The drive home is blissfully quiet. No rookie sitting next to me making stupid comments. No one in the backseat making noises or talking incessantly. Just me and my music.
I can’t wait for a quiet night, grilling some steak and eating in front of the television with the Red Sox game.
Pulling into the driveway, I let my head lull back against the headrest, taking in a deep breath and exhaling the day away before I walk inside to my sanctuary.
Peeking in my rearview, my thoughts wander back where they shouldn’t be.
Stop that, Wyatt. Get yourself under control. She’s just another beautiful woman. You can ignore her.
Except that sass.
A hot shower feels like heaven, but my mind won’t stop racing with thoughts of my new tenant. If Chief thinks I have the most patience for Adam, it’ll be tested trying to stay away from her.
We’ll see how many chores I can do to keep my mind off her.
At least I’ll be productive.
A couple hours later, I’ve tried everything at this point. Made dinner, watched the game, worked out, showered. I still can’t stop thinking about what Sophia is doing. Or how she’s settling in. If she’s lonely.
So I do the only thing I can.
I pack up a welcome basket full of supplies from my own house and use it as a guise to go talk to her. Pulling the door behind me, the basket balances precariously on the palm of my hand. I’m lucky I even remembered the one Ma left here, full of cleaning supplies, when I first moved in.
In hindsight, a much better welcome basket than mine.
The road between our houses is dark besides the flood light in my own driveway and the small outdoor light on her porch.
It suddenly hits me that I’ve become Tiff. Finding bullshit reasons to visit someone. Looking at the basket in my hands, I shake my head at myself. Even took a play from her book. Oh well, too late to go back now.
I turn toward her door, raising my hand to knock when there’s a sharp, cold edge pressed against my arm.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Her high pitched whisper comes from behind me.
“What areyoudoing?” I spin, singlehandedly disarming her of the garden shovel she wields. “Trying to take me out with a shovel?”
“It’s all I could find! I thought you were a murderer!” She throws her hands in the air and heads over to the small set of chairs on the porch. “Hell, I don’t know you really. You still could be.”
“Darling, this is Balsam Cliffs. There isn’t a murderer in sight unless you’re a deer or a moose.” I set the basket down on the table between the chairs and take my seat next to her, laying the shovel on the floor.
“What is this?” She raises a brow and slowly leans over to peek in.
I laugh at her untrusting assessment of the situation. “This is called a welcome basket. You know, a polite gesture to newcomers, especially neighbors.”
“With protein powder? And bananas? And,”—she moves the protein powder aside—“beef jerky?”
Shrugging, I pull it back in my lap. “If you’re not going to appreciate the gift then I’ll just bring it home.”
“The protein powder is open.”
“I don’t have a lot of time. I’m busy at work.”
“With the moose murderers?” She cocks her head to the side, taking me in.
Why the fuck did I come here?
“No. I also have to pull over sassy, raven-haired beauties who think the speed limits in my town are suggestions and the hands-free law is just an opinion.”
“We are a lot of work.” She holds her hands out. “Can I please have my welcome basket back? I would actually enjoy the bananas for breakfast since I haven’t made it to the store yet and Aubrey fed me dinner tonight.”
