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“I’ll drive you over.” Janet steers me to her car and we hesitate at the front end. I need to step forward, away from her, but that would mean she isn’t touching me anymore. What if this isn’t what she intended, what if she doesn’t touch me again? What if she was just being nice and trying to keep me warm? I’m an actual idiot. I finally move and her arm falls from my shoulders, making me shiver. The wind picks up a little, cutting through my shirt, and I hurry to get in. Janet jumps in her side and reaches back to grab two coats. One is her work coat, the other a zip up black hoodie. I stuff my arms in it and she starts the car, immediately pushing buttons and my butt gets warm. I smile at her and snuggle down in the seat. Janet puts the car in drive and we pull out, darting across the street and up next to my sleek black sedan. I groan a little, hop out and into my car to get my bag, my coat I should have worn, and the big keyring from my dashboard. I hurry back to her car, shut the door, and press the button to lock mine.
“Ready?” Janet moves the gearshift to drive and glances over at me. I pull my beanie down and my coat up so I’m barely visible. I’m really not made for the cold. I nod under all my layers, and we pull out toward my house. “Maybe my mom and brothers won’t notice the car. If Dad does, he’ll be over to check things out with us, he has a spidey sense about home repairs but isn’t great at them, so just ignore anything he says.”
For a second, I forgot her family lives right down from my new home. Mom, Dad, two brothers. I’m a little jealous. I have an older sister and a mother who is currently on husband number five somewhere. My sister is some big shot Broadway actress, or so she says. I got by with Shelby since we were kids, and now I’ve left her behind too. I wonder what it would take to get her here in East Hollow with me.
The drive is quiet, the only sound is the tires on the asphalt and the heat blowing through the vents, warming my feet and nose. I eventually lean down and turn it down a little, shedding my coat and adjusting my beanie at the same time. The last thing I want is to start sweating. “So, tell me more about Janet Morgan.” I angle myself to face her and watch her profile while she drives. With the big black work coat on, I can’t see her biceps flexing or really anything about her body, so I focus on her face. Her lips are full, her nose is long, straight, and her cheekbones are high. How is she so freaking pretty? I’d give my big toe for my lashes to be as long as hers.
“I’m almost thirty-six, I’m an officer with the EHPD, I have a cute little house a few miles from here that I rent because I’m too chicken shit to commit to a house. I know it sounds weird, but I just can’t imagine buying a house without being sure about my future first. What if I want kids someday, what if I buy a small house then get a big dog, what if I meet a woman who has ten foster kids and I have a tiny house? Too much commitment in buying a house alone. I have two little brothers. Garret and Lucas. All of us are adopted. My mom couldn’t have kids. I read comics for fun and read sci-fi when Wyatt tells me to.” Janet sucks her lip in her mouth and chews on it.
“So that’s Janet Morgan in ten seconds or less?” I smile and lean toward her a little. “Anything else?”
“I’m gay if that wasn’t abundantly clear. Oh, and I’m a Libra.” She shrugs. “What about you?”
My stomach ties in knots, trapping the butterflies inside. “So you’re all about balance in life. You’re extroverted, friendly, and like to right the wrongs in the world.”
“Regular astrologist, aren’t you?” Janet smiles at me and my skin tingles.
“My sister is really into it, so I learned a few things. I’m a Libra too, but more of the indecisive self-pitying type of Libra.” I shrug and watch her chuckle at my description. “I’m twenty-five, I have nothing figured out in life, and I have an older sister, Margo. She lives in New York, chasing the bright lights. My mom lives in Florida, and I never see her. I spent a few summers with Aunt Matilda as a kid when Mom was too busy. I have no idea who my dad is. My best friend Shelby is back in Georgia, still managing the JCPenney’s but now she’s doing it without me. That was my life’s big achievement until now. I was the assistant manager of a JCPenney’s.” Not that Janet’s life seems particularly glamorous, it just feels more put together than mine. “I never thought I’d ever own a house, much less one this damn big and now I get to learn how to own a business. No big deal.”
“And that is Rowen Madison in ten seconds or less?” Janet pulls into my drive and puts her car in park.
I swallow. This is the part where every lesbian I’ve ever met has written me off. “And I’m bi, in case that wasn’t abundantly clear.” I watch her face, echoing her words. She glances at me, a smile playing at her lips.
“So, men too?” Her words aren’t mean or biting, but my heart thuds loudly in my chest anyway. I like Janet a lot. And she’s clearly into me, so if the fact that I’m not a lesbian, well, not all the way, is a deal breaker, it’s kind of going to suck.
“Yeah, sometimes.” I shrug.
“And you’re out? Like, people know?” Her question makes me pause. This one isn’t judgmental either, just matter of fact.
“I don’t have anyone to know, not really. My sister doesn’t care, my mother doesn’t care, Shelby knows. She even went to pride with me last year in her Ally shirt. But no one here knows because there’s no one to tell. But if you’re asking if I’m comfortable with people knowing, yeah.” I say the words with weird pauses and the whole statement comes out so strange.
