Lucky Forever - Cee Bowerman Page 0,4
bad as you’d think.”
I grimaced, sad that our day had turned into a reason for her to remember our time with her step-father. Lexi and I both had extensive surgeries and stitches after the last time he found us. Lexi was old enough to remember every minute of those three days of terror with him.
“Where is your dad, honey?” I asked Leia.
“He went to get your car,” Leia told me. “Should be back any minute now.”
“How is he going to get my car?”
“Um, we ride around in a tow truck. That’s his job,” Leia laughed. “I guess for once it comes in handy.”
“Oh,” I nodded. “That is handy.”
“He said he was going to drop it at the apartment for us and come back to take us to dinner,” Lexi told me with a grin.
“That way you two can get to know each other better.” Leia grinned right along with Lexi and I sensed a plot forming.
“We’ll sit at a different table and you can pretend that we’re not even there.” Lexi informed me slyly. “Just pay us no mind at all.”
“What should we talk about?” I asked the two, pretending I had no clue what they were up to with their plotting. I glanced over at Nicole and saw her hiding a smile of her own.
“Well, he likes music and movies. He plays guitar and sings really well. He’s a good dancer, too. He taught me how to waltz and two-step at the lake last summer. Umm… ,” Leia raised her eyebrows and opened her eyes wide at Lexi, as if asking for backup. “He smells good and he showers every morning, no matter what. Sometimes he even showers at night after work if things were crazy.”
“He’s got really nice hair,” Lexi blurted. “And freckles. You love my freckles and his are just as cute as mine.”
Nicole snickered and covered it with a cough behind her hand and mumbled, “Excuse me.”
“Don’t you think my dad is handsome, Miss Nicole?” Leia asked.
I watched Nicole clear her smile before she moved her hand away from her face.
“I think he’s a very handsome man, Leia. And very polite. He has a good job and he’s always here when he says he will be, so he’s also dependable,” Nicole said as she walked toward me. As she moved past me, she whispered in my ear, “And have you seen his ass in those jeans? Lord.”
I couldn’t control my laugh and the girls stared at me in confusion.
“I’ve noticed that myself once or twice,” I told Nicole with a chuckle. “And yeah, very nice.”
Someone tapped on the door and then it swung open. Rowdy was standing there with both my keys and his in his hands. He smiled a crooked grin and told us, “Ladies, if you’re finished here, your chariot awaits.”
I thought my daughter was going to have a problem walking to the truck, the stars in her eyes were so bright. Leia had a knowing grin as she looked from Lexi to her father. I heard Nicole chuckle again before she walked over to give Rowdy a hug.
“Thank you for your help, Nicole,” Rowdy told her as he pulled back from her embrace. “Kari and Cindy told me to let you know that they’re over at Shannon and Grunt’s house now and they’re not going to wait on you before they open the wine.”
“In that case, I better hurry,” Nicole laughed as she rushed out the door. “Those lushes won’t leave me a drop!”
After Nicole passed him, Rowdy leaned one shoulder on the door frame and crossed his feet at the ankles. “I told the girls that I’d take y’all to dinner. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“Thank you,” I told Rowdy as I slid off the exam table. “For everything - not just your dinner offer.”
Rowdy smiled at me as I got closer to him, “What would you like for dinner?”
“I’m not sure.” I chuckled uncomfortably. “We haven’t been out much since we moved here.”
“Ever been to Gabby Gator’s?” Rowdy asked as Leia squealed with excitement.
“No.” I said, curious now.
“Pizza buffet and a great salad bar. But the best part is the arcade attached to the place. The kids can go play and we can talk about what happened at the store.”
I nodded my head, unsure exactly what I had said in my moments of weakness. I hoped I hadn’t mentioned Jackson to him or that Lexi hadn’t said something about him. The fewer people who knew about my ex, the better