Page 27 of Temptress
“Oh, sweetie, thank you so much for the invite, but I’m actually on my way to visit a friend right now.”
My heart cracked when the happiness melted off her face. “Oh,” she said sadly. “Okay. Sorry.” Man, that pout of hers was potent as hell, and I found myself speaking my next words before I could give them a moment’s thought. Anything to put that smile back on her face.
“But, if it’s cool with your dad, I’m sure Lucille wouldn’t mind an extra person tagging along. She’s actually the woman who lived in the house before you guys.”
Just like that, her happiness was back, and that fist in my chest loosened its grip. “Really? It would be okay?”
“Like I said, you’d have to ask your—” I didn’t have a chance to finish my sentence before she was darting back across the lawn, yelling for her dad.
* * *
Darcy’s eyes were wide with wonder as she stared raptly at Lucille. With a fourteen-year-old in tow, Martini Night had turned into Tea and Finger Sandwiches Night, but no one really minded. Just as I’d suspected, Lucille and Darcy had hit it off instantly. And Lucille enjoyed getting to tell her fantastical stories to a fresh audience.
“No way,” Darcy breathed once Lucille finished talking about her brief yet passionate affair—the PG version, of course—with a certain famous film director who was still big in the game. “You two really dated?”
Lucille brought her cup to her lip, pinky extended in a show all for Darcy’s benefit. “Well, darling. I wouldn’t exactly call itdating—I mean, yes. For a short while,” she quickly amended when I shot her a hard look from my place on the couch beside Darcy, silently reminding her that one half of her company was, in fact, a child.
“And he really showed up on your doorstep after you broke up with him, begging for you to come back?”
Lucille nodded proudly. “Every single day for a month until I left California for greener pastures.”
Darcy let out a wistful sigh, her eyes taking on an almost dreamy quality. “That’s so romantic,” she said on a breath. “One day, I want a guy to love me like that.”
“It can be a rather intoxicating feeling, my darling, but you must remember to never ever let love change you. Never let it guide you off the course your life is supposed to be on or turn you away from you dreams. As much as I cherished that relationship, he wanted me to give up things that were important to me in order to make it work. That’s why I walked away. If a man truly loves you, dear girl, he should be willing to stand by your side as you learn to spread your wings and fly, not clip them to keep you in place.”
Darcy nodded so solemnly I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
A while later, she excused herself to go to the bathroom, and as soon as we were alone, Lucille didn’t hesitate to turn to me and announce, “Well that girl is just cute as a button if I’ve ever seen one.”
I smiled in agreement. “She’s pretty hard not to love, right?”
“Absolutely. It obvious to see you’ve grown to care about her a great deal, that must mean she’s quite special. You said she’s the daughter of the new neighbor?” Her brows lifted knowingly, her gaze shrewd as she took me in. “The very handsome cranky one?”
“Shh!” My eyes bugged out as I leaned over the arm of the couch to make sure Darcy hadn’t come out of the bathroom to hear what Lucille had just said. “Yes,” I hissed on a whisper. “And could you keep your voice down about that, please?”
Lucille waved me off without a care and daintily sipped her tea. “Oh please. The walls of this place are much thicker than you’d ever expect, my sweet girl.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Turns out, there are some rather unexpected benefits to living so close to people your own age. There’s more action happening in this building than in the Playboy Mansion in the mid 70’s.”
My face pinched up. “Oh, gross, Lucille! I don’t need to know there are a bunch of old people getting it on.” I stuck my tongue out and made a gagging sound.
She arched a well-manicured brow. “Is that jealousy I hear, my dear Sloane?”
It was, but I certainly wasn’t going to admit that. Instead, I scoffed and rolled my eyes, much like Darcy would have.
“So what about you?” she asked, sparing me by changing the subject. Unfortunately, the one she’d chosen was about as comfortable as a bunch of geriatrics getting it on like they were in the prime of their lives. “Have you found yourself a man yet?”
I had to work to keep my features from betraying me as Silas popped into my head. “No. No man, Luce, sorry to disappoint.”
She frowned, concern filling her eyes. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m not disappointed. I just wish you had someone to share your life with.” She placed the teacup back on the coffee table and took my hand, bringing it over to her lap as she clutched it tightly. “You have such a big, beautiful heart. I want you to have someone to share it with.” Her features pinched unhappily, and I knew what was coming next. “I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with what that vile woman tells you. I know she’s your mother, but you can’t let her bitterness infect you. You, my darling, are worth everything. You deserve all the love there is to give. I hope you know that.”
The magical healing powers of Lucille really were a thing of wonder.
Darcy returned from the bathroom right after that, and Lucille regaled her with more stories before it was time for us to go.
“It was so nice meeting you, Ms. Lucille. Sloane said you were really cool, but you’re even cooler than I imagined.”
Lucille took her cheeks in her hands, smiling affectionately. “The feeling is very much mutual, child. You be sure to come back and see me again.”
At the thought of getting to spend more time with the woman I adored, the closest thing I’d ever had to a mother, Darcy’s face lit up, and I loved that I’d been able to give her that, because what Lucille had said was right. Darcy really was special.