Trailer Park Heart

Grabbing my keys off the hook near the door, I followed Max without another word to my mom. Guilt immediately assaulted my nerves, reminding me that she did a lot for me that she didn’t have to. She also didn’t do a lot for me that she probably should have. But this was our life and it had never been any different, so why I expected change now, after all these years, was beyond me.

I drove Max into town and parked in the parking lot at the back of Rosie’s. It was barely dusk, but the town square was already packed with kids in full costume, carrying flashlights and bags filled with candy.

It was also the last evening of Supper in the Square for the season so plenty of families were enjoying meals at all the different restaurant options around the courthouse. Max and I had a tradition for Halloween. We ate at Rosie’s, we trick-or-treated until the orange plastic pumpkin got too heavy to carry or the strap broke and then we came back to Rosie’s for pie.

Obviously, there were other restaurants to eat at in Clark City, but what could I say? I was loyal.

Also, Rosie objectively made the best pie. And she served from-scratch caramel apple cider one night a year. That night was tonight. And it was Max’s and my favorite.

We did our thing at Rosie’s, all of the employees stopping by to check out Max’s costume. Even Reggie came out of the kitchen to tell him how cool he looked. By now, the paint around his mouth had faded and his costume was covered in grease from wiping his French-fried fingers on it, but he was still the cutest Hulk I had ever seen.

We paid our bill, left an extra five dollars for Jody and stood up to leave. I wrapped my mustard cardigan tighter around my torso and wished I’d grabbed a real jacket or at least a scarf. It was almost eighty degrees earlier today, but now it had dropped into the fifties—welcome to Nebraska. Totally unpredictable weather and temps that could swing thirty degrees in a matter of hours.

I led Max around the table and toward the sidewalk that wound around the square. I saw Levi stepping up to the hostess stand at Rosie’s and so I quickly steered Max so our back was to him.

My breathing sped up with him so close. He’d come out of nowhere. I wanted to tie bells around his ankles, so I could at least have a warning before he just appeared in all his tall, dark, handsome glory.

This was no joke. It hurt to look at him tonight. He was in dark wash jeans and a red and black plaid jacket that looked incredibly warm and burly and sexy.

God, did I just say plaid was sexy?

That kiss had gone to my head in the wrong way. It had been a couple of weeks, yet now my reason was blurred and I had a strong attraction to men that looked like lumberjacks.

Good thing he wasn’t wielding an ax and chopping down trees. My panties might spontaneously melt off me.

I hadn’t talked to him since his mouth had assaulted mine in the darkened hallway of Pug’s. He hadn’t been back to Rosie’s. I realize I’d ended things that night, I’d stepped away, I’d shut it down, so this was supposed to be what I wanted. Except for only being back in my life for such a short time, there sure was a giant, yawning gap now that he’d stepped back out of it.

I wanted to talk to him, explain without explaining anything. Or at least apologize for being the way that I am. But now, with Max, wasn’t the right time to run into him. I might do something crazy like slap him. Or tackle him to the ground and start dry-humping him. Maybe both.

Max shouldn’t have to see either of those scenarios play out. Just Wednesday I’d patted myself on the back and told myself what a good mom I was.

A good mom did not fantasize a little BDSM action with her child’s uncle.

It probably would have been smart to play out this scenario in my head before I came face to face with Levi, but I was amazing at avoiding him. Also denial. Also, in my defense, I didn’t think he’d be here tonight because it was a family thing. The singles-slash-younger-crowd usually headed out of town to Finch’s farm for a spooky, more grown-up Halloween party.

“Oh, no, is that the Hulk?” Levi’s voice chased after us, not catching Max’s attention but straight up kidnapping mine. “Wait up, I’m going to need that autograph.”

“He’s talking about you, Hulk,” I murmured to Max out of the corner of my mouth.

Max blinked up at me, “Huh?”

I spun around to greet Levi. “He’s not doing autographs right now. Please respect his privacy. He’s with his family.”

Levi’s mouth split into a grin. “And what are you? The bodyguard?”

“Hulk doesn’t need a bodyguard,” Max declared, suddenly joining the conversation. He ripped his hand out of mine and did a sort of karate kick jump that landed with his foam biceps being flexed.

Levi’s happy expression turned to Max. “That’s what I thought, dude. Moms. Am I right?” Holding out his hand, he made a fist for Max to bump—which he did.

“Hey, Levi,” Max said casually, like it was no big deal he knew who Levi Cole was… like it was no big deal for them to be talking. “You never brought over Star Trek.”

“Star Wars,” Levi corrected. “And you’re right. I didn’t. I think we need to clear it with your mom first. She might not be your bodyguard, but she’s definitely the law of the land.”

Max turned to me with fingers clasped, his pumpkin sticking out to the side. “Please, Mom? Please, please, please? I really want to see it. I asked Daniel about it and he said it’s the best movie ever and he couldn’t believe I’ve never seen it before. Please, Mom?”

“All right, slow down, kiddo. How about we focus on trick-or-treating tonight? We can talk about that later.”

“But—”

“We’ve got a lot of candy to get, but it’s going to be all gone if we don’t get moving.” I smiled to myself. There, crisis averted. Was I the best at redirection? Yes, yes, I was.

“Maybe I could do that with you first,” Levi suggested. “Then your mom will get to know how cool I am and we can make plans for Star Wars later.”

Max’s previously resigned expression widened with excitement and his eyes somehow morphed into puppy-dog-pleading-adorableness that I struggled to say no to. “That would be the best ever!” Max pled his case. “Can he, Mommy? Please?”

What was I saying about redirection? Damn it. Thwarted by the Jedi Master of butting in where he didn’t belong.

“Oh, I’m sure he has other things to—”

“I don’t,” Levi answered, cutting me off.

Turning to face him for the first time since he walked over, I met his mossy green eyes with fire in my own. “We don’t want to interrupt your supper.”

“I’m good.” His eyes narrowed, challenging. “This is way more fun.”

Max tugged on my hand. “Come on, Mom. All the good candy is going to be gone.”

“Yeah, come on, Ruby, all the good candy is going to be gone.”

Without verbally agreeing to anything, I let Max take off. I followed him, because that was what good moms did. They definitely didn’t go running in the opposite direction just to escape the sexy man intent on spending time with them. Besides, I loved this night with Max.

Since last year, I had felt he was old enough to go up to the stores and candy spots around the square and fill his pumpkin himself, while I hung in the background. He didn’t need me to remind him to say thank you anymore and I was tired of doing it for him anyway.