Page 3 of Screwed

“You should tell him. Arlo is a good guy. He won’t hurt you.”

“You don’t know that,” I tell her as Flynn opens the door.

His eyes go right to Madelyn and my heart kicks in my chest as I see the way that he’s looking at her. I want someone to look at me like that. Like I’m their everything. Like their whole day just got better by simply seeing my face.

My eyes stray back to Arlo and I can see him watching the front of my shop through the window.

I want him to look at me the same way that Flynn looks at Madelyn.

I wonder what my grandma would have said about all of this. She always encouraged me to step out of my comfort zones, so I’m guessing that she would be with Madelyn on this. She would have called Arlo fine or dreamy or some other adjective that would have made me laugh and ask her where she heard that word. She probably would be able to talk me into asking him out too. She had a way of convincing me to do anything.

My heart breaks a tiny bit in my chest, the same way that it does every time that I think about my grandma. I miss her and I would do anything to get just a little more time with her. I wish that she was still here with me.

“Are you ready to go home now?” Flynn asks Madelyn and she nods, rising up onto her tiptoes so that she can kiss his lips.

I look away, trying to give them some privacy. I’m used to Flynn and Madelyn being touchy-feely. They were pretty much a couple before they were actually a couple so I should be used to it. It feels like things have ramped up a bit since they made it official though.

“Hey, Iris. How’s it going?” Flynn asks me as he wraps his arm around her waist.

“Pretty good.”

I follow them back outside and lock up as they hold hands and try to decide what to get for dinner.

“Want to join us?” Madelyn asks and I shake my head.

“I made a pot roast in the Crock-Pot this morning, but thanks,” I tell them honestly.

“See you tomorrow?” She asks and I nod.

“See you!” Flynn calls as they head over to his car and I wave as I head down the street a few parking spaces to my own car.

Arlo is still by his car. He’s hauling some stuff inside but he stops when he spots me and raises his hand in a wave.

My face flushes and I wonder if I should wave back or pretend that I wasn’t staring at him and just head to my car.

He’s looking right at me so I lift my hand, weakly waving at him before I hurry over to the driver’s side of my car and slip inside.

I try not to look at him as I reverse onto Main Street and drive past him and the bar. I can’t help but sneak a look in the rearview mirror though once I’m past him and my heart clenches when I see him standing in the same spot, staring after me.