She was peeling the outer layer of an onion when she looked up at the sound of footsteps, her pulse elevating.
She’d never seen this version of Reese before.
Her auburn hair was damp, leaving it a darker shade than usual. Gone was the full face of makeup. Instead, her skin glowed. Matty’s eyes trailed lower, taking in the gray T-shirt that was loose everywhere but the breast area, showing off their soft, rounded shape. The hunter green leggings gave Matty a view of ample thighs that looked like the perfect place to rest her head while reading. Her bare feet felt oddly intimate, and the pretty pink nail polish seemed to only add to the down-to-earth version of Reese. Not addiction counselor Reese. The real Reese. Or at least as much of the real Reese as she would let Matty see.
“Feel better?” she asked, swallowing hard as she tore her eyes away before she looked like a hormonal idiot.
“Much. Thank you again.”
She chanced a look again, sending Reese a soft smile. “Not a problem.”
Silence hung between them. The only sound was the chopping of the onion. The rhythmic hit of the knife against the cutting board felt like the tick of a clock, seconds going by. Matty was about to speak to break it up, but Reese beat her to it.
“This is such a cute place you have,” she complimented, moving closer to the kitchen island where Matty was working. She dropped her bag on it.
“Thanks. I really like it. The neighborhood is quiet, and I like living close to Kerrie, Bette, and Kenny. It’s nice. Do you live far from here?”
“No, not really. I’m just over on Third Street.”
“Which side of Springer?” Springer ran directly through the middle, cutting the streets in half.
Reese let out a halted laugh. “The rough side. It’s not as bad as it once was, though.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen some of the properties being restored.” She turned to the stove, adding the onions to the ground beef in the pan. She would add the garlic once the beef was browned and the onions were translucent.
The music changed to another song, “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors.
“Wow, I haven’t heard this song in forever,” exclaimed Reese.
“I love this one too.” Glancing back, a rush of warmth spread out through her chest and into her belly.
The image caught her off guard. The controlled and stiff woman was swaying to the beat, her hips moving back and forth. A relaxed smile graced her face, her head tilted up with closed eyes. It was a breathtaking sight.
As if she could feel the weight of Matty watching her, Reese’s eyes opened. She ducked her head, her cheeks flaring red. “I love listening to the old stuff. I just can’t seem to get into modern music much.”
“Same. It doesn’t feel like it hits home as well.” The pan was sizzling now. She began to break up the meat into small pieces with a spatula.
“Right?”
She heard Hester’s feet scurry across the floor.
“I don’t think your cat likes me.”
“Don’t take offense. Hester doesn’t like anyone. Well, she likes me, but that’s just because I rescued her and feed her pretty much on demand.”
“You rescued her?”
“Yep, literally. She was a stray at the rehab. I got a call from my boss asking me to go to Tindle Street. A kitten was stuck in the ductwork in Swallow. I was the onlymember of maintenance small enough to crawl in there. She was so tiny. We think the mom moved her up there or something, but we never saw her. She was covered in dust and was starving. I hand-fed her with a little dropper. She’d come to work with me until she didn’t need daytime feedings. We’ve been together ever since.”
Reese’s light hazel eyes softened. “That’s so sweet. I love that.”
Matty shrugged as she started adding seasoning. “I think we both needed each other.”
“I get that. Um, well, I guess I should go. I’ve taken up a lot of your time and resources this afternoon.”
That set an alarm off inside Matty. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want her to leave so soon. They were getting along, and it was surprisingly nice to have someone in her space. It took the edge off how empty it could feel, even with Hester there.
“You could stay and have dinner if you want. I’ll have plenty. I’m making goulash.”
