“Are you and mom ok?” she asked.
“Yeah, we’re ok.” I smiled as I kissed the top of her head.
After dinner, I went back to my apartment. I opened the door and stepped inside. I didn’t see Sam or Gretchen. I didn’t have to see them; I could hear them before I reached the hallway. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the apartment. I didn’t need to sit and listen to them having sex. I stood in the hallway and thought about going to Bernie’s, but I decided I wasn’t up for it, especially since I was driving Lily and Charley to school tomorrow morning. I stood and stared at Lily’s door. I couldn’t stop thinking about her and the way she held onto me while on the motorcycle. She held on as if her life depended on it. She trusted me even though she was scared to death to get on that bike. I smiled for a moment and thought about knocking on her door. I decided it wasn’t a good idea, so I went back inside the apartment, took my guitar from the stand, and sat down on the couch. I played a few chords as loud as I could to let Sam know I was home.
***
I slammed my hand down on the beeping alarm clock. I was so damn tired from being kept awake all night while Sam and Gretchen acted like they’ve never had sex before. I stumbled out of bed and threw on a pair jeans and my black t-shirt. I ran the brush through my hair and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Gretchen was in the kitchen, pouring coffee.
“Good morning. You must be Luke,” Gretchen said as she held out her hand.
“Yeah, and you must be Gretchen,” I replied as I shook her hand.
I looked around and didn’t see Sam. “Where’s Sam?” I asked as I poured my coffee into my to-go cup.
“He ran to get some bagels; he’ll be back soon.”
I looked at the clock at it was 6:40 a.m. “I have to go. It was nice meeting you, Gretchen,” I said as I walked out the door and up the stairs to get Charley. Just as I reached the top step, she was coming out of her apartment.
“Morning, Uncle Luke.” She smiled.
“Morning, peanut,” I said as I patted the top of her head. “Do you have everything you need?”
“Yes, Uncle Luke.” She sighed.
We walked down the stairs as Lily was coming out of her apartment. “Perfect timing!” She smiled as she held up her coffee cup.
“This is so cool that I get to drive my teacher to school!” Charley shrieked.
Lily looked nice. Oh hell, she looked beautiful. Every time I looked at her, I felt like I’ve met her before. Her long, blonde hair was straight, and she was wearing a long cream-colored skirt with a light pink top and high heels. Damn, I wish my teachers looked like that when I was growing up. She’s going to give those boys their first hard-ons. When she smiled, her bluish-gray eyes lit up.
“Good morning you two,” Lily said.
“Morning,” I spoke back.
“Good morning, Miss Gilmore,” Charley said as she took Lily’s hand and led her to the Jeep.
Charley climbed into the back as Lily sat in the passenger side. She looked at me and smiled.
“A Jeep Wrangler fits you. I like it better than that motorcycle you ride.”
“Thanks.” I smiled back. “But I like my bike, so you’ll get used to it.” I winked.
“Keep dreaming.” She smiled.
I pulled into the school parking lot. Charley got out and leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. “Bye, Uncle Luke.” She waved.
“Bye, peanut, have a good day.”
Lily got out of the car and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Thanks for the ride, Luke. Have a good day,” she said as she started to walk away.
“Hey, Lily!” I yelled out. She stopped, turned around, and looked at me. “I can pick you up at the end of the day and take you to the garage to get your car.”
“Sounds good; I’ll see you later.” She smiled as she turned around.
I caught myself staring at her as she walked into the school. For the first time in over a year, a woman made me smile. Sam was right. Lily’s a nice girl—a very nice girl—and I can’t stop thinking about her. I found myself thinking of her in ways that I haven’t thought about since…
8
Lily
I sat quietly at my desk while the students were having their daily reading time. I was trying to concentrate on grading papers, but the only thing on my mind was Luke Matthews. Why does he have to be so damn sexy? Why does the universe have to light up every time he smiles? Why does he have to have such a great body? Why does he have to live next door?
I found myself thinking about him more and more; that was something I didn’t bargain for when I moved to Santa Monica. I was distracted by the chiming of my cell phone. I looked over at the screen and saw a message from Giselle.
“Gretchen had a date last night with Sam, but she never came home. I guess she got a piece of that hot man!”
“Lucky girl,” I replied back.
“Do you want to meet up for dinner and drinks tonight?” Giselle asked.
“I can’t. I’m going with Luke and Charley to the carnival.”
“Who’s Charley?”
“She’s Luke’s niece who also happens to be one of my students.”
“We have some catching up to do. Call me later, and let’s set up dinner.”
“I will. Bye.”
I immediately sent Gretchen a text message.
“Did you have sex with Sam?” I asked.
A few minutes later, she replied, “Yes I did. It was wonderful, Lily. He’s a GOD in bed.”
I smiled at her reply. “I’m glad you had fun. Are you still at his place?”
“Yeah, I’m getting ready to leave. I have a photo shoot across town in an hour.”
“Is Luke there?” I asked.
“No, he’s not. Why are you asking?”
“I was just wondering. I have to go; reading time is over.”
