Filed to story: Breathe Story (Sadie White & Jax Stone)
“You think my mess is funny, huh?”
I shrugged and let out another laugh I couldn’t hold back. I reached under my plate and handed him my napkin.
“Thanks.” He took the napkin and cleaned himself up. “Are you having fun?” he asked after he cleaned the barbecue off his face.
“Yes, I am. I feel like the youngest one here, but I am having fun.”
Marcus nodded. “You are the youngest one here. I forget my old crowd has all aged just like me.”
“No, I have really enjoyed myself.”
Preston, whose attention seemed to be focused our way, shook his head.
“I’m afraid my friend over there likes you. You’re going to have to just ignore him.”
I frowned. “He likes me! With all these older, more attractive women around?”
Marcus cut his eyes back at me and studied my face a minute, and he smiled. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“Believe what?”
“You believe the other girls here are better than you.”
I laughed and shrugged. “I’m not blind, Marcus.”
Marcus raised his eyebrows. “Either you are blind, or you don’t have a mirror at home. Keep doing stuff as sweet as blushing, and you’re going to have Preston singing love ballads outside your window.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I seriously hope not.”
Marcus looked at Preston. “He really likes legs, and you happen to be attached to the best pair I’ve seen in a really long time. But I think you hooked him when you batted your baby blue eyes at him and smiled.”
I frowned. “I don’t recall batting my eyes at anyone, and my legs are just long and skinny.”
Marcus smiled. “I hope you always stay this way. Sweet and innocent. But I want to be the one to enlighten you. Your legs are sexy as hell, and your eyelashes are so thick and long that when you blink it looks like you’re batting them, and it is very attractive.”
I wasn’t sure I believed him but I smiled anyway. “You’re a nice guy. Thanks for trying to make me feel better.”
“Is that what I’m doing?” he asked with a teasing grin.
I smiled. “I think so.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Sure, whatever you say, Sadie.”
On Wednesday night, Marcus came to find me in the garden. “Hey, Sadie, the Stone family is dining at a friend’s house tonight, so I’m heading out early. How much longer until you get off?”
I glanced over at Mr. Greg who seemed to be really suffering from his arthritis today and I knew I couldn’t leave early. It wouldn’t hurt me to ride my bike home this evening. “You go on ahead. I have some work left here. Besides, I want to stop off at the grocery and pick up a few things on my way home.”
Marcus frowned at me as if he were trying to decide something. Finally, he said, “I really don’t like the idea of you riding home after dark, and then trying to ride a bike with bags of groceries.”
I started to argue with him and assure him everything would be just fine, but his gaze left mine and landed on something behind me.