut carnation bouquets, each with a single red rose, so he grabbed two—one for Blue and one for her mother—as well as two small boxes of candy. They were such small things, but he wanted to show Blue that she mattered to him, and to show her mother that she mattered too.

After he paid for his purchases and walked out the door, he saw her standing by his car, holding a bag and a drink tray with coffee cups. She was so gorgeous, the sun behind her, casting a warm glow around her like she was an angel. His angel.

He walked straight toward her, basking in her smile. But just as he reached her, he saw the mother from the store sitting in the front seat of her car, three spaces away, bent over as she furiously stuffed valentines into tiny envelopes.

“Everything okay?” Blue asked, following his gaze.

“Yeah,” he said, trying to shake the unsettled feeling in his chest. What was it with his chest this morning? “Sorry I was late.”

Her gaze dropped to the two pathetic bouquets in his hand. “You went shopping.”

He tightened his grip on the bouquets, slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t want to show up at your mom’s empty-handed.”

Her smile spread. “We’re bringing her breakfast. And there aretwobouquets.”

“Yeah, well…” He clicked his key fob to unlock the car. “We should go so we can get it to her before it gets cold.”

“Why, Lee Buchanan,” she said, beaming. “Are you asking me to be your Valentine?”

His embarrassment faded, leaving him with an overwhelming feeling of happiness. “Yes, Blue Combs. I am.”

Her eyes twinkled. “Then I accept.”

She stretched up on her toes and gave him a sweet kiss.

He ached with a hunger that was more than physical. He wantedher. This person who could keep him on his toes yet not fill him with anxiety. It was like she was Christmas, or at least Christmas the way he’d experienced it as a small child—one welcome surprise after another. “Come on. I’ll give you the rest in the car.”

“There’s more?” The excitement in her voice nearly undid him.

“Yeah.” He opened her car door for her to get in, but he saw the mother again, wiping a tear from her cheek, and a sudden urge hit him. “Hey, can you give me my coffee and some cream and sugar?”

“Yeah,” she said as she set the drinks tray down on the top of the car to extract one of the coffees. “Why?”

He didn’t answer, just walked around and set his purchases on the driver’s seat, keeping one of the bouquets. He could just give Blue’s mother the candy. Outside in the daylight, the bouquets looked pretty ragged anyway.

“Don’t peek in the bag yet,” he said, taking the coffee from her. “I’ll be right back.”

Her brow furrowed. “Okay.”

He shut the door and walked over to the mother’s car, wondering if she would think he was some kind of creeper. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. But he was already committed, and Blue was watching. No backing out now.

He rapped on her window, startling her. She stared at him, rolling down the window a crack as she looked up at him suspiciously.

“Hi,” he said, his discomfort rising. “First of all, I’m not some weirdo pervert. My girlfriend is over there, waiting for me.” He motioned toward Blue.

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