by Claire Adams
“I’m fine.”
Honestly? I wasn’t fine. But hell if I was gonna look weak on my job. Sure, my arm had hurt for a couple of days, but that wasn’t anything. God, Lucy had ridden my hand like it was the last horse she’d ride on this planet. I was cocked at angles I didn’t even think were possible while that sweet pussy dripped into my palm, and I was sure that’s why I was so sore.
I mean, Lucy had really gotten into it. I hadn’t been sure if she would’ve gone for something like that, but I knew part of cultivating a relationship with her—especially with how we were both feeling toward one another—was getting her to experience new things she didn’t associate with David. She was already doing that with me, and she didn’t even realize it. I loved my late wife more than life itself, but there were many things about Lucy that were different.
Like her putting mini candy bars in her coffee or her swallowing my dick the way she did.
And if I could get her to experience a few new things that were just for the two of us as well as learn things about one another that separated us from our dead spouses, we could really make something out of this. If we could differentiate ourselves from the people we had loved and lost, we had a spit-fire chance at making this work.
I smiled at the memory of her hips bucking against my fingers before Mike clapped his hand down onto my aching shoulder, and the searing pain pulled me from my memory and caused me to wince away.
Holy shit, that really had hurt.
“The fuck, Mike?” I asked.
“You’re in some serious pain. Quit being a fuckin’ idiot and go to the doctor. Pain like that you shouldn’t let go. One day, you’re fine and the next, you can’t work, and you’ve lost your job.”
“What the fu—that shit isn’t gonna happen,” I said.
“You really wanna take that chance with lil’ Jenna?” he asked.
“Don’t bring my daughter into this bullshit, Mike. I’m just sore from some good pussy is all.”
I was hoping a redirect would get him off the topic, and for a second, Mike’s eyes gleamed. I could tell I’d piqued his interest, and I was bracing myself for the questions that would rattle off his tongue. I started thinking about the details Lucy wouldn’t be too upset with me sharing while leaving out all the good bits for our memories alone, but Mike’s face settled back down into a stern look, and I knew what that meant.
It meant he was on a train that wasn’t going to be changing tracks anytime soon.
“I know what you’re tryin’ to do, and that was a good try at redirecting me. But, I’m not lettin’ this go. You’re gettin’ laid? Perfect. You lose that arm, she probably ain’t gonna wanna ride those fingers of yours anymore,” he said.
“The fuck’s wrong with you?” I asked. “And how the hell did you—”
“Hey, you’re the one that brought up good pussy,” Mike said with his hands up. “But seriously. My uncle ended up getting tuberculosis one year, and it started as a small pain in his arm. He put off the doctor and put off the doctor and just kept poppin’ drug store painkillers for the pain, but eventually, it took its toll. His kidney crashed from all the store-bought meds, his eyes turned yellow, and he lost all this fucking weight. Dude, my uncle almost died.”
“Are you saying I have TB?” I asked.
“I’m saying that with you havin’ a daughter and apparently gettin’ your dick wet with some decent pussy, you should take into consideration those around you. My uncle was selfish with not gettin’ a doctor’s help, and it almost forced my aunt to bury the selfish fucker. Go to the damn doctor so you don’t lose your job or your life.”
“You’re serious right now, aren’t you?” I snickered.
“As a fucking heart attack. Which reminds me, it is your right or left arm that hurts?”
I shoved him playfully before I winced again. I rubbed my shoulder and tried to massage it off, but every single time I moved it over a certain part of my shoulder that aching pain started up again. Sometimes, it would come from my wrist, and sometimes it would originate at my elbow, but every single time it would shoot up into the deep recesses of my shoulder joint and practically swallow me whole.
This morning, Jenna had come running at me, and I’d thrown my arms out to catch her, and the moment she descended into my arms, I had to drop back onto my ass to keep from dropping her onto the floor. I’d pulled her close so she didn’t see the tears in my eyes, but that was the first time the pain was ever that bad. Sure, it’d been sore, and I had trouble moving some things around the shop, but that searing pain after Jenna jumped into my arms was the first time it had brought tears to my eyes.
