“And you have no siblings?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “No, one child was enough for Mama. She and Daddy split when I was five, and I only saw him three times after that. As far as I know, he didn’t have any other kids, and he died about five years ago in a car accident.”
“I, uh, I know. About your pops. The funeral was here,” he says. “He was one of six kids, and all six passed away before your grandparents. You’re the only grandchild on the Carmichael side.”
“On Mama’s side, too. But I didn’t know he had five siblings. They all died before my grandparents?”
It bothers me how much a man I barely know has more information about my family than I do. He grew up here, but people should know the basics about their own ancestry, shouldn’t they?
“Nope, none of them had kids but your pops. They all passed young. He was the last of them.”
“I kind of hoped I’d have cousins or something. Mama’s sister never had kids, and she passed away with her partner over ten years ago.”
“How? Car accident?”
Smirking, I shake my head. “Bungee jumping. Mama was both amused and annoyed about it. We didn’t go to her funeral, though. Or her parents’ funerals, either. Same with Jensen and Kathleen. I always had a pageant or gig, and Mama would tell me afterwards.”
“Really?”
I sigh. “Like I said, Mama had dreams for me. She knew I’d want to go to the funerals, but my career was too important to risk.”
“I’m sorry, Brynlee. Let’s stop talkin’ about that. On the bright side, we can get you a filtration system.”
“Oh, you are just a sweet talker, aren’t you?” I say and look over the list he gave me. “I haven’t figured out an internet provider yet, and my laptop is buried in a packed box still. I can do it on my phone, though.” He smirks at me when I glance up, and I shake my head, mirroring his smirk. “Okay, I hear how ridiculous that sounds considering how many items you have here. Don’t laugh. It’s the first time I’ve been on my own without a landlord to take care of things. I’m kind of winging it.”
“You’re doin’ a fine job,” he says. “If you need any help, you can call. How about this? I’ll order the parts, and you can pay me back.”
The offer makes me want to wrap him up in my arms and kiss him. I’m not so sure about this constant urge around him. It’s very foreign. “Really?”
He nods and gives me one of those smiles of his that makes me melt. “I’ve already done it, and I have internet at my house. Just gotta reorder what was in my cart.”
“Gatekeeper,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”
His eyes glance to the floor, something he’s done both times he’s been inside. “Are these floors original?”
I smile with pride as I nod excitedly. The lawyer sent me the specs for the house when he thought I’d want to sell, and they were a huge selling point. “They’re so pretty, aren’t they? I spent the first night scrubbing them on my hands and knees. The bedroom floors have been replaced, and they don’t quite match up, but I kind of like the imperfection.”
“You like imperfection?”
The way he says it, like it’s ridiculous, makes my smile falter. Just like everyone else, Rhett’s made assumptions about me, likely based on my looks. “I spent my entire life trying to attain perfection, and I find it much more satisfying to let things fall where they may.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine. I focus far too much on my own imperfections after years of conditioning, but we all have things to work on, right?” I say, chuckling to ease the discomfort.
Rhett reaches out and touches my hand on the counter. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out, Brynlee. Honest.”
“It’s okay,” I say and plaster on a smile. “Thank you for getting the air conditioning running. I don’t have to worry about melting now. You stopping by was a godsend.”
“Anytime,” he says and stands. “And I meant it when I said to call if you need anythin’.”
“Thank you.”
We walk towards the door, and he turns to give me another beaming smile that makes me swoon. “See you later, Brynlee.”
I wish I could invite him to dinner, but I have nothing to offer other than prepackaged salads. And he looks like a meat and potatoes kind of guy.
Nothing comes to mind to try and keep Rhett here to spend more time with him. To get to know him and let him get to know me. Beyond the pretty face. He’s so different from anyone I’ve ever met, and I want to get to know him better. His genuine nature calls to me in a way I feel in my core. And other unexpected body parts since our first meeting.
