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Genie was awfully jumpy, too. Did I imagine her flinching in the shower when I neared, or was I losing my mind having her around? Surely, she wasn’t afraid of me. I might not be the most pleasant person, but she was safe with me.
Should I try smiling?No.I should keep the smiles to a minimum. I wasn’t sure I could handle seeing any more of hers. I felt like my heart might jump out of my chest when she did. Maybe she truly was a siren who escaped the sea to bewitch me.
When I stepped into the living room, the pawprints near the entrance were gone. There was no sign of the muddy mess Max left behind. Genie cleaned it herself. I never would have asked a guest to clean anything in my home. I was raised better. Rubbing my chin, my thoughts drifted to the night before, when she’d been reading. I should have let her be. The moment she caught me staring, I could see I ruined her mood because she had been so animated while she read. I didn’t think she noticed how much she smiled and moved around, and then I destroyed her happiness by paying attention to her. But as much as I saw her discomfort, I still had to ask, because it didn’t make sense. For the chick with firetruck red hair and a soft smile to be sitting beside the fire reading so peacefully as if she hadn’t lost everything.
My question must have upset her. She went upstairs.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Did you completely forget how to behave once she arrived?” I asked my dog. I got nothing but tail wags in return.
“Sorry for the mess.” Genie descended the stairs, patting her hair with a towel. Her wrists must be fine from the way she moved her hands.
She was dressed in raggedy clothing—a T-shirt with a hole right at her navel and a black pair of jogging pants that looked just as worn. Even so, the ragged outfit couldn’t hide how alluring the woman was. My eyes strayed to her more than I wanted, just like my thoughts did.
“I was giving him the opportunity to pee, so he didn’t have to wait for you to return.”
“It’s fine,” I said quickly and looked away, because, God forbid, I offended her by staring again. She told me what she wore to bed. Her appearance shouldn’t surprise me, but it did. “There’s a leash hanging by the door. Feel free to take him out that way if I’m not home.”
Why did I say that? It wasn’t like she’d be in my home much longer.
Genie’s hair was so damp that water dripped onto her shirt. And her face was bare and oily, like she put something on it before coming down. It took every ounce of control I had not to pluck the towel from her hands and properly get the excess water from her hair. Her skin was pebbled, and despite the heat running, the cabin was chilled. Seeing her be so willy-nilly with herself, I didn’t know why, but my chest tightened, and I became uncomfortable.
“You should blow-dry your hair,” I couldn’t help but say as I stared at all the wet spots on her shirt. I spotted her navel again, and the tightness increased in my chest tenfold.
“I never blow-dry it,” she said with a shrug.
“The cabin can get cold…”
“It’s fine.” She waved her hand.
I frowned.
“Believe me, I’ve survived worse.”
She wasn’t trying and had no idea of the mess she was causing my brain. But every time she spoke, she made me more and more curious. I wish she didn’t.
“I brought home some leftover soup.” I pointed toward the kitchen. “You’re welcome to it.”
“If it tastes as good as your fancy ramen, count me in.”
Fancy ramen?
Was everything ordinary considered fancy by my houseguest?
Her phone rang. She pulled it out of her jogging pants and answered, “Hello?” There was a pause. “This is she. That would be perfect. I can make that work. Of course, yeah. See you Monday!” She jumped in the air as she ended the call. “I have a job interview already.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Every place is hiring.”
“You’re right, but I’m still glad.”
“Where at?”
“Subway.” She bounced toward my kitchen, her wet hair flying everywhere. “It’s not the pay I want, but it’ll do until I can find better.”
I wanted to know what she did before losing her job, but I realized I was asking all the questions. Genie hadn’t inquired about me at all. Why did that bother me? My heart felt weird, tight, anduncontrollable.
???
In my recliner, I browsed Netflix a bit, then looked toward the second-floor balcony. I supposed she wasn’t coming down to read by the fire. Rubbing my jaw, I went back to looking for a movie. I hadn’t read a book in a while. Maybe I should. Most nights, I spent more time looking for something to watch than actually watching something.
