Pretty Sweet - Christina Lee Page 0,53

razzing me about my text with Seth yesterday.

When I returned Mom’s car to the lot, I also brought lunch, which was a thing we did sometimes even when we lived together. We ate our corned-beef sandwiches from her favorite deli outside on the picnic table near the entrance. It was a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, and Mom looked so light and happy, telling me how she’d joined a book club and knitting circle in her building. She had a better social life than me now that she’d moved out on her own.

When a yellow Mini Cooper pulled into the lot, I smiled because it reminded me of Seth, until the car parked in a nearby spot and I noticed who was behind the wheel.

I shot up from the bench. “What in the hell?”

“What is it, honey?” Mom asked, standing up and following my gaze. “Did Seth get a new car?”

“I guess so,” I said as I began walking toward him.

He slid out of the driver’s side, a huge smile on his cheeks. “You like it?”

“You look good in it,” I replied, and his grin widened. “Is this the surprise?”

“What surprise?” Mom asked, glancing between us.

“I traded in my car this weekend. Jesse went with me,” he said, and I felt a sting of jealousy that he hadn’t consulted me. I was a mechanic, after all. Still, ridiculous. “I decided this was more me. What do you think, Bonnie?”

“I think it’s cute and definitely more you,” she said as she circled the car.

Seth laughed as I bent to check the tire pressure, then glanced inside to the gas gauge and mileage. Couldn’t help myself. I wanted to ask if he got a good deal, but it was none of my business.

“Piano or makeup today?” Mom asked him, and I was curious myself.

“A little of both,” Seth replied, grabbing his bag from the car. He waited as Mom and I gathered our wrappers and drinks from the table, deposited them in the trash can, and then I walked them to the door.

Seth was greeted enthusiastically by a tall, thin lady standing near a gentleman who might’ve been her husband. I heard her beg Seth to do her makeup with a dramatic eye for some activity they were attending that evening.

“I’ve got you covered, Elsie,” Seth said with the biggest grin. “Let me set up in the common room.”

“I told you Seth would take care of me, Harold,” she told the gentleman, who smirked and shook his head. I watched them walk down the hall, Elsie’s arm looped through Seth’s as she chatted away. He looked back one more time before they turned the corner, and threw me a wink that warmed my stomach.

I was so wrapped up in watching them, I didn’t even notice Mom closely scrutinizing me. “What?”

“Nothing. Glad you found a friend.” She kissed my cheek, then waved as she headed back to work.

When I got to my car, I started the engine, but then sat in the parking lot, my thoughts swirling about Seth and how in his element he looked not only in his new car, but with the couple inside.

I pulled out my phone, scrolled to my texts with him, and typed: Happy looks good on you.

21

Seth

Backpack slung over my shoulder and a bag of Thai food in my hand, I walked up to Jake’s house.

After his text earlier, telling me happy looked good on me, we’d made plans for me to head over tonight—to stay over again. I was basically dying of happiness inside, so I was hoping it really did look good on me.

Before I could knock on the door, he pulled it open. He was wearing jeans with no shirt, which I wasn’t going to complain about. I loved Jake’s chest and the way the hair felt against my face.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “Here, let’s get this stuff inside, and then I want to see your car.”

“Okay.”

He took the food and set it on the table, I placed my backpack on a chair, and then we headed back out to the car.

“Can I?” Jake asked, pointing to the driver’s door, and I nodded. It meant a lot to me that he always asked my permission for things, that he never assumed or tried to take control. He was a caretaker at heart, but not a stifling one. My mom controlled so much of my life. It felt good when Jake respected me enough not to try and take