Maybe this year would be different; the chill certainlyseemedmore bitter than in previous years. The thought made me smile; the twins had never experienced snow, and I couldjustimagine how happy they would be if it did snow.
When a cold wind shivered around me, I pulled my jacket tighter, regretting my decision to leave the van at home. I’d decidedthatI was going to have a few drinks tonight, and no way would I drink and drive.
Home was a thirty-minute walk, though, and while I could have hailed a cab, I decided to make the walk, opting not to spend any more of my savings on something trivial.
My body protested as I increased my pace. I knew I was pushing myself, and I knew the risk ofthat, but I needed my body to hold on a little longer. If I could get through until Sunday, I could spend the day relaxing, and hope I didn’t fall into a full-blown exhaustion.
I’d walked no more than a few minutes when a familiar car pulled alongside me and came to a stop. My brows liftedwhen the window of the black A-Class Mercedes rolled down. Ben didn’t look my way;justcontinued to stare ahead as he said,“Get in, I’ll give you a lift home.”
To say I was shocked would have been an understatement. Had the world’s most grumpiest, selfish man offered to do something for someone else?
Part of me wanted to decline his offer. I lived on the other side of town, and in the opposite direction from his place. He’d be going out of his way. But the other part of me—the bigger part—wanted to accept, hoping to see a different side of the man the whole town despised.
Maybe he did have a kind, generous side to him.
Maybe I’d just had too many beers.
When another cold wind blew, the decision was made for me. I jogged to the passenger side and got in, rubbing my hands in front of the heater and murmuring my thanks as my ass warmed on the heated seat. Ben nodded, and for the duration of the journey home, neither of us spoke.
By the time he came to a stop outside my family home, an awkward silence had filled the car.
“Thanks for the lift. I appreciate it,”I said, unbuckling my belt.
He still didn’t speak.
Sighing, I reached for the handle and tugged it open when a hand grabbed my arm. I turned back to Ben, his gaze still staring ahead out the window.“I know it’s none of my business, but it didn’tseemlike you enjoyed yourself withthatguy tonight.”
“What makes you saythat?”
He turned, his dark eyes drilling into mine.“‘Cos you didn’t smile once.”His gaze dropped to my mouth, and my breath caught, but in the blink of an eye, he’d gone back to glaring out the window.“I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t be late.”
“Yeah, see you tomorrow,”I replied, getting out of the car despite every part of me screaming to stay and talk to him.
Reaching my front door, I quietly opened it and went inside, careful not to wake the sleeping household. Locking the door behind me, I paused to look out the small glass window and the car parked on the street.
He didn’t drive away for a couple of minutes, and I wondered if he was staring back at the house. Staring at me. Eventually, the car pulled away, and I climbed the stairs to go to bed, more confused than I’d ever been in my entire life.
Tristan
For all the shit Ben gave me about being on time, he was nowhere to be seen when I arrived at his place bang on 7 am with two cups of coffee. Using the key he’d given me earlier in the week so I could come and go as needed, I abandoned the coffee I’d bought him in the kitchen and started preparing for the day ahead.
I’d purposefully waited for the weekend to attempt to remove the paint from the concrete driveway, having sprayed chemical stripper over the slanderous word in hopes it would be easier to scrub away. Plus, it had been forecast to be the last warm day before the coldreallyhit, so I figured it would be an ideal opportunity to get some warmth to my joints before the year ended.
The day flew by. It didn’t take long until I was drenched in sweat and every muscle in my body ached, but I ignored the warning signs, keen to get as much paint removed as possible. When the sun reached its peak, and I couldn’t take the heat any longer, I stripped my shirt off and flung it into my van to dry out.
With the final letter almost gone, I pushed on, knowingthatmy day tomorrow with the girls was going to be ruined. Maybe I could convince them to watch Christmas films all day with me so I could rest on the couch.Thatwould be an easy sell, especially if I bribed them with candy.
“I see old McScroodge has finally got round to doing the place up,”a voice from behind me said, pulling my thoughts from what Christmas film the twins and I would start with.
ProbablyElf.
Turning off the power scraper, I wiped the sweat off my brow as I spun, coming face to face with a guy I’d never seen before.“Yeah. Is there something I can help you with?”
His gaze traveled over my body, but not in a lecherous way, more out of curiosity, before he held his hand out.“Oh, my apologies. I’m Gary. I live next door.”I took his hand, giving him a curt nod.“My wife and I have seen you here these past few days. Say, what’s McScroodge’s plans? Is he doing the place up to sell?”
Regardless of how much Ben irked me, I didn’t like how this dude was obviously trying to get information from me. Before Icould release his hand and tell him to mind his own business, the car I’d ridden in last night turned into the driveway.
I couldn’t see Ben’s gaze hidden behind the tinted window, yet I knew he was watching me, or specifically, where Gary was clasping my hand. As Ben pulled the car to a stop, I released Gary’s hand, the two of us watching with equally confused expressions as Ben slammed the door and thundered over to us.
