It was the fact that Lou was looking at him. And he loved it.
* * *
Six gently placed an arm under her mom's legs and around her back and scooped her mom up as if she didn't weigh more than a bag of apples. Louisa was certain that it was very wrong to study the way his biceps stretched his pale gray T-shirt as he carried her mom onto the sidewalk where an industrious server from the restaurant on the corner had delivered a chair from their patio. With care, he lowered her mom onto the seat, and in a rush, she returned her focus to her mom's injuries instead of the man who stood next to her. "Oh my gosh, Mom. Are you okay?" She crouched down in front of the chair, and Six joined her.
"No," her mom whimpered. "I really hurt my ankle. I can't put any weight on it."
Louisa touched it gently, and her mom winced. It was already starting to swell rather nastily.
"Should we get you to a hospital?" Six asked. He placed his hand on the small of Louisa's back and rubbed it gently.
"I think I need to go," her mom answered, tears filling her eyes. "Let me call Lucan. He can take me."
Oh dear lord. Louisa could only imagine how caring the guy would be when faced with a Friday evening spent in the ER. "Mom, we can take a cab," she encouraged. They could grab some food to go so they didn't starve at the hospital.
"Please. Just let me call him," her mom begged.
Louisa watched as her mom pulled her phone from her purse and dialed. She couldn't bear to listen to the pleading conversation, so she stood and stepped away.
"You okay, Lou?" Six asked, and placed his hand on her shoulder. It felt warm and comforting.
She nodded and looked up at him. "Lucan is my age, as have been most of my mom's friends of late. We were meant to meet him for dinner."
There was a sadness to her voice, and he hated that it was there. "I could drive you both. My truck is only another block that way. I can help your mom get in."
"Oh, thank you. But I wouldn't want to interrupt your plans for the evening. You're probably late for your … whatever you were heading to. I'm sorry."
Six placed his arm over her shoulder. "The only thing I'm late for is a plate full of tacos, alone. I got nowhere else to be."
"Louisa. Lucan is on his way," her mother called from behind her, and Lou rolled her eyes.
"Of course he is," she mumbled, just for Six to hear. "He'll be worried his allowance will get cut if he doesn't come."
The server came out with a bag filled with ice, and Lou helped her mom place it around her ankle. They attached it with her mother's Hermès scarf and tied it tight to reduce the swelling.
Within a few more minutes, the roar of a powerful engine disturbed the peace and a sleek black sports car pulled up by the curb. It was the one her mother had bought Lucan for Valentine's Day, and Louisa felt a little ill at such a vulgar display of their wealth.
"Toni, sweetheart," Lucan said as he leapt out of the car and walked to where her mom sat. "What happened?"
"I fell off the curb and think I broke my ankle. I wondered if you could take me to the hospital."
Louisa watched as Lucan looked from her mom's foot to his car to his watch. "We had reservations at eight thirty. Are you sure we can't perhaps go eat, rest your foot on a stool maybe, see how it feels in the morning?"
He was trying to worm his way out of it, just as she'd known he would. She was about to step forward, torn between giving Lucan a piece of her mind or simply demanding that her mother went to the hospital with her instead, when Six placed his hand on her shoulder and stepped forward.
"I'm gonna mark that bullshit answer down to the stress of finding out your girlfriend was nearly killed when she fell down in front of a moving vehicle," he said, stepping into Lucan's personal space, completely dwarfing him.
Despite her mom's injury, Louisa covered her mouth with her hand so Lucan wouldn't see the grin she was trying to stop.
"So given you are still clearly shaken," Six said, "I'll lift Toni into your car while you cancel those reservations."
Lucan nodded, mutely.
Once her mother was safely in Lucan's car with promises to keep Lou posted on her diagnosis, Lucan pulled away from the curb. She watched the flashy taillights as he braked at the first set of lights.
"Thanks again, Six," Lou said, turning to face him. "Your timing was perfect." She looked at him for a moment, then her bangs fell back in the way.
"Always a pleasure. You can make it up to me by preventing me from eating alone. Have dinner with me, Lou."