Page 17 of Love Expert

“I showed Maggie my tooth.” He sits back on his haunches and tilts to look up at his father. “Then I saw she was pulling the weeds out, so I asked if I could help.”

“I’m planting lavender just as soon as this mess is cleared out.”

No Aria. No sympathy. No!

I paste on a friendly—but not too friendly, and definitely not sympathetic—smile and study his eyes. They’re exactly how I remember them from twenty-five years ago, and exactly the shape and color his son inherited eight years ago. “The lavender will create a nice border, smell good, is pretty almost all year, and it’ll keep the mosquitoes away in the summer.”

“Ihatemosquitoes,” Jeremy growls. “They make me so itchy!”

“You should plant it in your backyard,” Billy grumbles. “Out there where you can enjoy them.”

“I’ll enjoy it right here in the front yard, too.” I stare up at him and try,so freakin’ hard,to swap the boy from my memories—the boy exactly like the one on his knees in front of me—with the man he became. Because if anyone had asked me back then if that sweet kid would grow to be a grump, I’d have said no chance.But that’s what happens when a man unexpectedly loses his wife, I suppose. “I’m being intentional in what I plant and where I plant it. I’d like to bring this space back to its former glory, starting with a nice boundary between your yard and mine.”

“If you have a problem with my kid coming near your yard, just say so,” he snaps. “Passive-aggressive planting with pokers isn’t how you should go about things.”

“Passive-aggressive poking? The lavender?”Stop it, stop it, stop it! But do I stop it?No, I most certainly do not. I set my hands on the grass and push up to my feet, and though blood rushes through my legs, I trap the resulting groan somewhere in the depths of my chest. “Lavender doesn’t poke, Detective. And I have absolutely no issue with your son coming near my yard.” Hesitating, I lower my gaze and study the little boy. “Assuming you have permission, aren’t going near the road, and stay safe.”

“Don’t tell my son what to do.”

Stop it, Maggie! STOP IT!

“Maggie made donuts this morning, Dad.” Jeremy pops to his feet and grabs his father’s arm. “From scratch. She said she likes to bake and stuff, and since you’re a policeman, and policemen like donuts, she made some ‘specially for us.”

You little liar!

Billy’s unkind eyes flip back to mine. “Cos I’m a cop? You have something to say about my profession, Magnolia? Or my body?” He looks down at what webothknow is a perfectly gym-sculpted physique. “I’ve been busy at work this week, so I haven’t gotten to the gym in a few days. But you don’t have to talk shit and rope my kid into donut discussions. It’s passive-aggressive.” He grunts. “Like your lavender.”

“My lavender is lavender, Wilbert Caster.”

His eyes flare impossibly wide, horrified and furious as he looks around the otherwise deserted street.

You wanna use full first names? Let’s go!

“My lavender isnotan attempt at passive aggression. It’s an attempt at having something pretty to look at. My donuts werenota poke at your job or your body. They’re just donuts. And your son is sweeter than all the desserts in the world, so I’llneverhave a problem with him approaching the boundary between our yards…” Hesitant again, I meet the boy’s eyes. “Assuming it’s safe and your dad knows where you are.” Then back to Billy. “I’m not interested in this war you’re waging, Detective. I know things started out a little rocky for us, and it’s entirely possible we both said things we regret, but we’re neighbors now, and I don’t intend to leave until I’m old and gray and the coroner has to peel my body off the couch, and though I sometimes sit inside my home and wish otherwise, I highly doubt you’re leaving anytime soon either. That means we’re stuck. Surely getting along would be the better choice for us?”

“My dad’s going out on a date tonight, Maggie.”

“Oh…” Stunned, I examine the little boy’s elated eyes, then his father’s horrified glare. “Okay. Well… that sounds nice.” I force a smile and swallow the nervous laugh bubbling along my throat. “Cool. I hope you have a lovely time.”

“I’mnotgoing out on a date tonight,” Billy snarls. “In fact, I do everything I can to avoid dating.Always.And if Barbara gets within fifty feet of us in town, I make a damn point of turning and running the other way.”

“B-Barbara?” I lean closer. “The old woman Barbara?”

Jeremy bobs his head.

“Isn’t she a little… ya know… old for you?”

“I’m not dating Barbara either! Jesus!”

“So, who are you going on a date with? And how did Barbara come to be in this conversation?”

“I’m not dating anybody!” he snaps. “And Barbara’s in this conversation cos she’s always trying to set me up with her granddaughter. It’s a no from me. Absolutely not.” He drops his hand to Jeremy’s shoulder,squeezing just hard enough to steer the boy away. “We’re going inside now. Say goodbye to your friend.”

“She’sourfriend, Dad!” Walking backwards, Jeremy hypnotizes me with his angelic smile. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you pull more weeds, Maggie. My dad’s gotta shower and get ready for his date.”

“I’m not going out on a date!”

“Maybe I could come taste one of those donuts soon.” Jeremy licks his lips and stumbles under the weight of Billy’s guiding hand. “You made them sound so good. And we nevereverhave homemade donuts.”