town.
“Everything looks exactly the same,” she says, peering into the living room.
I lean my shoulder against the door frame and scan the room which faintly smells of the wood cleaner. “The furniture held up well. The realtor said to keep the house as if it’s been lived in.”
“When do you open the house to buyers?”
“In a few weeks,” I say. I move the subject away from that. As much as I hate this house, it’s still mine for the moment. And the thought of leaving it again makes my stomach churn. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Sure. Whatever you have is fine.”
I walk past her. She moves out of my way, but still avoids touching anything.
In the kitchen I open the fridge, grabbing two bottles of water. Just as I close the door, Hadley’s scream rips through the air along with the sound of spraying water. I toss the bottles onto the counter and run to her. Just as I suspected, she’s in the half-bathroom next to the kitchen. Hadley is drenched with water and her hands are flailing in front of her blindly, reaching for the handle. I reach forward, water spraying over my face and down the front of my shirt, and turn the handle into the off position.
“The sink doesn’t work,” I say.
She pushes dripping hair away from her face. “No kidding.”
I press my lips together, unable to hide a grin. Her shirt clings to her chest and it takes all of my effort to keep my eyes locked on her unamused face.
“Hold on,” I say and jog down the hall to the pantry. I grab a dish towel and bring it to her. When I return, she’s pulling her shirt away from her chest, a hint of red creeping up her neck. I hand her the towel and she takes it, drying her face first. Her mascara smudges, creating a raccoon-like ring around her eyes.
“I need to go home,” she says, now glaring at herself in the mirror.
I shake my head. “I didn’t hear you go in. I should have said something.”
“That will teach me to just assume I can come in here and pretend it’s the same as before,” she mumbles, but her eyes widen suddenly. “I didn’t mean—”
I step forward, my legs not listening to my brain. I touch her shoulder, pushing her hair away from her face. “Both of those things are my fault. Besides, this house is just as much yours as it is mine. At least for a little while longer.”
She’s breathing quickly and I realize I’m still touching her. I drop my hand from her shoulder and take a step back. Her eyes travel over my shirt before she pulls the towel close to her.
Neither of us speak as she rubs the towel over her hair.
She breaks the tension. “I should go home though. And change before the carnival.”
I look down at my shirt. “Yeah, me too.”
I’m frozen to the spot as she slides her body between me and the door frame. I don’t know why I don’t give her more room, but when her body brushes against mine and her breath hitches, my heart pounds around in my chest in double time. I grab her arm as she passes and her eyes meet mine.
“Come back over before you go,” I say in a low voice. “We can walk together. Since we are working the same booth,” I add the last part quickly.
“Okay,” she says and starts for the door.
I drop her arm and watch her leave. She doesn’t give me a second look.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rings. I push the shower curtain aside and reach for a towel, wrapping it around my waist as I get out of the tub. I race down the stairs and pull open the door.
Hadley stands there, her damp hair pulled back from her face. Her eyes widen and she quickly diverts her eyes to the doorbell. “Ethan used the hide-a-key the other day and didn’t return it.” She holds up her phone. “And he’s not answering.”
I tighten the towel around my waist. “Okay.” I move aside and she hesitates at the door. “I have some extra camp shirts if you want to wear one tonight?”
She steps through my door the second time today. “That would be great. Can
“Everything looks exactly the same,” she says, peering into the living room.
I lean my shoulder against the door frame and scan the room which faintly smells of the wood cleaner. “The furniture held up well. The realtor said to keep the house as if it’s been lived in.”
“When do you open the house to buyers?”
“In a few weeks,” I say. I move the subject away from that. As much as I hate this house, it’s still mine for the moment. And the thought of leaving it again makes my stomach churn. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Sure. Whatever you have is fine.”
I walk past her. She moves out of my way, but still avoids touching anything.
In the kitchen I open the fridge, grabbing two bottles of water. Just as I close the door, Hadley’s scream rips through the air along with the sound of spraying water. I toss the bottles onto the counter and run to her. Just as I suspected, she’s in the half-bathroom next to the kitchen. Hadley is drenched with water and her hands are flailing in front of her blindly, reaching for the handle. I reach forward, water spraying over my face and down the front of my shirt, and turn the handle into the off position.
“The sink doesn’t work,” I say.
She pushes dripping hair away from her face. “No kidding.”
I press my lips together, unable to hide a grin. Her shirt clings to her chest and it takes all of my effort to keep my eyes locked on her unamused face.
“Hold on,” I say and jog down the hall to the pantry. I grab a dish towel and bring it to her. When I return, she’s pulling her shirt away from her chest, a hint of red creeping up her neck. I hand her the towel and she takes it, drying her face first. Her mascara smudges, creating a raccoon-like ring around her eyes.
“I need to go home,” she says, now glaring at herself in the mirror.
I shake my head. “I didn’t hear you go in. I should have said something.”
“That will teach me to just assume I can come in here and pretend it’s the same as before,” she mumbles, but her eyes widen suddenly. “I didn’t mean—”
I step forward, my legs not listening to my brain. I touch her shoulder, pushing her hair away from her face. “Both of those things are my fault. Besides, this house is just as much yours as it is mine. At least for a little while longer.”
She’s breathing quickly and I realize I’m still touching her. I drop my hand from her shoulder and take a step back. Her eyes travel over my shirt before she pulls the towel close to her.
Neither of us speak as she rubs the towel over her hair.
She breaks the tension. “I should go home though. And change before the carnival.”
I look down at my shirt. “Yeah, me too.”
I’m frozen to the spot as she slides her body between me and the door frame. I don’t know why I don’t give her more room, but when her body brushes against mine and her breath hitches, my heart pounds around in my chest in double time. I grab her arm as she passes and her eyes meet mine.
“Come back over before you go,” I say in a low voice. “We can walk together. Since we are working the same booth,” I add the last part quickly.
“Okay,” she says and starts for the door.
I drop her arm and watch her leave. She doesn’t give me a second look.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rings. I push the shower curtain aside and reach for a towel, wrapping it around my waist as I get out of the tub. I race down the stairs and pull open the door.
Hadley stands there, her damp hair pulled back from her face. Her eyes widen and she quickly diverts her eyes to the doorbell. “Ethan used the hide-a-key the other day and didn’t return it.” She holds up her phone. “And he’s not answering.”
I tighten the towel around my waist. “Okay.” I move aside and she hesitates at the door. “I have some extra camp shirts if you want to wear one tonight?”
She steps through my door the second time today. “That would be great. Can
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