Page 42 of Full Throttle

Except, the niggling thought that maybe I wouldn’t be on my own kept popping up in my head. Maybe Josh would be here at times.

Maybe Cherry.

Maybe the three of us together.

Cherry was examining the closet the previous owner had expanded. “Look at all this space… It’s incredible!”

She loved this house. I did too.

With a start, I realized I could see her here. With me.

Not on occasion, but every single day. Living with me. Sharing my life.

Completing my life.

I wondered how she was going to feel when I told her.

I tried not to laugh. I had a feeling it was going to be fireworks.

But it was gonna happen.

I was determined.

Tuesday, I called Cherry to confirm dinner. She sounded tired when I spoke with her.

“Can I take a rain check?” she asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just been a day. The girls are driving me mad at the salon—they’re so lazy. I’ve been after them all day to do their jobs. Apparently folding towels and cleaning is below them now,” she huffed. “I have a headache, and I’m not in a great frame of mind. All I want is to head upstairs and have a nap and a quiet night.”

I was disappointed, but I understood. “Sure, baby. No worries. I’ll call you later, okay? Or you call me when you get up from your nap. If you want company, I’ll drive in.”

“I’m going to take a couple of Tylenol and a Gravol. The Gravol makes me sleep hard, so you might not hear from me.”

I chuckled. “Okay. Just feel better.”

“Thank you.”

I hung up, staring at the phone. Chase came in, sitting down. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. Cherry canceled tonight.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah. Bad day.”

He nodded. “She said something to Hannah on the weekend too. She thinks she’s too old to be hairdressing anymore. Between the girls she’s working with and standing all day, she’s tired of it.”

I hummed in agreement. I had rubbed her shoulders on Saturday evening, shocked at how knotted her muscles were. Her legs were tight too.

“Hard on the body after all these years, I guess.” I chuckled. “I feel the same at times, bent over an engine. I can’t quite stretch the same way anymore.”

Chase laughed. “Old man.”

I glowered at him, even though, today, he was right. I felt old.

“Any plans tonight?” I asked.