Page 26 of Bleeding Hearts

It seems weird telling Stacy I go there and talk to her sister, like she can hear me. But then again, I know she gets it because she once told me she does the same when she needs Stephanie’s advice. So at least I’m not the only one talking to a dead person as if she’s listening.

“Good for you.”

She pulls me into a hug, and I try to relax and accept it, but it’s not easy.

Releasing me Stacy, snickers, “Go before you turn into stone.”

I’ve never been a touchy-feely person. It’s the one thing Stephanie changed about me. With her, I didn’t mind. I lost that when she died. Only letting my sister and my daughters pullthat out of me. And now that I think about it, it seems one more person has made me crave it again. Surely, that’s a sign.

Chapter 12

Bethany

When Alicia and I return from my hellish PT workout, the first thing I notice is my freshly mowed lawn. I know the boys didn’t do it because the belt on my lawn mower snapped last week when Finn was mowing. Nolan let him use his to finish and then promised to look at it. I have no idea if he did, but I don’t think so. Because the last time I checked, it was still parked next to the house, out of the way, in the backyard.

“So, are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with you and the firefighter?” Alicia asks as she turns off her car.

“Nothing to tell,” I lie, unfastening my seatbelt before opening the car door.

She gets out, rushes to the back, and grabs my new upgraded walker. No more wheelchair required. We left that bitch at the rehab center. Now I have a walker that makes me feel like a grandma, but I’ll take it. It’s temporary and soon I’ll toss this bitch to the side and use a cane. Just like the one our grandfather had, maybe even whack a few kids with it for fun.

When she has it open and beside me, I swing my legs to the side and slide down. Alicia has a solid grip on my arm to make sure I’m steady before letting me go. I inch toward the necessary ramp as she shuts my car door and walks up behind me.

“I don’t believe you. But if that’s what you want me to believe, then I’m not pushing.” The gentle pressure of her hand on my back guides me as I move up the wooden ramp. “But let it be known that if something were to happen between the two of you, you have my approval. He’s either the nicest grumpy man I’ve ever seen, or he’s trying to impress you. And I know you don’t do the couple thing that starts with an r, but if that should ever change, I bet he’d be a good one to start with.”

I stop halfway up the ramp and glare at her over my shoulder. “Don’t assume that because you’ve found love, everyone else is looking for a relationship; some of us just aren’t interested. Dillon is a rare breed. How many dumb fucks did you have to weed out before you stumbled upon him? Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that. Adam was just one of many.”

“The worst of the many. Don’t remind me.” Now that I’m shuffling forward, she reaches around to open the door. “Didn’t Nolan’s wife die? So, he’s single for a reason beyond his control, which means he’s not like the shit-fuckers out there.”

I push my way into the house and cringe at the mess all over the counter. “And why would I invite another male into my life when I have two who can’t seem to clean up after themselves.”

Alicia approaches the stairs that go to the basement and raises her voice. “Boys, you have three seconds to get up here and clean this shit up, or I’m changing the Wi-Fi password and not sharing it.”

The house reverberates with the rapid sound of feet, far quicker than my own. One flies down the stairs from above, while the other emerges from the basement. They fly around the kitchen in record speed, tossing trash in the bin, loading plates and cups in the dishwasher, closing open food containers and bags and shoving them in the pantry. It’s not perfect, and it’s not exactly how I’d have done it, but at least the clutter is gone and it looks like I remember when I left this morning.

Alicia tosses Felix the bleach wipes, and he rips out two before tossing them to his twin. The counters are wiped down, all traces of crumbs and spilled crap gone in a flash. And just as fast as they came, they disappear.

With her shoulder resting against the wall, Alicia hollers, the sound echoing through the house, “And the next time we come home to a mess like this, I’m not only changing the password but confiscating game consoles and laptops for a week.”

Finn responds first. “Won’t happen again.”

“Ditto,” Felix shouts from the basement.

I push my walker over to the fridge and open it to grab the sweet tea I made yesterday, only to find it empty—well, almost empty. There’s just enough for a single small sip.

Slamming the plastic pitcher on the counter, I turn to my sister. “Again, why would I want another male in my life? It’s not that I mind they drank it, but why leave just enough for a swig and shove it back in the fridge?” Picking up the OJ container that has been left open, I raise it in the air. “And ten dollars says this was chugged from, not poured into a glass, meaning I no longer care to drink it. Why do guys do that?”

Alicia grabs the pitcher and dumps the last of the tea out. “I don’t know. Both of our brothers did the same thing as kids. Remember how mad Mom would get at Chad for drinking out of the milk container? She’d write his name on it and force him to drink only it until it was gone. He never cared. He’d shrug and each time he got thirsty, grab it and chug.”

I open the drawer, grab a black sharpie and scrollthe twinsacross the top of the cardboard. “This can be theirs until it’s gone.”

Grabbing some tea bags, Alicia clips them to the side of the pitcher before filling it with water. “Dillon keeps things pretty tidy. And if I remember correctly, you told me Nolan meticulously cleaned the kitchen until it sparkled, while youand Stacy listened to the persistent voices of those men trying to persuade you to accept the buyout.”

“He did.” My legs ache with fatigue, so I turn and head for the kitchen chairs, each step a small victory. “I’m still not sure what to do about that. It would be nice to take it. But then again, it feels off. I’ll wait to see what Stacy thinks once the slimy lawyer sends her the final papers.”

Damn, it feels so good to sit.

“And he did that.” Alicia snaps her fingers, then points at me. “Called his sister-in-law to come and make sure they didn’t swindle you.” Joining me at the table, she leans on it with one elbow. “That speaks for his character. He didn’t have to do that. Or any of the other things he’s been doing. Are you really going to let a man like him slip through your fingers? I’ve watched how his next-door neighbor runs outside every time she sees him. It’s kind of creepy. Do you want her getting her hands on him before you?”

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