The second time? Just a few minutes before when I tried to put that damn box on the fucking shelf.
“Plus, if it is serious and you let it go, you might not be able to treat it once you do break down and go to the doctor,” Mike said. “Then, you’re really fucked.”
“Dude. It’s not like I’ve got cancer or some shit. She probably just rode my arm too hard with that sweet pussy of hers and made me sore,” I said.
“See? On any other day, I’d take that bait, especially since everyone in this damn town knows you’re bangin’ your neighbor.”
“Wait. What?” I asked.
“Yeah. Everyone knows you’re with Lucy. None of us ever thought she’d move on from David,” Mike said. “But looks like your dick convinced her otherwise.”
“Don’t you dare talk about her like that,” I said. “That woman’s strong and independent and has been through too much for some garage monkey to talk about her like she’s some decent piece of ass lookin’ to get over her dead husband.”
“Whoa, dude. Slow the fuck down,” Mike said. “You’re the one who brought up gettin’ laid. Don’t get pissed at me because I know who it is.”
“Losing a spouse is fucking hard as shit. If she never gets over him, it’s understandable,” I said.
“All right, all right. I get it, dude. Yikes. Anyway, small town, man. Get used to it. Now, go to the fucking doctor before I kick your ass outta this garage and lock you out until you go.”
“You can’t do that. You don’t own the place,” I said.
“Yeah, but I do,” my boss said as he rounded the corner. “You’ve been droppin’ shit for two days. Go to the doctor, or I’m canceling your work next week until you do.”
“Seriously?”
“As a heart attack. By the way, did you ask if it was his right or left arm?” my boss asked Mike.
“Yeah. I asked, but he didn’t answer. He’s rubbin’ his right shoulder, though, so I think we’re in the clear for that,” Mike said.
“I’m not having a damn heart attack,” I said.
“Well, you ain’t a doctor. Get to one so you know for sure. And if you don’t wanna do it for yourself or your job, do it so Jenna don’t lose her father.”
“You’ve got no right to talk about Jenna and me that way,” I said, growling.
“I do when you don’t give a shit about your health. You got yourself a beautiful little girl. I see the way she looks at you. Go to the doctor so she can look at you like that when she’s walkin’ across her high school graduation stage, dude. Quit being an asshat.”
“And, if all else fails, I’ll just smoke you out with no paycheck,” my boss said.
“Fine. Fine, fine, fine. I’ll make a fucking appointment. Hell, I’ll do it right now in front of you both so I don’t fucking starve.”
“Good,” Mike said.
I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found our general doctor. The only clinic in town specialized in absolutely every age and condition, and the perky receptionist helped me to schedule an appointment for the day after tomorrow. Mike crossed his arms and smirked while I got the time for the appointment, and my boss took out his phone, no doubt scrolling through the schedule so he could alter it.
“Thank you, ma’am, for all your help,” I hung up. “There, you happy?”
“Sh
e sounded hot,” Mike said, grinning.
“Got your schedule cleared for the day after tomorrow,” my boss said.
“All day?” I asked.
“Yep. Get to the doctor, then go rest that damn arm. If you break something in here, it comes outta your paycheck, and I don’t wanna be the reason some little girl around this town starves herself half to death.”
“Fine. Whatever. I got work to do, you guys,” I said.
“Take it easy,” Mike said.
“Let us know what happens,” my boss said.
“But I’m tellin’ you guys, it really is nothing.” I grabbed for another box off the floor.
It went tumbling to the ground when the pain in my elbow shot all the way up to my shoulder.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lucy
Work was rough, but I didn’t care. Customers were sending orders back because something was wrong, and people were complaining about their coffee not being hot enough, but I didn’t care. Kevin was on my ass about cleaning off booths quicker than I was, and Fred was bitching at me about how customers were greedy and full of themselves, but I couldn’t find it in me to be upset. I felt on top of the world, and no one could knock me off my pedestal.
