stared at her
cast and then up at Josh.
“ I
see you have already signed it,” Heath snapped, staring
straight into Josh's eyes.
“ I
signed it when we were at lunch, the day she got the cast,”
Josh replied. “I haven't been here all week.”
Heath
bent down to sign it, and Josh looked at Lisa. He shook his head and
shrugged. She bit her bottom lip, with a surprised look in her eyes.
Josh walked out into the kitchen and pulled out his phone.
“ I'm
sorry. I didn't know he was going to be upset about what I wrote,”
he sent.
A
minute later he heard his phone.
“ He
has no reason to be upset.”
“ I
told you how he felt about you,” Josh sent.
“ He
hasn't acted like this all week. He was fine today. When you got
here, he started this.”
“ Maybe
I should leave.”
“ Do
you want to leave?” she sent.
“ No.”
Becky
stuck the salad bowl out to Josh and asked him to put it on the
table, with a smile on her face.
“ What?”
he asked.
“ Nothing,”
she answered.
“ You
and your man need to quit looking at me like that. I don't know what
you two have going on,” Josh said, as he walked away with the
salad.
Once
everything was on the table, they were all ready to eat. Heath
hurried to help Lisa get up and to the table. He sat down right next
to her. Josh sat across the table, so he wouldn't bother Heath any
more than he already had.
“ This
food looks awesome Becky. Thanks for making us all dinner,”
Josh said, as he got up to walk into the kitchen.
He
walked back in with a soda for him and an iced tea for Lisa.
“ What
do you want to drink?” he asked Heath, who was again giving him
the death stare.
“ Nothing,”
Heath snapped.
“ Becky
and Gavin, what would you like?” he asked.
They
both wanted soda. He went to the kitchen and came back with their
drinks. He put a soda down in front of Heath as well.
“ Don't
drink it if you don't want it,” Josh snapped.
Josh
could feel the tension Heath had pouring off of him. He had no idea
why. Josh was on his best behavior and had not made a single rude
comment or joke.
“ We
wanted to talk to you guys about something,” Becky began.
“Gavin and I have to go out of town for a week to a conference.
We need to leave Monday morning. Lisa said she is going to stay here.
Can you guys come and check on her each day. You can figure out how
you want to do it. I don't feel comfortable with her here all week
alone, but if you guys will check on her, she should be okay.”
“ She
can stay at my apartment,” Josh blurted out.
Josh
didn't even realize he said it, before it was already out of his
mouth. What are you doing, he wondered? You are just starting to get
back into normal life, and you invited her over for a week. He missed
her cocky attitude and the silly banter that went on between them. It
would only be for one week. That way he wouldn't have to go by Becky
and Gavin's house each day. If she needed anything, he would be right
there. His place was smaller and she would be able to get around
quicker. Becky and Gavin could go on their trip and wouldn't have to
worry about her. Josh could tell Becky did not want her to be home
alone.
“ That
sounds good,” Becky said quickly.
“ No,”
Lisa said. “I will be fine here. I don't want to invade
anyone's space. How are you going to have the ladies over if I'm
there?”
“ I'll
just tell you to go to your room,” Josh laughed.
“ Shut
the fuck up,” Lisa snapped. “That's not funny.”
“ Okay,
so I'll go to their house,” he joked.
“ I'm
going to smack you in the head with my crutch funny man,” she
said.
“ Seriously,
I won't be home the entire time. I will still do everything I
normally do. I won't let you get in the way,” he winked. “That
way if you need anything, I will be able to get to you quicker.”
“ I
am fine here,” she said.
“ I
agree you shouldn't be here alone,” Heath chimed in. He had a
sad look in his eyes. “You can come to my house,
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro