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Ashley listened to the sounds of laughter and music coming from Tim’s backyard.
It was the Fourth of July, and Tim had invited his friends over for a barbeque. It was nice- seeing him relaxed and happy like this. She loved when it was just the two of them, but this was a different side of Tim and she was really enjoying it. Moving across his room, Ashley sat on the edge of his bed for a second. She really was enjoying watching him with his friends, it was just a lot all at once. They were an exciting- and excitable- group. But the sound of Tim’s laugh made her want to go see it, so she pulled herself back up and headed out. Pulling open the bedroom door Ashley paused as a familiar voice came from the kitchen.
“Tim!” Ashley’s eyes darted to the open French doors that led to the backyard and watched as the man in question turned toward the sound of his name. “I need you in the kitchen for a minute, please,” Lucy called. Tim nodded in acknowledgement, then turned and said something to the group he had been talking to before heading inside. A strange kind of anxiety curled in the pit of Ashley’s stomach.
How many times had her parents had almost that exact same exchange?
Even though she was standing in the open door of his bedroom, Tim didn’t even glance Ashley’s way. His attention was focused on the woman in his kitchen. “Hey, what do you need, Luce?” Ashley heard him say, voice soft and easy. It was borderline domestic- a too familiar intimacy that Ashley had only heard of between long-time couples. She slipped out of the doorway and edge along the wall to peek into the kitchen.
“I need you to get your casserole dish from up there. I told you last time, we aren’t all giants like you,” Lucy replied, voice light and playful in a way that Ashley wanted to call flirting. Lucy stood with her back to Tim’s counter, arms folded across her chest in seeming frustration. But she was smiling and from the small bit of Tim’s profile Ashley could see, he was too.
Tim shook his head, stepping into Lucy’s space easily. He playfully bumped her out of the way with his hip- something he had never done with Ashley- and reached up to grab the dish Lucy needed. “You know, Luce, it’s not my fault you’re short. And I didn’t realize I had to move my dishes in my house to accommodate you.” Lucy’s smile widened and she shoved lightly at Tim’s chest, laughing as he pretended to stumble. “Hey!” he cried, laughing.
“Oh please, as if that could actually do anything to you,” Lucy sassed, rolling her eyes with a playful smirk. Then she bumped Tim out of her way, grabbing the casserole dish and moving it to where a pile of ingredients were gathered on the kitchen island. “Now get out here. Some of us are actually busy. You know for this to be your idea, you sure have me doing a lot.”
“Yeah, right,” Tim scoffed, moving back towards the backyard. Ashley watched as his hand grazed the small of Lucy’s back as he passed behind her. “This was all you and you know it. You’re lucky I’m even letting you have this thing here- and blaming me for it.” Ashley frowned? Lucy had wanted this? And Tim had...agreed? Offered his house? That pit was growing, and had been throughout this entire exchange. Then Tim paused, just at the edge of the kitchen, parallel with Ashley yet still not even aware of her presence. “Hey, Luce?” Lucy hummed, glancing over to Tim with a happy smile. “Thank you for this. I really needed it.”
Lucy’s entire face softened and she came to stand directly in front of Tim. She placed her hand on his arm, sliding it down to tangle their fingers together. And Tim let her. “I know what this day is for you. And I would never want you to be alone for a second of it, okay?” Tim nodded, expression soft. There was gratitude and trust and something else that Ashley didn’t want to name. But she could. Because she’d seen that look on her dad’s face when he looked at her mom plenty of times. Not love, per se, but something close- that thing that came from knowing someone deeply. Something domestic- built on intimacy and time.
Something a sergeant and his aide shouldn’t have.
“Thanks, Luce,” he whispered. She nodded, squeezing his hand, lightly, before heading back to the dish she was preparing. Tim watched her with a fond, lingering look. Then he turned and headed back outside. He fell back into conversation easily, like the moment Ashley had just seen never even happened. But as the rest of the day went on, she would catch him glancing over to wherever Lucy was. She’d see them exchange knowing smiles or share teasingly exasperated looks.
Ashley noticed that Tim never seemed to see her.
Chris smiled as he looked around.
This had been a fun day. He hadn’t expected Lucy to invite him to her friends’ Fourth of July party, but he was glad she did. There had been games, a bit of friendly competition, and great conversation. Her friends were really fun and this was the first time he’d gotten to be around them- and be around Lucy with them. She was different around these people and Chris liked seeing her so carefree.
Speaking of Lucy, he turned to try and find her in the chaos. He scanned the area by the grill first- she’d been keeping Bradford company while he grilled everything, since everyone else had been hovering more around the hammocks and tables that were set up. But for once she wasn’t there. He caught sight of her coming from inside the house. He raised a hand to get her attention but Tim called out at the same moment.