I wondered why Luke didn’t tell me that Gretchen stayed the night. After all, she’s my best friend. The rest of the day went quickly, and before I knew it, the bell rang, and the children scurried out of the classroom. As I stood by the door saying goodbye to the students, Maddie walked in.
“Hi, Maddie.” I smiled.
“Mommy!” Charley exclaimed as she came running from the other side of the room.
“I saw Luke outside. He’s taking you to pick up your car?” she asked.
“Yes, he is.” I nodded my head.
“That’s great. It’s good to see that Luke’s helping you.”
I thought that was an odd thing to say, and I wondered what she meant by it. My mind went back to what Charley had said about Luke’s girlfriend dying.
“Bye, Miss Gilmore, I’ll see you later!” Charley smiled.
“Bye, Charley. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Have a good time tonight, Lily,” Maddie said as she took Charley by the hand and left the classroom.
I grabbed my bags and headed to the parking lot. I smiled when I saw Luke’s Jeep parked in front and Luke sitting in it with his Ray Bans on. I felt a rush of sensation down below. I hated myself for that. He turned to me and smiled as I climbed inside.
“Did you have a good day?” he asked.
“I did. Thank you for asking.” I smiled. “How about you?”
“I fixed a couple of toilets, a leaky sink, and changed a light bulb for the woman in 4B.”
“I didn’t know you changed light bulbs.” I smirked.
“I can do just about anything.”
“So, if I needed my light bulb changed, then you’d change it for me?” I couldn’t believe what I just said. What the hell is the matter with me?
Luke looked over at me as the corners of his mouth turned upwards. “Just call me, and I’ll be over in a flash. I can change anything you want.”
“How can I call you if I don’t have your number?” Oh my god, I have no control over my mouth. Why is this happening? This isn’t me.
We were stopped at a light. “Give me your phone,” he said as he held out his hand.
I looked at him strangely then placed my phone in his hand. He typed in his number and handed it back to me.
“There, now you have my number. If you need anything fixed, call me,” he said as he took off from the light.
As we were driving to the garage to pick up my Explorer, a song came on the radio that was all too familiar to me. Luke reached over and turned it up. I looked the other way; it was one of my dad’s songs.
“I love this song,” Luke said. “Do you know it?”
“I’ve heard it a few times,” I said as I looked down at my phone.
We finally reached the garage. Luke parked the Jeep, and we both got out.
“Hey, Huey,” he said as they fist-bumped each other.
“Hey, Luke. We need to hit the bar sometime, man,” Huey said.
“I know. It’s been a while,” Luke agreed. “This is Lily. Lily, this is Huey.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Huey,” I said as I held out my hand.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Lily. Your truck’s all fixed and ready to go.”
I paid Huey what I owed and thanked him as he led me to where the Explorer was parked. Luke followed close behind.
I got inside and turned the key. Luke walked over, and I rolled down the window.
“I’ll follow you home just in case it breaks down again.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I smiled.
He turned away, and I couldn’t help but stare as his fine ass as he walked back to his Jeep. It didn’t matter what side of him you saw, front or back, he was still sexy as hell.
***
I drove home, and Luke followed behind me. We pulled into the parking spaces next to each other and walked inside the building.
“What time should I be ready tonight?” I asked.
“Charley will be at my place around 7:00 p.m. So, we’ll pick you up then.”
“Sounds great, and thanks again for your help,” I said as I slid my key into the lock.
“No problem. I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” he said as he entered his apartment and shut the door.
I threw my bags on the kitchen counter and walked to the bathroom for a quick shower. I stepped out and headed to the bedroom. I had no idea what I was going to wear. I was standing in my room, in a towel, when I heard a knock on the door.
Shit, I thought. I looked out the peephole and saw Giselle standing there. I unlocked it and opened the door, standing behind it. Giselle walked in and looked at me.
“I bet you were wishing I was Luke right now.” She smiled.
“Very funny,” I said. “What brings you over?”
Giselle followed me to the bedroom. “I had an appointment not too far from here, and I just thought I’d stop by. What’s going on with you and Luke anyway?”
“Nothing; we’re just friends. Why, do you think something’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Wishful thinking, I guess.” She smiled. “Do you even find him attractive?”
I pulled out my jean shorts from the drawer and put them on. “Of course I find him attractive. Have you seen his ass? You’d have to be blind not to see that.”
“Well, at least you find him hot; that’s a start,” she said as she sat on the bed.
“You know my past, and you know I won’t go down that road again. I’m happy the way I am.”
“Lily, stop trying to convince yourself. You’re twenty-six years old, and you’ve vowed to stay single and not date guys for the rest of your life. Sorry, honey, but it’s not going to happen unless you join the convent.”
“Very funny, Giselle,” I said as I put on my black tank top. I picked up my brush from the dresser and starting running it through my hair. “Should I wear my hair up?” I asked as I looked in the mirror.
“Why does it matter? It’s not like you’re trying to impress anyone,” she said.
I shot her a look and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Giselle followed behind me.
“You know I love you, right?” she asked. “I just want you to be happy and not become some old cat lady who keeps herself locked up with her twelve cats.”
I laughed as I rinsed my mouth and spat in the sink. “I don’t even have a cat.”
