Page 22 of The Ex Puck Bunny
The rain continues to patter, but time slows as the moment stretches with Heidi’s gaze on me and mine on hers. It’s like we’re trying to let the past catch up to this moment.
Her lips part and she exhales a tiny breath.
Drawn to her mouth, my focus softens.
Someone must be playing a bass-heavy song in the neighborhood. Then I realize it’s the booming of my heart. Or hers. Both of ours?
As if drawn from a trance, giving her head a little shake, Heidi mutters, “Or not. Exes aren’t worth the waste of time.”
“Then maybe we can get pie sometime and continue to reminisce. It’s good to laugh at ourselves.” Heidi had a larger presence in my young life than I’d remembered and so far, most of those memories have made me smile.
“Maybe.” She opens the door a crack and then says, “Good luck on the team.”
“I won’t need it.”
She tilts her head as if to ask what I mean, but then closes the door.
I’ll wait to make sure she gets into the house, but instead of watching the front door open and close, she marches back to the truck.
I lower the window and my eyebrows lift in question.
“Thank you,” she says.
“For the ride?”
“Yeah and . . . just yeah.” She bites her lip as if chewing on whether to say more.
“You’re welcome.”
She leaves again, but this time doesn’t make it all the way down the driveway before doubling back.
Window still open, Heidi asks, “You really didn’t recognize me?”
“I apologize, but no, I did not. You’ve grown up.” Grown up with curves and graceful movements. With big brown eyes and full lips. Grown up in ways that I shouldn’t be thinking about because she’s still my best friend’s sister.
“And you didn’t know about Trey and me being married for a minute?”
“As your brother would say, sometimes I’m in my own little world.”
She nods as if satisfied with this answer and starts to leave again when she stops short a pace away.
This time, I speak first. “I don’t owe you an explanation, but for the record, Trey and I don’t talk. He was never a straight arrow, but he showed me his character one too many times ...” I let my thoughts dangle, not wanting to speak ill of him even though the next time we face off in a game, he’s going to pay for the damage to Derek’s wrist and Heidi’s heart.
“Thanks. The worst of it is how stupid I feel. I was always the ditzy one, the cheerleader, and all that. This just proved people’s assumptions about me were right.”
I shake my head. “I think we care too much about what people think. Maybe just consider what your people think.”
The comment about offering to be her guy springs to mind.
“Thanks,” she says as if genuinely meaning it.
I watch her hurry to the door to avoid the rain. If I had an umbrella, I would’ve let her borrow it. My truck’s headlights shine on the Easter wreath on the door, illuminating Heidi’s path. But she doesn’t go inside.
Instead, she turns around and starts back toward me, moving slowly, apparently not caring that she’s already wet. As she nears, she moves faster and the intensity in her eyes, fixed on me, sparks something inside.
Hand on the door, I don’t hesitate and get out.
I don’t think. Don’t hesitate.