“Miss? Miss! Are you even listening to me? I asked for cherry Coke, not vanilla.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Let me go get you a fresh cup,” I said.
“She’s probably not even all there,” I heard the customer whisper.
On any other day, that comment would’ve fired me up. I could feel Kevin’s eyes on me while he waited for my reaction, and I could see the look of shock roll across his face when I set the new drink down in front of the rude patron without another word said. I had finally said it. I had finally told Jason I loved him after feeling it in my gut for days now, and he had smiled back at me. Did he say it back? No. But, he smiled, and for someone’s who’s lost a spouse, that’s just as good as saying it back.
I felt alive again, being in love with someone. I felt like I’d opened my eyes for the first time since I closed them at David’s funeral, and the world was brighter around me for it. Colors were more vibrant, and sounds had more sensuality. People’s voices had deeper, richer tones, and my smiles reached nearly all the way to my ears. My coworkers were staring at me like I was some sort of mutant, but I didn’t care.
I was in love with Jason, and nothing could knock me off that stool.
“Miss? I asked for my eggs over medium, not hard.”
“Oh, but hard’s the best,” I said, winking. “Would you like our cook to wilt them down a bit for you?”
I heard Fred cackle from the kitchen while I whisked the plate back to him, and before I could get out of the window, I saw another hand shoot up for me in my peripheral.
“Ma’am? Someone poured me ginger ale instead of Sprite,” he said. “The two aren’t even the same color.”
“Well, we don’t see color here, sir. A bit rude nowadays. But, I’ll be happy to get you another drink,” I said.
Kevin was snickering in the corner, trying his hardest to keep his laughs at bay. Fred was thoroughly entertained by my responses, and Angie had intentionally dropped out of helping just to see what I would do.
But I didn’t care. More tips for me.
“Ma’am? You, the one with the frizzy hair, can you come here?”
I looked over at a woman sitting in the corner, and it felt as if the entire room had stopped. I trotted over to her with a big smile on my face, but before I could say anything, she thrust her piece of pie in front of my face.
“This piece of pie isn’t big enough. If I’m gonna pay five bucks for it, it better be a decent size,” she said.
“Honey, I couldn’t agree more. The bigger, the better I always say.”
Angie dipped behind the counter and started giggling while Fred launched into a laughing fit. Kevin sliced the woman a bigger slice of chocolate pie as I turned my back toward the woman. I darted out my tongue to take a deep lick of the luscious, creamy chocolate that sat on the plate. Even some of the customers were covering their mouths to try and hide their laughter, and Kevin brushed by me with a piece of pie that seemed bigger than the plate itself.
“I’m so sorry about the issue with the pie. Please accept this piece, free of charge,” he said.
“Oh, that’s a good deal. A thick slice of pie free of charge? Don’t we all wish we could get that same deal?”
Kevin shooed me into the kitchen with Fred, and I felt Angie hot on my heels. Tears were dripping from Fred’s eyes as he cooked the last of the orders in the window, and I sat on a stool behind him while I continued to scoop the pie up with my tongue.
“All right, Lucy. Spill. Who is screwing you and how big is his dick? Because for you to be this happy, it must be massive,” Angie said.
“What? Can’t a girl just be happy for once in her life?” I asked.
“Honey, you ain’t been happy since David licked that pussy so good you came in with a headache,” Fred said.
“God, that was a good one, too,” I said, sighing.
“Holy shit. Someone mentioned David, and you didn’t completely recoil,” Angie said.
“What? Look, I took the advice you guys gave me. It was time I left things behind me and ventured out into the world. So, I did.”
“Uh huh. And, uh, who you venturing with?” Fred asked.
“Holy shit, are you still having sex with your neighbor?” Angie asked.
