Mateo shook his head as he read the email. She’s obviously a skilled writer. I don’t get how she can sound so down to earth and pleasant in her emails, but be the exact opposite in real life. He stood and walked away from the computer. Today was the fourth of July and he had to take Lillith to the engagement barbecue.
It had been several days since their movie night disaster and Mateo hadn’t surprised her at her school again. They had texted a few times, but Mateo had kept the conversations short and brief, not wanting to lead her to believe anything more was happening between them. “After the barbecue I’ll just have to tell her, it’s not going to work. We can be friends, but that’s it.” He muttered to himself as he combed his hair.
The only thing he hadn’t pulled back from were the emails. For reasons he couldn’t seem to process, the emails still brought a smile to his face and a warmth to his chest. He couldn’t seem to bring himself to stop writing them, no matter how much she annoyed him in real life.
He thought of Lucy and how she sent that same warmth through him. He had avoided the park all week, knowing he had to take care of things with Lillith before he could worry about trying something with Lucy. If only I had been writing Lucy this whole time. He chuckled. That would have been perfect.
*****
LUCY BUSIED HERSELF at Piper and Nash’s party by keeping dishes of food full and helping pour drinks. She was so excited for her friends’ engagement, but every time she had a moment to herself, she found her mind wandering to the situation with Lillith and Mateo. So she solved the problem by working constantly, not allowing time for those thoughts to surface.
As she was grabbing a new pack of tortilla chips, she heard a voice through the kitchen window that caused her to catch her breath. He’s here. Her mind screamed that there was no way that Mateo would be at Piper’s engagement party, but her ears knew better. They’d never forget the tone that sent pleasant shivers down her spine and flooded her core with warmth.
Walking around to the sliding glass door, she looked onto the back deck. His dark head was clearly visible, and Lucy felt a smile tug at her lips as she looked him over. He looks even better than I remember. Lucy would never look at a button down shirt and cargo shorts the same. His broad shoulders filled out the shirt in a way that made her cheeks flame. She watched him smile and laugh as he talked to a group of men and felt butterflies take flight in her stomach at the sound.
Suddenly a high pitched, whiny voice broke her concentration and pulled her eyes away from the object of her dreams. Lucy felt her anger boil when finally noticed Lillith at his side. I should go out there right now and set things straight. Just get it out in the open. Lucy reached for the door handle, but hesitated, vulnerability shooting through her. What if he thinks I’m the liar? I don’t really have any way of proving I wrote the emails. She sighed in defeat, her shoulders slumping.
As she turned back to grab the back of chips, Piper came through the door. “Hey girlie! You got those chips yet?”
“Yep.” Lucy grabbed the bag then offered them to Piper.
Taking them, Piper grabbed her arm. “Come out and mingle. You’ve been working the whole time, come enjoy a bit. You wouldn’t believe who just showed up.” Piper rolled her eyes.
“Oh, I saw. I can’t believe Lillith would show up. She knows full well you’re not friends.”
“That’s what I get for just putting out a general school announcement. Next time I should just take the time for personal invitations.” Piper squished her lips to one side. “Hey! She brought this guy with her and he actually seems normal! Super cute too!” She pumped her eyebrows up and down.
“Yeah?” Lucy worked to act nonchalant.
“Yeah. His name is Mateo, I can’t really tell if they’re dating or not though. He doesn’t hold her hand, but she refuses to move more than two feet from him. Probably worried someone else will grab his interest.” Piper reached for the door handle. “Maybe that someone should be you!” She grinned and pulled the door open.
Lucy reluctantly followed. She squinted as she stepped into the bright sunshine and put a hand over her eyes so she could see where she was going. Pretending a casualness she didn’t feel, Lucy scanned the crowd, purposefully leaving Mateo’s group for last. When she finally reached where she had seen him before her breath caught. He was staring straight at her, his eyes wide and a slow smile growing across his face.
Mateo stepped in her direction, but was stopped with a hand on his arm. Lillith stood next to him, her brow furrowed and anger pouring out in waves. Tugging him back, she pulled him down until she could talk in his ear.
I’m amazed her voice actually knows how to whisper. Lucy thought, then instantly chastised herself. That wasn’t nice Luce. Don’t stoop to her level.
After a moment, Mateo glanced up at her again, but made no move to walk away from Lillith who was still holding tightly to his arm. Lucy gave a small smile, hoping it conveyed that she understood why he wasn’t coming and turned, walking the opposite direction.
Lucy wandered and mingled, stopping to chat with friends and co-workers. She pasted a smile on her face and pretended she was enjoying herself. In the back of her mind, she kept track of where Mateo was at all times, making sure to stay away from his overwhelming presence.
