Page 65 of Ride or Die

I turn. “Yeah, bud?”

His eyes flash with something when they meet mine, and it hits me in the center of my chest, knocking the wind right out of me.

“Please don’t hurt her,” he says, his small voice almost lost to the breeze blowing through the truck.

I glance back to the road before meeting his eyes again and, shaking my head, I look at him dead straight. “You have my word.”

By the time Tommy and I make it back to the house, the sun has set, but the front yard is alive with fairy lights I ain’t ever seen before, strung up between the house and the big old cottonwood, twinkling overhead, the rickety old picnic table dressed with a red and white checked cloth and laden with plates and silverware, and a bowl full of crisp fresh salad.

I look up in time to see Clara walk down from the porch steps carrying a big serving dish with what appears to be lasagna and immediately my stomach growls. Whether it’s from the lasagna or the sight of her in that dress is yet to be determined, but my god I can’t recall a time I’ve ever been this damnhungry.

“Truck go okay?” she asks with a casual smile as she breezes past me to the table, placing the lasagna down in the center.

“Uh, yeah,” I say, rubbing at the pinch in the back of my neck.

“Is that garlic bread?” Tommy gasps.

I glance from Clara, to the table, suddenly awkward as hell. I point to my truck, with a muttered, “I’ll let you guys eat.”

“Join us,” Clara says with a genuine smile.

“Yeah, Cole, join us,” Tommy says with a knowing smirk, and I spear him with a deadpan look which only makes him snicker to himself.

“There’s plenty,” Clara assures me.

“I put extra cheese on top!” Billie beams proudly.

“Well, now, how can I say no to extra cheese?” I chuckle. “Just let me just go wash up.” I hold my still filthy hands in the air as proof.

“You go wash up too, Tom,” Clara says, looking pointed at Tommy.

I look down, side-eyeing Tommy. “I’ll race ya.” And before he can move to action, I get a head start, running for the house followed by the sound of his devilish chuckle closing in behind me.

CHAPTER 24

CLARA

Ishould be ashamed of myself. I’m like a teenager, giddy over some boy, my palms sweating, heart racing, skin prickling as I dish out lasagna for my kids. I’m fully aware of Cole’s presence right there in front of me. The weight of his unrelenting gaze is overwhelming but in the best kind of way that makes my belly clench with eager anticipation, like that feeling of being on a roller coaster as it reaches the crest of its very first peak.

After I finish serving, I take my seat, releasing the breath I’ve been holding. My eyes meet Cole’s across the table while Billie drowns out the silence as she gushes over school, her new bestie, Brooklyn, and her teacher, Miss Darcy, who just so happens to be a friend of Cole’s. Apparently this is what it’s like living in a small town where almost everyone knows everybody else.

“And we havetwohamsters,” Billie says.

“You do?” Cole asks, genuinely interested as he cuts into his lasagna.

“Mm-hmm.” Billie nods. “One is named Francis and the other is named Silvia. And they’re”—a smirk curls my daughter’s lips as she looks about all devious, lowering her voice to a stage whisper and holding her hand up to the side of her mouth—“boyfriend and girlfriend.” Slapping a palm over her mouth, she giggles.

“Uh-oh.” Cole chuckles, his gaze sliding to me as he reaches for the salad bowl.

“So, how was the truck?” I ask, steering the topic of conversation away from boyfriends and girlfriends.

“So cool!” Tommy beams.

Cole grins. “I’ll get her down to Rick’s garage soon so he can check her over, but I think she’s all good.”

“Why is she a she?” Billie asks, her little forehead puckered with confusion.

“Who?” Cole asks, just as confused.