“When in the world did you assume I was having sex with Jason? I never told you guys,” I said.
“Oh, you been hoppin’ on that mechanic dick, girl. Shit, tell me everything,” Fred said.
“Are the rumors true?” Angie asked. “Are you just another notch on his bedpost?”
“Not even kind of,” I said, smiling.
“Girl, quit hidin’ the details. We got a lull up in here. Spill, bitch,” Fred said.
“Well, Jason certainly knows how to wield all sorts of appendages in bed,” I said.
“Woo, girl. How many times? You coming multiple times? Because those are the best sex sessions,” Fred said.
“Multiple times, in many positions, in other places of his house,” I said.
“Oh. My. God. Is he huge? I bet he’s huge. Does he stick it in and poke your heart?” Angie asked.
“Woo, it’s gettin’ hot in here,” Fred said as he fanned himself.
I threw my head back and laughed at Angie’s comment, and I could feel their eyes on me. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and for the first time since David died, tears of happiness burned behind my eyes. Never had I felt so filled with glee in my life, and I took a deep breath before I hooked my eyes onto Angie.
“I really enjoy the time I spend with him, you guys,” I said.
“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t listen to those rumors then,” she said.
“Yeah, or take our advice to stay away,” Fred said, “because we ain’t seen you this happy in years.”
“How do you feel about all of this?” Angie asked.
“I mean, I feel really good about it. His daughter is adorable, and Jason is just this strong, understanding man. I feel like I can talk to him about anything now, and God knows he understands how to work a woman’s body.”
“Mhm. Get it, girl,” Fred said.
“Do you care about him?” Angie asked.
I turned the question over in my head. Should I tell them the extent of my feelings for him? Should I tell them I’d told Jason I loved him? How would they react after not even knowing anything was happening between the two of us?
I decided to keep that tidbit to myself, at least for now.
“I do. I do care about him,” I said. “I feel like, for the first time in three years, I’m really moving on from David’s death. At first, I was petrified, you know? About losing Jason or him getting sick or some bullshit like that, but now? We go on dates and watch movies cuddled up on the couch. He calls me whenever he wants just to see
how I’m doing, and his daughter comes over sometimes just to say hi. It really is wonderful, and I’m very lucky to have found him,” I said.
“Ooooo, Lucy. You got it bad,” Fred said. “You need a cheeseburger.”
“I need a cheeseburger because I care for someone?” I asked, giggling.
“No, I need a cheeseburger. But I’m makin’ you one, too.”
“Then make me one,” Angie said.
“You gettin’ that good dick?” he asked.
“Well, no. Not right now,” Angie said.
“Then you get a salad,” he said.
“Why do I get a salad and she gets a cheeseburger?” Angie asked.
“Because she needs that grease to lube up that pussy of hers. Yours stalled out. You can deal,” Fred said.
I clapped my hands before I held my aching stomach. The look on Angie’s face was priceless, and I couldn't catch my breath. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed this hard with my coworkers, and it felt as if my life had finally ticked back into place. Everything that had become so disoriented after losing David was suddenly beginning to spin back and glue themselves into the right places, and it was because I had fallen in love with Jason.
It was because I had opened myself up to the idea of being happy, even though David wasn’t alive to enjoy it alongside me.
“You want chili on this burger? Because if you gettin’ it every day, you need chili on this burger,” Fred said.
“Sure, I’ll take some chili.”
“Well, while Fred makes my rabbit food, I have a question,” Angie said.
“Shoot,” I said.
“Do you see a future with Jason?”
I rolled the question around in my head, and I could tell Fred’s ears were trained on me. Honestly? I could see it. I wasn’t ready to get married or anything, but I could see myself staying by Jason’s side for a very long time. I felt a smile slowly creep across my cheeks, and Angie clapped her hands in triumph like she had just discovered the lost treasure of Atlantis or discovered a cure for the common cold.