An hour later, Lucy headed back toward the house, noticing the cooler needed to be refilled. The excuse to get out of the heat and crowd was welcome and she beelined it for the door. Just after she closed it behind her, it opened again and she spun around.
“Oh. Hello, Lillith.” Lucy turned back to continue into the kitchen.
“I just wanted to thank you.” Lillith said with a smirk.
Lucy’s shoulders tensed and she stopped walking. “Oh really? For what?” She spun around, her hands on her hips. “For not spilling the beans that you’re a liar and a fraud? Or perhaps that you’re a sneaky, manipulative snake?”
Lillith’s pale face turned a dangerous shade of red and Lucy had a momentary worry that Lillith would have a heart attack.
“Mateo told me you two met at the park. But we both know it was before then, wasn’t it? It’s not my fault you were too stupid to grab him while you had the chance. How long had you been writing to him? A few months? Was it a year? And yet, you still hadn’t met him? Obviously he wasn’t that interested in what you had to say if he hadn’t made the next move.” Lillith’s mouth curled into a cruel grin, knowing she had struck Lucy to her core.
“We were taking things slow.” Lucy’s voice was small and she hated that the other teacher had put her on the defensive. I’m not the one in the wrong here, don’t let her get away with this. Lucy gave herself a small pep talk.
“Ah ... slow. Just what every man dreams of.” Lillith licked her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. “No wonder he showed up at the school.”
“So he showed up at the school and what? You just lied straight to his face? Did it never occur to you that I would find out? That he would find out?”
“Nope. And he’s not going to find out.”
Lucy huffed out a breath of unbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me. In fact, I think we should go talk to him right now.” Lucy started around the woman, but Lillith grabbed her arm, pinching Lucy with her long, painted nails.
“I’d think a bit more before you do that, Lucy. How do you know he will even believe you? It’s your word against mine and I’ve been spending time with him. He knows me better and will believe me over you.” Lillith tilted her head and faked a sad face. “We have a history.” She leaned in and whispered the last word, then winked.
Lucy’s heart stuttered and her body went numb. She didn’t even feel the pain in her arm anymore from Lillith’s grip. He wouldn’t ... would he? As much as she didn’t want to believe the insinuation, Lucy didn’t really know if Mateo was that type of guy or not. He didn’t sound like that type in his emails, but that’s all I have are emails.
“Good to see you’re reconsidering.” Lillith let go of her arm and walked back towards the door. Pausing before she opened it, she added. “And just in case you’re still playing with the idea of telling anyone, you should know that Principal Grimm has been talking to me about coming to work full time at the school. He’s even gone so far as to ask my preference of grade level.” Lillith started studying her nails on one hand as she continued. “I might be persuaded to ask for something other than fourth grade if I had the right incentive. Otherwise ...” She let the words linger.
“You can’t be serious! This is blackmail! Not to mention the fact that you’re lying. There’s no way Principal Grimm would kick any of us out.” Lucy’s anger came rushing back full force and she clenched her fists to keep herself from hitting the woman. She has to be lying. Despite her mental reassurance, a small flicker of doubt crept into Lucy’s mind, cautioning her not to push too hard.
“Don’t think of it as blackmail, just think of it as a guarantee of keeping your job! Sounds much better doesn’t it? Besides, I have proof.” Lillith fished her phone out of her back pocket and started swiping and typing. When she found what she was looking for, she showed Lucy the screen. “Look for yourself.”
Lucy glanced down at the screen and noticed a string of texts. At the top of the screen was Principal Grimm’s name, letting Lucy know the thread was from him.
I’ll take it into consideration. Let me know what you’re interested in and I will take it from there.
Lucy felt like she had been punched in the gut but before she could respond, the door opened and Mateo stood at the threshold. He looked back and forth between Lucy and Lillith, his eyebrows scrunched, indicating he could feel the thick tension in the air. “Everything okay in here?”
“Just peachy,” Lillith said with a smile. She latched onto Mateo’s arm as she stepped outside to join him.
Mateo looked annoyed and pulled his arm out of her hands, which left Lillith pouting. He looked back at Lucy and then down at her arm. His eyes widened. “You’re bleeding.” Stepping into the house, he walked over to her and picked up her arm, studying it.
Tingles shot up Lucy’s arm where he held it and she had to lock her knees from wanting to give way. Looking down, she finally noticed a couple drops of blood where Lillith had grabbed her. She shot a glare at Lillith, who was seething in the doorway, glaring back at her and Mateo.
“What happened?” Mateo’s voice was filled with concern and his eyes were soft as they came up to meet Lucy’s.
Lucy opened her mouth to answer, but movement by the doorway caught her attention. Glancing over, she noticed Lillith pulling out her phone and scrolling down the screen. Is she really threatening to call Principal Grimm right now? Lucy clenched her jaw and her nostrils flared.
