Make a Scene (Lovestruck, #1)

by Mimi Grace

“Shi—” he said, catching himself before he swore. “My bad.”

“Your back is going to kill you,” Ms. Edie said matter-of-factly. She provided no alternative solution or consoling gesture.

They both remained quiet as Duncan emerged from the bathroom in running shorts, shoes, and a T-shirt. “All right, I’m heading out,” he said. Retta turned to wave, trying not to sigh at the image he cut in his workout clothes.

“I care for Retta,” Duncan said. “I want to be there for her and make her happy.” Even behind the sunglasses, he could feel her scrutinizing stare. “Good,” she finally said. “She’s been hurt before, and she deserves someone dependable because she throws herself fully into everything she does.” Duncan nodded. He couldn’t be that guy, but he wholeheartedly agreed Retta deserved the best.

“It’s good,” Duncan said as he lightly smacked his lips in response to the tangy cranberry flavor.

It was the type of rough terrain where he was sure they’d arrive with their teeth in their laps.

Duncan pulled out his phone to take a photo, but he soon realized it didn’t capture the essence of what he was viewing. “I get it.” She sighed. “Right?”

He laughed against her scarf-covered head as a feeling he couldn’t really identify settled in his body. The contents of his chest wanted to break free.

Yesterday, while watching the sunrise with Duncan, she’d been plagued with the feeling of wanting to stop time.

“Coretta,” her grandmother said. “You see this?” She proceeded to repeat the move without hesitation. “Incredible,” Retta responded, shaking her head. Directing her gaze toward Duncan, she found him already looking at her. Her stomach did a somersault, and she swallowed hard.

“You look beautiful,” he said. There were several feet separating them, but he might as well have whispered the words right into her ear.

Retta laughed, monotone and airy. Nothing like her natural squeaky cackle.

Retta didn’t even look at him. She simply dropped her head and brought a finger to her ear like she had a Bluetooth earpiece on. “Mhmm. Beelzebub? Yeah, I have a twenty-nine-year-old male for you.”

In another room she found the harpist tuning her instrument for the ceremony. Retta marveled at how big the instrument was in person. The musician looked her way, and Retta backed out apologetically. “It’s beautiful,” she said as she closed the door behind her.

“Is this weird for you?” Irene asked, blowing a big puff of smoke into the air from the corner of her mouth. “Being here?”

“And when I hit my middle age at thirty-five, I’ll have to do something like run a marathon to feel alive. I fucking hate running.”

But Irene was backing away, shaking her head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

This cousin is such a bitch

“I thought we were ordering pizza,” Retta said, coming over to stand beside the older woman and look into the pot where she was browning onions and garlic. “I don’t know. I felt beef stew would be more appropriate today.” It was then that Retta’s tears had no other choice but to fall.

Before Anthony closed the door behind himself, he said, “The good thing is, next time you’ll know better.”

“I’m so sorry. I-it’s complicated.” Steve only reacted with a slight head tilt. “How complicated?” “I think I’m in love with him,” she said before letting out a big puff of air. When the hell did that happen? Steve nodded for an extended amount of time before saying, “Oh, okay. Cool.”

“But it’ll hurt,” she said. “And you’ll recover.”

Duncan studied his cue cards and said, “Good afternoon, distinguished guests…and Uncle Peter.” There was laughter as everyone turned to the man who’d shown up to the event in jeans and a Toronto Maple Leafs cap. “I thought this was a casual thing!” he shouted good-naturedly.

This is funny

“Dad, you’re curious and humble. I’d ask you the most inane questions and instead of brushing me off or pretending like you knew the answer, you’d tell me you didn’t know. I’d forget I even asked the question, and two days later, you’d come to me with an essay with all the information you’d found.

“But I think the biggest thing you taught me is I don’t want a love like yours.” Again, he looked at his sister to gauge how far he was going. Though she looked melancholic, there was no indication that he needed to quit while he was ahead.

“Like how can someone who makes you feel so happy simply by being in their presence be wrong for you?

“I-is. This. How. You. Felt. When. We. Broke. Up?” he asked loudly as tears soaked his chin.

Chris nodded, taking a shuddering breath before standing up and walking to the door. She followed behind with growing buoyancy in her body. “Thanks for speaking to me,” he said, once he took a step outside. “I know with our past you didn’t have to.” Retta nodded. “Have a good evening. And good luck.” The resounding ring of the bell as she closed the door made her feel like she’d finally shut that chapter in her life. Now for the new one.

Her beautiful smile lit up her entire face.