London from My Windows by Mary Carter Page B

that sort of thing.” Deliveries. The word rang in her ears like bells in heaven. Deliveries. She was in a big city. She could have everything delivered. Everything and anything. She sneezed. “Gesundheit.”
    â€œThank you for everything. I think I tore my stocking. I’m too embarrassed to come out with you here. You can see yourself out, can’t you?” Ava wondered if he was going to point out that she was wearing pants.
    â€œOf course, of course.”
    â€œThank you for the ride.”
    â€œI’m leaving my business card as well. As soon as you’re up to it, you’ll need to come to my office so we can discuss the stipulations of your year here.”
    Stipulations? What stipulations? “No problem.” Oh, it was going to be a problem all right. He was going to have to come here.
    â€œIt’s in the financial district; all you have to do is walk two blocks to the Tube—”
    â€œGet out. Now. Please.”
    â€œRight then,” Jasper said. “Cheerio.”
    She listened to his footsteps, the opening of the bedroom door, the closing of the bedroom door, footsteps, then finally the opening and closing of the door to her flat. She was alone. She could breathe. She sneezed. Five times. Apparently Aunt Beverly had never felt the need to seek refuge under her bed or there wouldn’t have been so much dust. Ava crawled out, stood, and then ran to the bathroom. There was no bathtub, just a shower. Ava wouldn’t be able to hide out in a bathtub anymore with the shower curtain pulled around her. She was going to have to start cleaning underneath the bed.

CHAPTER 9
    Approximately twenty minutes after Jasper left, Ava stuck one foot out into the hall, and braced herself in the doorway as if she were in danger of an invisible force shoving her out of the flat. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew she was alone. Even if he did have really nice blue eyes, and was tall. She’d learned a lesson from Cliff. No more short men with tall egos. Jasper also had the kind of laugh that made you happy just listening to it. Was he telling the truth about all that stand-up comedian stuff? It still didn’t make things right, but she could hardly fault him for practicing his craft, and trying to have a laugh at the same time. The girl who told a police officer she was in witness protection really shouldn’t judge.
    The suitcases sat by the door. Ava kicked Diana’s, then knelt down and opened it. Folded in neat little piles on top were black turtlenecks. “Unbelievable.” So Diana had meant to come. What happened? Was Diana afraid of flying? The hypocrite. Ava didn’t want to dig around anymore. It wasn’t her suitcase. She zipped it back up and went to pick hers up instead. The second she grabbed the handle, someone called her name. “Ava.” Ava jumped and let out a little shriek.
    â€œSo sorry,” Jasper called out from behind the door. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
    â€œWhy are you lurking outside my door?” Ava asked.
    â€œI’m not lurking. I had made it halfway down the block when I turned around.”
    One minute Ava was daydreaming about his eyes and height, and the next she was being rude. It wasn’t her fault. She needed space to process this. She wasn’t used to talking to strangers for long periods of time. She wasn’t used to talking to anyone for long periods of time. What was it going to take to get him to leave? “You shouldn’t have turned around.” He didn’t answer. She could hear him breathing. Did he run back up the stairs? Did he forget something? “Why did you turn around?”
    â€œThere are some things you need to know.”
    There were probably a lot of things she needed to know. Like how to get rid of strangers at the door. What did she need to know? She’d been through an ordeal. She needed a bathroom, a bedroom, and water, so