“What did you spill—”
I wave a hand in the air as I click my key fob and the back of the SUV flies open. “I’ll fill you in once we’re out of here. Get back in the car, you won’t be able to help me with your gimp self.”
She laughs, then ducks back in and rolls up the window to wait. I load the bags in the back, kicking myself for not getting down the produce aisle, but add it to my list of things to do for her. I’ll grab some things from our garden at the farm and bring them in with her ice cream.
“Hey, Levi.” The sound of Lorna’s voice is like a nail being thrust into my skull. With a giant mallet the size of Thor’shammer. While I’m fighting a migraine. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’re done.”
Swiveling in place, I turn around to find her at the back of my car, the new thorn in my side, standing with her hands on her hips facing me.
“Oh,” I manage, turning my back to her and tucking the last bag safely inside the truck. “Why is that?”
Her energy has changed, and she’s buzzing with something more manic. A bit frenzied. I’m getting the feeling people don’t usually walk away from her.
“I really think you need to look at things from my perspective. How I’m feeling about this. Me. I’m Duncan’s blood.” She hoists her shoulders up, standing a little taller, but to be honest, her face looks a touch crazed. “My lawyer doesn’t want to go to court against you, and neither do I if we can avoid it. It’s a waste of time and resources, don’t you think?”
“Of course I do, but I’m not the one who lawyered up,” I say.
“We can settle this out of court, you know.“
Crossing my arms, I set my lips in a tight line, trying to hold back all of the anger that’s beginning to well up inside of me. What a selfish woman. “That I do know. But again, I’m not the one who started this. I’m just the person who was named guardian and wants to fulfill his role that was laid out by Duncan’s parents.”
“That’s a low blow, Levi.” She shakes her head and looks haughty and disgruntled.
“No, it really isn’t. I’m dedicated to doing what I need to do to make that boy comfortable and see that he’s happy.” Unraveling my arms, I let them hang at my sides as I shake my head at this woman yet again. “Don’t you get it? I want him to have a relationship with you, I don’t want him tonotknow his family. But I also want to do what Tom, and Katie, have laid out for me to do.”
Lorna’s cheeks are bright red, practically glowing with embarrassment or anger—I can’t quite tell which. Her teeth are clenched so tightly I swear I hear them grinding together. There’s a line, a tiny crease that begins to form where her brow is furrowing, and I feel like I’m watching her wind up for the pitch. Her eyes shoot daggers in my direction, invisible arrows filled with emotion, and I swear I see a faint wisp of smoke curling from her ears.
This is not a woman to be trifled with.
“You won’t be any good at this, Levi. Face it. You’re a man who may have resources but not enough ‘oomph’ to be a father.”
“Oomph? You’re worried I don’t have oomph?” Now we’re talking in tongues. “What?”
She plants herself firmly in place. “You’re not even married, Levi. There’s no family unit for him, how can you be a dad when you don’t have a partner to help you? You’re just not enough.”
Her words slam into my gut and I feel a flame light way down deep inside of me. It’s not a good one either. This one wants to burn the world down. My own mother raised Austin and me alone, relying on resources like Big Brothers Big Sisters to help shape us. She made sure we felt loved and whole, and as a single parent, she did an epic job. I want to react, and I’m about to. I want to say something that will cut her sharply like she’s cut me, but…
“Hey.” Georgie’s voice breaks the heat of the moment as she limps around the truck. I say a silent thank you for her calming presence. She eyes Lorna and nods her head her way as she looks at me and taps her watch. “We need to get going, sweetie. We have that thing we need to get to.”
“Yes,” I say, nodding my head in time as she bobs hers, giving me a look that says trust me. “That thing.”
Still ignoring Lorna, she reaches out and runs her fingersthrough my hair, smiling at me. To even say that she’s smiling at me feels trite; what she’s doing is looking at me and she is seeing me for me, and it reflects in her eyes and her smile, in her posture and her body language.
And I’m enamored. Flummoxed. Gobsmacked. All the weird words. They are me.
“As long as you don’t forget. Because to me, you’re enough,” she whispers, her fingers wrapping themselves around my hair as she leans in and brushes her lips across mine.
Oh, the sweet taste of Georgie tastes a lot like sweet, sweet victory mixed with the sugary amazingness of hot caramel corn. Velvety soft, like comfort foods with a flavor that lingers on the palate, leaving a trail of warmth and delight that's impossible to resist.
I could kiss her more, but she pulls away too fast. Probably because we’re in the middle of a parking lot and in front of the enemy, but who knows. I’m still reeling when she holds out her hand to Lorna and introduces herself. It’s a gorgeous moment that will stay burned into my memory banks for eternity.
“I’m Georgie, Levi’s fiancée.”
Lorna’s jaw drops as Georgie’s hand slips into mine. This is the moment I needed to have. It’s like witnessing karma firsthand. We all know karma is there and she will get you in the end, but when we get to actually see her happening in the flesh, it is fantastic, isn’t it?
But, even as I silently celebrate the moment, there’s a pang of guilt. But I’ll push that to the side for now, because this is what we agreed to. Friends with benefits, kind of. Different benefits than others have, but benefits nonetheless.
The bright red in Lorna’s cheeks fades, turning into an embarrassed flush of pink. She takes a step or two backward, pointing herself toward the direction of the store. She stopsfor a brief moment, opening her mouth and closing it, choosing to wave a hand in the air as she scuttles away.
