little better.”
She glanced at Petey. His glower was just daring her to…. “Doesn’t look like he’s real able to negotiate steps on his best days,” she hurled out while motioning to his wrapped and elevated knee.
Petey ’s eyes flashed with what looked like grudging respect at her zinger. His father snorted. His mother and Lizzie looked at her like she’d just kicked a puppy. Yeah. Right. A six-three, two forty-five puppy.
“ I can stay with Ron,” Petey said. “He’s in a first-floor apartment.”
“ Ewww,” was out of her mouth before she could think about it. Gut reaction whenever she thought about Ron since he’d destroyed Katie. Not that she wasn’t loads better off now.
“ The guy fucked up. It cost him. Big time. Cut him some slack,” Petey argued. Of course he argued the point with her.
“ It doesn’t matter,” Lizzie said. “He’s got Amber and the baby with him.”
Petey shook his head. “Why do I keep forgetting about that?”
Because you ’re an idiot was just about out of her mouth before she caught herself. No need to kick the puppy even further. Her mind started racing through all the people she knew who would take Petey in. A bunch came to mind. Then she started weeding out the ones with lots of steps in their home. Crap. That was most of them. The area was loaded with older two-story homes. Tall and narrow, with smaller roof areas to have to shovel in the winter.
“ Alison’s will be fine. Perfect in fact, because you wouldn’t even have to do the front steps if we pulled right into the garage.”
Damn. Why ’d she have to have that attached garage added a few years ago? Because she was sick to death of shoveling her car out every morning. But she’d take that right now over where this conversation was heading.
“ I can stop over in the mornings to see how you’re doing while Al’s with patients,” Lizzie started in with whatever master plan she was brewing. “Of course I’ll have to bring Sam with me. Or maybe Finn can adjust his time with the horses to be in the house with Sam for a while.” She waved a hand, dismissing that possible impediment. “Mrs. Ryan, do you still leave work after school gets out?” At the woman’s nod, Lizzie barreled on. “So you can stop over while Alison’s here with her dad and then at her mom’s.”
She saw Petey give her a questioning look at that. He must not be aware that her mom needed looking in on. She kept quiet.
“Oh, but you’re spending the nights at your mom’s now, aren’t you?” Lizzie asked her with compassion in her voice.
Say yes . That would end the whole thing right there. No way should Petey be left alone overnight when he’d barely be able to walk. Just keep your trap shut and this farce will be over with.
“ Actually, Sherry’s coming in tomorrow. She’s going to be staying with Mom for a few weeks.” Wow. Okay. She typically tried never to play shrink with herself, but that just begged to be analyzed.
Later.
“See? That couldn’t have worked out any better,” Lizzie said, like everything was concluded.
“ Alison still hasn’t said if she wants me to stay with her,” Petey said, looking right at her.
His parents and Lizzie looked at her, puzzlement on their faces. Or course they ’d be puzzled. To them, it’d be like Lizzie taking Petey in—automatic. To them, she and Petey had been best buds for years. They had no idea. None of them knew about…. She looked back at Petey. Was that a challenge in his expression? His strong chin tilted up ever so slightly, a gleam came into his eyes. Yep. The son of a bitch was challenging her.
She just wasn ’t sure to what.
“ Of course I want you to stay with me,” she answered with absolutely no hint of sarcasm in her voice. His parents and Lizzie all looked as if her answer were no big deal, like it was a foregone conclusion that she’d want to help out her dear, dear friend.
But the look in Petey ’s eyes. It seemed like part
She glanced at Petey. His glower was just daring her to…. “Doesn’t look like he’s real able to negotiate steps on his best days,” she hurled out while motioning to his wrapped and elevated knee.
Petey ’s eyes flashed with what looked like grudging respect at her zinger. His father snorted. His mother and Lizzie looked at her like she’d just kicked a puppy. Yeah. Right. A six-three, two forty-five puppy.
“ I can stay with Ron,” Petey said. “He’s in a first-floor apartment.”
“ Ewww,” was out of her mouth before she could think about it. Gut reaction whenever she thought about Ron since he’d destroyed Katie. Not that she wasn’t loads better off now.
“ The guy fucked up. It cost him. Big time. Cut him some slack,” Petey argued. Of course he argued the point with her.
“ It doesn’t matter,” Lizzie said. “He’s got Amber and the baby with him.”
Petey shook his head. “Why do I keep forgetting about that?”
Because you ’re an idiot was just about out of her mouth before she caught herself. No need to kick the puppy even further. Her mind started racing through all the people she knew who would take Petey in. A bunch came to mind. Then she started weeding out the ones with lots of steps in their home. Crap. That was most of them. The area was loaded with older two-story homes. Tall and narrow, with smaller roof areas to have to shovel in the winter.
“ Alison’s will be fine. Perfect in fact, because you wouldn’t even have to do the front steps if we pulled right into the garage.”
Damn. Why ’d she have to have that attached garage added a few years ago? Because she was sick to death of shoveling her car out every morning. But she’d take that right now over where this conversation was heading.
“ I can stop over in the mornings to see how you’re doing while Al’s with patients,” Lizzie started in with whatever master plan she was brewing. “Of course I’ll have to bring Sam with me. Or maybe Finn can adjust his time with the horses to be in the house with Sam for a while.” She waved a hand, dismissing that possible impediment. “Mrs. Ryan, do you still leave work after school gets out?” At the woman’s nod, Lizzie barreled on. “So you can stop over while Alison’s here with her dad and then at her mom’s.”
She saw Petey give her a questioning look at that. He must not be aware that her mom needed looking in on. She kept quiet.
“Oh, but you’re spending the nights at your mom’s now, aren’t you?” Lizzie asked her with compassion in her voice.
Say yes . That would end the whole thing right there. No way should Petey be left alone overnight when he’d barely be able to walk. Just keep your trap shut and this farce will be over with.
“ Actually, Sherry’s coming in tomorrow. She’s going to be staying with Mom for a few weeks.” Wow. Okay. She typically tried never to play shrink with herself, but that just begged to be analyzed.
Later.
“See? That couldn’t have worked out any better,” Lizzie said, like everything was concluded.
“ Alison still hasn’t said if she wants me to stay with her,” Petey said, looking right at her.
His parents and Lizzie looked at her, puzzlement on their faces. Or course they ’d be puzzled. To them, it’d be like Lizzie taking Petey in—automatic. To them, she and Petey had been best buds for years. They had no idea. None of them knew about…. She looked back at Petey. Was that a challenge in his expression? His strong chin tilted up ever so slightly, a gleam came into his eyes. Yep. The son of a bitch was challenging her.
She just wasn ’t sure to what.
“ Of course I want you to stay with me,” she answered with absolutely no hint of sarcasm in her voice. His parents and Lizzie all looked as if her answer were no big deal, like it was a foregone conclusion that she’d want to help out her dear, dear friend.
But the look in Petey ’s eyes. It seemed like part
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