“Not yet, you don’t, but you’ve been talking about maybe getting one.”
I smiled and smacked her on the arm as I left the bathroom. I grabbed my black cowboy boots from the closet and put them on. I twirled around the living room.
“What do you think?” I asked.
“I think you look hot, and Luke isn’t going to know what hit him when he sees you.” Giselle smiled. “There’s nothing sexier to a man than short jean shorts, tank tops, and cowboy boots.”
I tilted my head. “How do you know that?” I asked.
“I dated a cowboy once.”
“Oh yeah, that creepy guy from Montana that wouldn’t let you take your boots off during sex and wanted you to ride him on a bull.”
“Yep, that’s the one.” She laughed.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The second I opened it, Luke looked me up and down.
“What did I tell you?” Giselle whispered in my ear as she walked by me. “Have fun everyone, and Lily, make sure you call me tomorrow.”
“Hi, Charley,” I said as I patted her head. “Hi, Luke.” I smiled.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“I sure am. Just let me grab my purse and camera.”
I turned around and headed towards my bedroom. I could feel his eyes staring at me as I walked away. You know that feeling you get when you know someone’s looking at you? That’s the feeling I had. I grabbed my purse, put my camera around my neck, and walked back to the living room.
“You look really pretty, Miss Gilmore,” Charley said. “Uncle Luke, doesn’t she look pretty?” Charley asked as she tugged on his pant leg.
“Yes, Charley, Miss Gilmore does look pretty,” Luke said in embarrassment.
Charley looked at me and winked. I needed to watch out for this little girl. We climbed into Luke’s Jeep and headed for the carnival.
“Nice camera. I take it you like to take pictures,” he said.
“Yeah, I love taking pictures. Photography has always been a passion of mine. Someday, I’d love to work for a big magazine.”
“You mean like National Geographic or something like that?” He smiled as he looked over at me.
I nodded my head. “Yeah, something like that.” I smiled back.
***
Charley’s eyes lit up the moment she saw the lights. “I can’t wait to get inside!” she said with excitement as she grabbed onto our hands and dragged us through the parking lot. Luke looked over at me and smiled. We got to the gate, and I pulled out my wallet to pay for my ticket.
“I got your ticket,” he said.
“I can buy my own ticket, Luke.”
“Charley invited you, so I’m buying your ticket.”
We stepped up to the window, and he purchased three wristbands. I tried to give him my money, but he wouldn’t take it.
“If I let you buy my ticket, then this becomes a date. I don’t do dates,” I said to him.
He stared at me for a minute. “I can assure you that this isn’t a date. I don’t do dates either.”
“Will you two stop it and hurry up,” Charley said with an attitude.
“I’ll make you a deal,” Luke said. “You can buy the food.”
“Deal,” I said as I held out my hand to him, and we shook on it.
We both held one of Charley’s hands as we walked around the carnival. The lights were bright, and the music coming from the games was loudly blaring through the speakers. Charley saw a ride she wanted to go on, so we waited in line.
“Do you watch Charley a lot?” I asked as I looked at Luke.
“Yeah, I do. I try to help Maddie out as much as I can. It’s hard being a single parent.”
“I’m sure it is. I could only imagine,” I said.
“What about your parents?”
“They help out a lot. Right now, they’re on a month long cruise.”
“They own the apartments?” I asked.
“Yes. They’ve owned those apartments for over twenty years. I remember them buying the building when I was seven years old. It’s where Maddie and I spent most of our childhood. What about you?” he asked.
I didn’t want to talk about my childhood or my family. It wasn’t a topic that I was comfortable with. The only thing I ever wanted was a normal, happy childhood. I can thank mommy and daddy for not giving me that. I felt horrible for having to lie to Luke about my family, but I didn’t want him to know about how horrible they were. I didn’t want to be judged for their actions. And as far as I’m concerned, my family is dead.
“I grew up in Seattle with my parents and my sister. They died a couple of years ago in an accident.”
Luke looked at me, and I could see the empathy in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“Thank you. I don’t like to talk about it,” I said so he wouldn’t ask me any other questions.
Luke nodded his head. We finally arrived to the front of the line, and Charley got on the ride. We stood there, waving to her as the car she was sitting in sped by us.
“She’s a great little girl.” I smiled.
“She’s the best,” Luke said. “She’s a huge part of my life, and I will do anything to protect her.”
I looked at him and smiled. The ride ended, and Charley got off. She grabbed onto our hands once again and led us over to the games.
“Miss Gilmore, do you like to play games?” she asked as she looked up at me.
“I love to play games, Charley.”
“So does my uncle Luke.” She winked.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Charley, when we’re not in school, you can call me Lily.”
“Really?!” she asked in excitement.
Luke looked over at me and laughed. “Just remember though, she’s Miss Gilmore during school hours,” he said.
“Ok, I’ll remember,” she said as she led us to the game that had the huge, stuffed purple cat hanging from the tent. “I want that cat, Uncle Luke,” she begged.
I laughed as we approached the milk bottle toss. There was no question that Luke was going to win that cat for Charley. He paid the guy behind the booth as he handed him three baseballs. He told Luke to stand behind the line. I looked at him and frowned.