I glanced down at where I held a towel around my waist and nothing more. I swallowed as a chill went over my body.
My heart hammered, but instead of the panic that visitors usually caused me, a small thrill shot down my spine. I wouldn’t have time to get dressed to get her out of the cold …
I shook my head.
What was wrong with me? I just left her because I couldn’t be around her without wanting to bare bits of my soul I kept locked safely away. This had to stop.
I dropped my head to the cold glass and took a steadying breath.
Claire stopped in her pursuit, and myfrown grew.
She pulled out her phone and started to rapidly text.
“No gloves,” I grumbled.
The snow fell so hard now the black of her coat and the glow of her screen were hardly visible.
“I’m two seconds from opening this window and yelling at her.”
The snow collected on her hat, hair, and shoulders. She was like a holiday card, so pretty even in the snow.
“I just got her out of the cold. Does she have a death wish?”
I had to wipe the glass again to keep watching her. I would just make sure she got back to her place okay.
“She’s probably checking in with her dad. She was the one who assured me when she agreed to my terms that not having internet wouldn’t be a problem, but here we are again.”
Ripley whined softly.
“For those keeping track at home, she’s already broken about half the rules of my listing.” I huffed loudly.
Ripley sighed and burrowed further under the blankets, tired of my ranting, it seemed.
“Okay. She’s going back. Ridiculous woman.”
I got dressed, grumbling the whole time to myself about rules that nobody else managed to follow. “The rules are there for a reason. Why even have rules?”
I tugged on my boots, heaviest coat, gloves, and hat. “Things should be done a certain way, and I’m the only person who cares.”
In the extra closet, I found the white cylindrical device I hadn’t needed in a few years. With my mallet and the stake I used lasttime, I made my way to the halfway point between our houses.
The rain from earlier caused a sheet of ice under the fresh powder, the most treacherous of conditions. I slipped in my efforts and almost fell on my ass twice. But soon enough, I’d set up the weatherproof Wi-Fi extender, and the flashing lights indicated it worked.
I trudged down to her house, in the now dark, to slide the pre-written note under the door explaining how to connect to the internet. I didn’t wait to make sure she saw the note. I did my part. I certainly wasn’t going to do it for her.
Just show her how to do it.
I hesitated just outside her door for only a fraction of a moment. But long enough for that voice deep down inside to find an excuse to knock. I could help her with the Wi-Fi. I could go back in and?—
No.
That was enough.
I barely made it back to the main house without injury. I stomped the snow off my boots and laid out all my outerwear by the fire to dry. Even with that short excursion, I was soaked through to the bone.
“For the second time today, thanks to that ridiculous woman.”
Ripley had moved to her living room den and had long stopped acknowledging my ranting.
