I walk in and spot a couch and coffee table that weren’t the ones in her old apartment. These look new. Why would she buy new furniture when she said she had to save? She must see me staring at it.
“The furniture belongs to Vince. He insisted I use it.”
I nod. I’m too antsy to sit, so I pace while I try to organize my thoughts.
“Four minutes,” she says.
“Your friend Ted Barton isn’t gay.”
Her brows furrow. “What? You come barging in here to make that claim again? You already told me that’s what you think.”
I stop pacing. “I don’t ‘think,’ Iknow. He was making out with a woman.”
“Where?”
“Outside his house. Then they went inside.”
Her brows shoot up. “You followed him?”
Shit. I really didn’t think this through. I go for honesty. “Yes, I was. I don’t trust him.”
Lucy crosses her arms. ‘You also don’t trust Vince. And I know you don’t trust Joseph or my dad. From what I can see, you don’t trust any of the men in my life. Or you don’t trust my judgment of men—aside from you, right?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“No? Then why do you have someone watching me twenty-four-seven? And why were you spying on Ted?”
Is she being serious?
“Have you never had someone really look out for you?”
She laughed. “‘Look out for me’? No, this iscontrolling. Your time is up. Please leave.”
I walk to the door in shock. Then I turn back. “I’m leaving for Afghanistan on Friday. I’d hate to leave things like this.”
She turns away, and all I want to do is pull her into my arms. But I can’t. I’ll just have to prove to her that I’m coming back to stay.
“Please be careful,” I implore. “Thunder won’t be able to sit outside your place after Friday either so no one will be watching you. But here’s Rover’s number. If you need anything, give him a call. Anytime. Oh, and he said you can give the number to Connie too.”
She doesn’t turn around or say goodbye. I place the card on a table next to the door. “Luce, this conversation isn’t over. I’m coming back—”
She turns her head to the side, so I see her in profile. “Ifyou come back, we can talk.”
“There’s no ‘if’ about it, Luce. I’m not leaving you again.”
She walks away in silence, and I hear a door close. I guess that’s my cue to leave. Leaving is the last thing I want to do, but I made a promise.
CHAPTER23
Lucy
The past monthhas gone by quicker than I expected. I glance at the clock. Only five minutes left in my 101 class, then I’ll be handing it off to another professor.
“All right, everyone. I’ve graded your papers, and I posted them just before class. Remember, your score counts for twenty-five percent of your grade.”
Several students groan.
“And, as I mentioned before, this is my last day with you. Monday, you will have Professor Button.” I try not to giggle at the name. “I want to let you know that I’ve really enjoyed teaching this course, and I hope to see some of you in my upper-level courses in the future.”