Mateo followed her line of sight and then looked back again. “Lucy? What happened?”
“Nothing,” Lucy mumbled. Slowly, painfully she took her arm from his warm grasp.
“That’s not nothing, it looks like nail marks ...” His voice trailed off as he eyed Lillith once more. “Just what exactly was going on in here? And why are you here Lucy?”
“Piper, the bride, is my best friend.” Lucy explained, breathing a little easier when Lillith put her phone in her back pocket.
“It was just a little girl talk in here Mateo. Come on back and I’ll introduce you to some more people.”
“Go on out, I’ll be there in a minute. I’ve been wanting to talk to Lucy anyway.” Mateo’s eyes never left Lucy’s.
Lillith huffed and stomped onto the deck. “Remember our little bargain,” Lillith sneered before slamming the slider behind her and disappearing into the backyard.
“Bargain? What was she talking about?” Mateo asked.
“Nothing to worry about,” Lucy said. She cleared her throat and turned her face, breaking their staring contest.
Mateo studied her. His eyes were narrowed and he tilted his head to the side. “Fine. Let’s get you cleaned up.” He took her hand and walked her to the sink that was situated across the room. Then he proceeded to rinse off the small cuts and pat them dry with a paper towel.
No matter how much Lucy enjoyed his ministrations and the resulting electricity of his touch, she knew she had to pull back. Reluctantly she took the towel from his hand and finished drying herself off. While she studied the cuts, Mateo turned his back to the sink, leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“So Lillith told me she works with the bride, Piper was it?”
Lucy nodded.
“And you’re Piper’s best friend?”
“Yep,” Lucy answered as she walked to the garbage to throw away the towel.
“What are the odds of that?” He mumbled to himself. “Why have you been hiding from me all afternoon?” He asked softly.
Lucy jerked her head up to look at him, her mouth dropping open. “I-I haven’t been hiding from you!”
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his chin down.
Lucy felt heat rushing into her cheeks and dropped her eyes. “Okay ... well maybe I have. Just a little bit.” She looked up and put her thumb and pointer finger close to each other.
His lips twitched, as if holding back a grin. “That still begs the question, why?”
Lucy looked at her feet and debated what to say. Because you were standing with a woman I can’t stand? Because it hurts to see you with someone else? Because I have feelings for you I can’t explain and a lying, jerk of a woman is holding your attention? She sighed, “You’re here with someone else, I didn’t figure it was a good time to act chummy.”
“Chummy?” He chuckled.
Lucy squinted up at him. “We were awfully chummy at the park the other day and I didn’t think it would be appropriate now. Especially since you’re here with your girlfriend and all.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” He muttered; scuffing his shoe on the tile floor.
“Still. It’s best we don’t hang out too much today.”
Mateo stepped towards her, encroaching into her space. “What about another day?”
Lucy felt her breathing become shallow and she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from the dark brown pools staring her down. “I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Because you maybe have someone else?” Mateo quoted her comment from the park the other day.
“No. There’s no one else for me.” Lucy felt vulnerable at how true that statement was on more than one level. “But there obviously is for you.”
“Forget about Lillith. I had already planned to end things once today was over. She’s not for me.”
Lucy’s eyes widened and panic socked her in the chest. A small part of her was thrilled to hear he wasn’t interested in Lillith, but the rest of her worried for her job. If he breaks up with Lillith, she’ll think I said something. Until I can talk to Principal Grimm and ask about the texts I can’t risk my job. She cleared her throat. “Uh ... I don’t know. You said you met her online, right?”
Mateo furrowed his brows and nodded.
“Maybe ... maybe you just haven’t given her enough time yet. She, uh, she might be really great, ya know?”
He stepped back and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I got the impression when I walked in, you two don’t get along. And now you’re pushing me towards her?” He studied her intently. Lucy could practically see his mind working overtime.
Lucy tried hard to look innocent, but she worried her face was showing her true feelings anyway. Her jaw felt tight and the small smile she gave felt more like a grimace.
“What did you say happened between you two?”
Lucy couldn’t meet his eyes, keeping her chin tucked, she didn’t answer his question. There’s enough lying going on. I’m done adding to it.
“Hmm ... I see.” Mateo looked towards the sliding glass door and back at Lucy; his face giving nothing away. “Will you be visiting the park this week?”
Lucy looked up, surprised he still wanted to see her. “Maybe,” she hedged.
He gave a playful half grin. “I enjoy spending my lunch hours there, perhaps we’ll accidentally run into each other?”
Lucy grinned back. “Maybe.” Her tone had taken on a flirting quality and she mentally chastised herself. You can’t have him.
“Well then, maybe I’ll eat lunch around one tomorrow.” Still sporting a smile, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Lucy scrambling to remember why she had come in to the kitchen in the first place.