“Hey! Food’s ready, come get it!”
There was a bit of a mad dash, that became a traffic jam as everyone all moved to get plates and food. Luckily, Chris ended up standing next to Lucy in the food line. He wrapped his arm around her and gave her waist a squeeze as she started filling her plate. He wasn’t really paying much attention, but it seemed like she was exploring a bit- getting things she usually stayed away from. But it was a holiday, and he wasn’t about to comment on what she wanted to enjoy.
They filled their plates, then made their way back to the folding tables that lined Bradford’s fence. It was only after everyone else had started eating that Chris noticed Lucy wasn’t touching her plate. Instead she was glancing back towards the grill where Bradford was putting more meat and veggies on the grill. “Lucy?” Chris called. She whipped around to look at him. “Aren’t you gonna eat?” he asked, nodding to the untouched plate.
She looked down at the food in front of her and frowned. “Oh, no, that’s not for me. I’m about to go get my food. That’s Tim’s.”
Chris leaned back slightly in surprise. “What do you mean that’s Tim’s?”
Lucy just shrugged, covering the plate with a couple paper towels. “I made that one for him. I knew he’d do this. He’s not gonna eat until everyone else has at least had seconds. And by then all the sides will probably be gone.” Lucy turned back to the man in question and Chris found himself watching Lucy’s face as she watched Tim. Her forehead was pinched slightly and her lips were pursed, broadcasting her concern. “He’s doing all this for everyone- he deserves to at least get a full plate out of it.” Chris gave a slow, considering nod. Not that Lucy saw it.
She was already heading over to Tim.
Chris watched, trying to tune out the noise around him, as they two interacted. Lucy walked up with a fresh plate and Tim raised a brow. He made a comment and Lucy bumped his shoulder with hers, lightly. But they were both smiling and Chris watched as Tim automatically put all the things that Lucy liked on her plate. They were standing close together, chatting amiably as Tim idly flipped a burger.
And it was just so domestic.
Chris felt himself getting uncomfortable the longer he watched. Tim and Lucy weren’t doing anything wrong- the touches and looks were friendly. But there was just this underlying intimacy. A familiarity that he had never felt between him and Lucy- and she was his girlfriend. Lucy said something and Tim threw his head back in a full laugh. Chris winced at the way Lucy’s entire face lit up in response, her body leaning into Tim’s almost on reflex.
“Hey! What’s so funny?” someone- Lopez, Chris thought- called.
The two looked over at everyone and shook their heads, completely in sync. Chris glanced around the table, wondering if anyone else noticed. But no one seemed to. Except for Ashley. She was watching the two with the same uncertain look Chris was sure he was wearing. But the interruption from their friends seemed to have broken whatever spell Tim and Lucy had been caught in. Lucy gave Tim’s arm a quick squeeze, then made her way back over to the table, sitting across from Chris like nothing had happened.
He tried to ignore it. It was just a nice thing she had done for her friend- no need to read into it. But he couldn’t help noticing other things now. Like the way Lucy always made sure Tim had a cool drink while he grilled. Or the way she cleaned up as she socialized- and the grateful look Tim sent her each time he saw it. And finally, when Tim had decided there was enough food for anyone to have as much as they wanted, he grabbed a plate only for Lucy to hop up from her seat. Chris watched her grab the plate she’d made earlier and take it to Tim. This time Chris was close enough to hear them.
“Here, I made this for you earlier,” Lucy said, plate outstretched.
Tim turned, a surprised look on his face that quickly turned to something softer when he saw the covered plate. “You didn’t have to,” he said, looking at Lucy fondly. “But thank you.”
Lucy smiled, soft and something. Chris’ stomach clenched uneasily. “You take care of everyone else, but never yourself. I figured I’d look out for you, today.” Chris watched as Tim gave Lucy a small, soft smile, nodding almost shyly. Lucy reached out and squeezed Tim’s arm, the touch lingering a bit longer than necessary. Then she let go and they both stepped back- in sync again. Then she turned and left, and Tim moved to sit beside Ashley to eat. And if Chris hadn’t seen it- he wouldn’t have thought anything had just happened. But he did see it. And it had happened. And suddenly he was questioning everything he’d thought about where his relationship with Lucy was going. Because the things she’d done- the way she and Tim interacted- it reminded him of his parents. It reminded him of the couples he’d seen who had been married for years. Familiar and intimate- loving.
And Chris had a feeling Lucy would never be that way with him.