Page 92 of Bad Luck Club

The woman followed his gaze, and Blue lifted a hand and waved.

“It’s just that…” Why hadn’t he planned out what to say? He took a breath. “You looked like you were having a terrible day, and well, I thought maybe you could use some coffee to get you through this.” He gestured toward the passenger seat strewn with valentines and candy. “And the flowers to maybe make your day a little brighter.”

She stared up at him with a look of disbelief, and then the next thing he knew, she was opening the car door.

He took a couple of steps back, prepared to defend himself from accusations of wrongdoing, but then the woman shocked him by throwing her arms around his neck as she started to cry in earnest.

He held out the arm holding the coffee, so he wouldn’t spill it on her, and lightly hugged her back with the hand holding the flowers.

“Thank you,” she said through tears. “This has been theworstday ever. John and I got into a huge fight because he insisted he couldn’t help me with the kids’ valentines because he had to get to work early, and then Anna was upset that her cards were ruined…” She dropped her hold on him and took a step back, her face flushed with embarrassment, and wiped her face with both hands. “I’m sorry. I got your shirt wet, and now I’m freaking you out.”

She was freaking him out a little, but not for the reason she probably thought. Her worry for her children, her love, made him think of his mom. And he was pissed on her behalf that John hadn’t helped her, especially on Valentine’s Day.

“No, you’re not,” he lied with a smile, glancing into the back window of her car. Her two kids were staring at them, wide-eyed. “You just seem like you’ve got a lot on your plate and you’re understandably overwhelmed.” He shrugged. “This isn’t much, but maybe it will make your day a little better. Blue, my girlfriend”—he motioned to his car again, deciding he quite liked calling her that—“she just bought the coffee, so I haven’t drunk from it or anything…” He felt awkward again.

Her eyes flew wide with horror. “Oh, my God. Did you just give me your girlfriend’s flowers? Isn’t she going to bepissed?”

“No,” he said, marveling that it was true. “She would say they’re with the exact person who needs them.” Then he handed everything to her, picking up a sugar packet that had dropped and handing it to her once she was settled back in the car.

He headed back to Blue, the now-familiar ache in his chest surging as he realized, yet again, that despite everything that had happened he was the luckiest man in the world.

When he got inside and saw his shopping bag in her lap with their breakfast, a slightly guilty look on her face because she’d peeked, he reached over to grab her face with both hands. He kissed her with an all-consuming hunger, and when he pulled back, he stared deep into her eyes. “I swear to you that I’ll never be like John.”

Her eyes squinted. “What?”

But he didn’t answer, just turned on the car and said, “Which way?”

Because Lee couldn’t wait to meet the woman who had created Blue.

Chapter Twenty-Six

She probably should have texted. But her mind had been filled with Lee, with the wilted flowers and the little heart-shaped box of chocolates and the card that had made her belly-laugh, his gesture meaning more to her than the year Remy had surprised her with her car, wrapped in a crimson ribbon. And the way he’d helped that mother…it had made her ache to think of the mother he’d lost.

So she hadn’t warned her mom they were coming, and now, staring at the strange man standing in her mother’s doorway, his hair a frazzled halo, his eyes narrowed at her through a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, she regretted that.

Lee squeezed her hand gently, a reminder that she wasn’t alone.

“Blue?” the stranger asked, an edge of delight bleeding into his tone. “It must be you! You look just like Shelly.”

“Steve?” she asked, and he nodded. “My mom’s told me a lot about you.” This had to be her new boyfriend, the college professor.

The man nodded emphatically, and Crackers emerged from who knew where and wove around his legs in a gesture of approval that was heartening, although it would have been more so if the cat weren’t like that with everyone.

Steve backed up, grandly gesturing them inside, but not in an egotistical way. No, there was something humble about him. He and Lee exchanged a handshake, but Blue’s eyes were drawn to the opening door at the back of the apartment.

Her mom emerged, dressed for the day, and although her face was still drawn, her eyes underscored with circles, she had a look of determination that swelled Blue’s heart.

That text had worried her, but maybe this was good.In the past, her mom had never asked for help, and yet she’d clearly called Steveandmessaged Blue. And she wanted to take medication. She wanted to get better.

Her mother’s eyes registered surprise and then delight as she took them in—first Blue, breakfast bag and coffee in one hand, then Lee, holding her free hand.

“I thought you’d gone home, sweetheart,” she said, a smile transforming her face. “But you’re back, and you’ve brought company.Handsomecompany.”

“Oh, behave,” Steve said fondly.

Blue let herself glance up at Lee, taking in his deliciously rumpled hair, and it struck her in the solar plexus that his soul wasn’t out of alignment anymore.

Could she have had anything to do with that?

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