The Slow Burn (Moonlight and Motor Oil #2) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,69
Toby, Brooklyn and finished on me.
After that, she got a big smile on her face, nodded her head slowly, and said, “Sister, you two finally got it on.”
Toby chuckled.
“Well, uh . . . yeah,” I confirmed.
I semi-disengaged from Toby, this being I took my arm from him and he took his arm from me only to go up under my jacket to hook a finger in a back beltloop.
I flipped a hand toward Toby and did my next to be polite, and for Tobe since I already knew she at least knew him.
“Lora, do you know Toby?”
“Was two years behind you in class, but yeah. Hey. Lora Merriman,” she reminded him.
“Remember you, Lora, how you been?” Toby asked.
“Can’t complain, mostly.” She did an eye sweep of Brooks and me before she said to Toby, “Think you’ve been doin’ better.”
“You’d have that right.”
“Gah! Dodo!” Brooklyn yelled.
Lora bent over, tucking her hands palms together between her knees and saying, “Yo, little dude. Whassup?”
“Right on,” Lora said and took one hand from between her knees to put it palm out to Brooklyn to give him a high five.
He went for it, but his little hand slid off the apple of her palm.
She caught it up and smacked them together a couple of times.
Brooks giggled.
“We’re heading for caramel nut clusters,” I told her. “You wanna come?”
She straightened and replied, “Grrrrrl, no. I already hit that tent. I told myself the two pounds I bought were to portion out and wrap up for stocking stuffers, but that whole thing will be in my belly by next Saturday. I’m hightailing it to Grover’s Ice Cream Parlour. Meeting a friend for a quick coffee before we do the Fair. But thanks.”
This kinda sucked. I liked her. It would be cool to hang with her for a while.
I did not share this.
I said, “Okay.”
“Though, we’re heading to Home after we decimate the Fair.” She glanced down at Brooks. “You probably can’t hit it later.”
I shook my head. “No, we have Christmas cookie plans later.”
She gave me a slow smile and lied, “Sucks to be you.”
“Yeah,” I lied back.
She laughed then bid, “You guys hit the chocolate tent. We’ll make plans some other time. Groovy?”
“Totally. Cool to see you,” I replied.
“You too.” To Toby, “Later, Toby.”
“Later, Lora.”
She gave us a wave, a wiggle of her fingers to Brooklyn, then she took off.
Toby again claimed me.
“How do you know her?” he asked after he set us on our way again.
“Customer at the store.”
“You friends?”
“She asked me to hang with her posse, but I haven’t had time to do that yet.”
“Far’s I know, good people,” he murmured.
Well, that was cool to know.
“Babe, caramel nut clusters?’ he said.
I looked up at him. “Did I forget to mention the caramel?”
He was grinning down at me. “Uh . . . yeah.”
“Did I share the nuts were cashews?”
“I would definitely remember that. So . . . no.”
“Are we gonna run the rest of the way?”
He pulled me close to his side. “I’ll control myself.”
He did but mostly because we didn’t have a choice.
This was because, apparently Toby knew everyone in town. He said, “Hey,” “Yo,” or jerked up his chin constantly as we made our way, and twice we had to stop when someone engaged us in conversation.
Toby introduced me and Brooks and didn’t chat forever with folks I’d seen at the store but hadn’t formally met, but he chatted.
Through this, I realized two things.
One, I’d made the right decision, not working half a shift that day, and not just doing that for Toby, but for me and Brooks.
The place was crowded. The vibe was rad. I was looking forward to perusing (or consuming) the wares in the tents. And if I’d worked, I might not have had this or I would have been tired, and I wouldn’t have had the time to get all gussied up and go out feeling fine.
Feeling me.
I’d forgotten an important lesson my mother taught me.
Shit worked out and you lived while it did.
I wasn’t beating myself up that I got stuck where I was. I’d taken a hit from life, I had responsibilities and I was caught up in seeing to them.
But it was an awakening as well as a reminder.
I had to have this for me, but I had to teach this to Brooks.
And now, give it to Toby.
This was a day that would eventually be just a trace in our lives.