Page 32 of Lucky Mother Pucker

Leo’s brow furrows. “Why not?”

I hug my arms around myself, steeling myself for yet another confession.

I don’t want to tell him this. It’s yet another thing that makes me look poor and pathetic. But I owe it to him to be honest. He’s gone out of his way for me. He helped me. The least I could do is tell him the truth when he asks for it.

“I can’t get Wally because he’s in a shelter, and they’re closed for the night.”

The confusion in his frown etches deeper.

“Wally’s my dog,” I say.

His brow lifts slightly. “Oh.”

“And I can’t get him because I need an address to adopt him from the shelter, but I don’t have one. Because I’m homeless.”

I can’t bear to look at his face when his expression turns to raw pity, so I look away. I glance off to the side, at the rows of cars parked around us. I focus on the traffic sounds in the distance. I look down and count the cracks in the concrete underneath my sneakers.

“Shit, Lucy. I…”

I close my eyes, hugging my arms tighter around my body. “Don’t say it.”

Leo huffs out a breath. I wait for him to do it. To tell me that he’s sorry for the millionth time.

But as the silence stretches between us, he stays quiet.

When I finally work up the nerve to look at him, I’m surprised by the intensity in his gaze. There’s no pity there. Just a watchfulness that makes me feel…cared for.

A second later, the sound of a car engine pulls our focus ahead. I look up and see a pair of headlights cutting through the dark sky.

My car pulls up to us. The guy kills the engine, climbs out of the driver’s seat, and leaves the door open.

He coughs, then spits on the ground. “All yours,” he grumbles.

Leo glowers at him. He looks like he’s going to chew the guy out, but he stays quiet.

I bend down and reach across the driver’s seat to the glove box, then grab the owner’s manual. My heart hammers as I open it up and see the cash I stashed.

I let out a breath, relieved that all my money is still there.

When I step back out of the car, Leo is staring at the backseat, which is crammed with boxes, bags, and suitcases.

“You’re living in your car, aren’t you?” he asks.

I nod, that wave of embarrassment washing over me once more.

Every muscle in my body is twitching to hop in my car and drive off. This night has been humiliating enough. I just want to be alone for a minute. And sleep. God, I’d kill for a good night’s sleep.

“It’s getting late. I should go.” I shuffle my feet. “Thank you again for everything you did for me. I’m sure I’ll see you around at the diner. And hey, I know you won’t let me pay you back, but your next meal is on me. It’s the least I could do.”

He rubs the back of his neck, looking like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.

“Goodnight.” I start to climb into my car.

“You can’t sleep in your car,” he says.

I turn back around. “What?”

“You can’t sleep in your car,” he says again. “It’s not safe.”