“Cool. Cool. I just don’t want to out someone who isn’t ready. That’s all. Well, welcome to East Hollow where there are very slim pickings for my type.” She winks at me and my cheeks get warm. “Ready to go check this out and see what we can do to get you in a bed?” Janet says the last part with a smile that I want to call flirty, but my brain is too busy trying to dissect her reaction to my sexuality to pick apart anything else right now. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman has shot me down for liking men too, but Janet doesn’t seem to care.
“Yeah. Definitely. Thanks for doing this.” I unbuckle and catch her staring at me. “What?” Janet looks like she has something to say, but only smiles and shrugs. Okay then.
“Nothing. I’m just excited. Haven’t had a project since Wyatt added a patio last year.” Janet throws her door open excitedly and gets out. I watch her jog up the worn porch steps to my huge Victorian house and climb out after her. If nothing else comes of this, I’m making a friend. Although, there is no way this won’t turn into an unrequited love story for me. Won’t be the first time I’ve fallen for someone who isn’t into me and probably won’t be the last.
I jog up and pull my keys out, unlocking the door with the one painted black and shoving them back in my pocket as we step inside. The old wooden floors creak under my feet and we close the door softly behind us, leaving us alone in the cavernous foyer. Janet takes a step forward, head tilted back and hazel eyes roaming over the dust covered banister above us, the chandelier, the dark wood stairs. It’s like theAddam’s Familyhome, but mine and without the hand running around. The sitting room is to the right of the stairs, all the old furniture still covered in sheets and tarps, straight ahead is the kitchen, and to the right is the living room with a massive fireplace on one end, a huge TV on the other, and a bay window on the front of the house. The furniture in here is newer, a large sectional, the giant TV that took me forever to hook my Xbox to and required an adapter, and the small heater I’ve been using to keep warm. My nest of blankets is piled on one side of the sofa when we walk in and the urge to clean up is overwhelming when she stares at where I’ve sleeping.
“This place is awesome.” Janet walks over to the bay window and throws back the curtains to look over the yard. The glass is grimy and gross, but you can see out. “What do you want to tackle first?” She turns back to me, a glint in her eye and the dim sunlight silhouetting her from behind.
“The heat? Not that the couch isn’t comfortable, but this room doesn’t hold heat and I want to sleep in a bed.” I tip my head. “Or we can finish the tour first? There’s a dining room, bathroom, kitchen, and sunroom still to see down here. Upstairs has a ton of bedrooms, bathrooms, and a library. It’s all dusty and cobwebbed, but I’ll get around to cleaning eventually. The only rooms I’ve cleaned are this one, sorta, and the kitchen and bath.” I really need to get to the store and buy more cleaning supplies. I went thought three bottles of spray cleaner on the bathroom alone.
“Are you going to rent out rooms or anything? This is so much house. Are you going to sell?” The word sell seems to stick in her throat. I start shaking my head almost as soon as she says it. “Good. I’d have to ask how much you want if you sell. This place is amazing. It’s crazy that my parents’ rancher is just a few doors down from a gorgeous home like this. Not that theirs isn’t nice, but theirs is more seventies classic than gothic beauty.” Janet looks so excited to be in the house, hands stuffed in her coat pockets, eyes shining as she looks around. “Need help cleaning? I’ll help. This is way better than a patio for Wyatt.”
“I’ll never say no to cleaning help. Come on, I want to watch you freak out over a claw foot tub.” I reach out to grab her sleeve to drag her from the room, but as my hand moves toward her arm, she slips her hand from her pocket and catches my fingers in hers. It seems to happen in this weird slow motion, and my brain is not picking up what she’s putting down until she spins her palm against mine and cups our hands together. A warm fuzzy feeling runs up my arm to my chest and I can’t make a single neuron in my brain fire. Not one.
“I…” is all that comes out of my mouth.
“Oh.” At this word, the world speeds up again and Janet tries to drop my hand, but I don’t let her let go. Nope. I hold her hand tightly and my brain catches up. I tug her lightly and we walk from my living room and down the hall with her hand in mine. The knots in my stomach are tightening, making me a little queasy, but I ignore it. This gorgeous woman just took my hand, and I am not letting my fear of anything ruin that for me.
“Wait till you see this.” My voice squeaks a little when I talk. I clear my throat. Smooth, Rowen, real smooth.
Janet stops in the kitchen, and I come to a jerking halt, her hand clasping mine. Her mouth is hanging open and her eyes are wide. The kitchen has blood red walls, black and white tiled floors, dark marble counters, and charcoal cabinets. The appliances are all newish stainless steel and the window above the sink looks out over woods and a small yard. The sunroom sits to the right and the bathroom to the left. It’s like a modern gothic upgrade and fits weirdly into the aesthetic of the house.
“Wow,” Janet whispers and I take a step back to join her at the doorway. I had the same reaction the first time I walked in here.
“It gets better.” I tug her and she walks with me, letting me pull her to the bathroom. It’s the cleanest room in the whole house next to the kitchen. I push open the bathroom door and let her step inside, her hand sliding from mine. Our eyes meet for a second and I smirk at her. Clearly this street is going both ways and that makes my heart happy. It’s been a long time since I met someone I got giddy about, and yeah, it’s been a whole day, but we women like to go for what we want.
