going to date. I’m not the dating type. I’ve done things. Bad things. And I won’t mix you up in my life. It would be the worst thing you could do.”
“Well, I’m the eraser of bad things for you. It’s my secret power. When you hold my hand, you erase my numbers. When I hold yours—I erase your bad things and your past. All you can do when you’re with me is think of me.” His hands tingled with truth. He knew this was what they did for each other.
No one told him this. He didn’t learn it in a book. He learned it in his heart. Well, and her eyes told him.
“Adam, I . . .” She dropped her gaze to their hands.
“I’ll protect you from all those bad things. My numbers—that’s their new job now. To be guardians of you. You’ll see. Those bad things will be like smoke—burned away by my touch.” He took a deep breath, and his heart was so warm, he wondered if it was smoking.
“The way you talk is like a Shakespearean dream sometimes. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up as a fairy or something.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“Maybe you will. That would be good for you. Then you could be with real green grass and real blue water. And we could enjoy it together. I could be the man that walks you to the places you want to go.” He smiled at her.
She beamed back. “Thanks, hon, but I doubt you could do that for me. No one can.”
“Of course not.” He blew out. “Not yet anyway.”
“Why is that?” She wiggled into her seat. Was she snuggling into it so she could be ready for whatever he might want to say?
“Because we have to kiss again first. Then you’ll know . . .”
She held her breath for a second and went a little stiff. “Know what?”
“Why I get so sore, and why you want to help me with it. Then I can help you with everything else, and you’ll want me to.” He grinned so big, his ears lifted.
Wasn’t that kind of fairy-like?
Yes, definitely. He would find that magical place for her—and soon.
She needed the real green and real blue, and the real man that went along with it— him .
Chapter 6
Adam was less confused now—probably because he had a few safe topics he could discuss at length.
Shakespearean dreams, grass, water, kisses and how they were supposed to help each other.
All of it was good.
And so was his driving. He found her house easily. It wasn’t hard once her house numbers were clear in his head. He pulled into the driveway and followed her instructions implicitly of where to park, how to leave the car, and where to wait while she checked something inside first.
He heard her hollering for her mom, and then she came out a few minutes later.
“C’mon. It’s empty.” She waved him in.
He ran. It was amazing he was able to avoid knocking her over when he flew through the door.
Her house smelled like heaven. There were earthy notes in the air. A little patchouli and cedar maybe? It was nice.
“Go anywhere you want. I’m gonna go put my stuff away and change, then I’m gonna get something to eat,” she told him.
She left the room. Ordinarily that would send him into a tornado of numbers, but Mari told him exactly where she’d be and what she was doing. There were plans, and even though he was ignorant of where her room was, the house was small enough he was certain he could find it with ease.
Adam opened her fridge, hoping to find soda. Nope. A bunch of bottled waters, some leftovers, condiments, lots of fresh produce in the crispers, but nothing with sugar in it. Not even any juice.
There was, however, some jelly, so he managed to put together a peanut butter and jelly.
Kid food. Oh well. He was eating here , not at home—Mari would never tease him about that.
He almost swallowed it whole before she joined him.
“Good for you. I’m glad you found something you like,” she said as she stepped around him.
He looked her up and down slowly. She was wearing another tank top, some loose cotton shorts and her hair was
“Well, I’m the eraser of bad things for you. It’s my secret power. When you hold my hand, you erase my numbers. When I hold yours—I erase your bad things and your past. All you can do when you’re with me is think of me.” His hands tingled with truth. He knew this was what they did for each other.
No one told him this. He didn’t learn it in a book. He learned it in his heart. Well, and her eyes told him.
“Adam, I . . .” She dropped her gaze to their hands.
“I’ll protect you from all those bad things. My numbers—that’s their new job now. To be guardians of you. You’ll see. Those bad things will be like smoke—burned away by my touch.” He took a deep breath, and his heart was so warm, he wondered if it was smoking.
“The way you talk is like a Shakespearean dream sometimes. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up as a fairy or something.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“Maybe you will. That would be good for you. Then you could be with real green grass and real blue water. And we could enjoy it together. I could be the man that walks you to the places you want to go.” He smiled at her.
She beamed back. “Thanks, hon, but I doubt you could do that for me. No one can.”
“Of course not.” He blew out. “Not yet anyway.”
“Why is that?” She wiggled into her seat. Was she snuggling into it so she could be ready for whatever he might want to say?
“Because we have to kiss again first. Then you’ll know . . .”
She held her breath for a second and went a little stiff. “Know what?”
“Why I get so sore, and why you want to help me with it. Then I can help you with everything else, and you’ll want me to.” He grinned so big, his ears lifted.
Wasn’t that kind of fairy-like?
Yes, definitely. He would find that magical place for her—and soon.
She needed the real green and real blue, and the real man that went along with it— him .
Chapter 6
Adam was less confused now—probably because he had a few safe topics he could discuss at length.
Shakespearean dreams, grass, water, kisses and how they were supposed to help each other.
All of it was good.
And so was his driving. He found her house easily. It wasn’t hard once her house numbers were clear in his head. He pulled into the driveway and followed her instructions implicitly of where to park, how to leave the car, and where to wait while she checked something inside first.
He heard her hollering for her mom, and then she came out a few minutes later.
“C’mon. It’s empty.” She waved him in.
He ran. It was amazing he was able to avoid knocking her over when he flew through the door.
Her house smelled like heaven. There were earthy notes in the air. A little patchouli and cedar maybe? It was nice.
“Go anywhere you want. I’m gonna go put my stuff away and change, then I’m gonna get something to eat,” she told him.
She left the room. Ordinarily that would send him into a tornado of numbers, but Mari told him exactly where she’d be and what she was doing. There were plans, and even though he was ignorant of where her room was, the house was small enough he was certain he could find it with ease.
Adam opened her fridge, hoping to find soda. Nope. A bunch of bottled waters, some leftovers, condiments, lots of fresh produce in the crispers, but nothing with sugar in it. Not even any juice.
There was, however, some jelly, so he managed to put together a peanut butter and jelly.
Kid food. Oh well. He was eating here , not at home—Mari would never tease him about that.
He almost swallowed it whole before she joined him.
“Good for you. I’m glad you found something you like,” she said as she stepped around him.
He looked her up and down slowly. She was wearing another tank top, some loose cotton shorts and her hair was
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