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The universe had started shitting on me from a great height earlier this week, and from the looks of it, it wasn’t going to let up soon, even though I’d changed time zones and traveled several thousand miles.
“Here we go.Your chariot awaits.”Rick led me to a dark blue pickup truck with the wordsCALLAHAN CARPENTRYemblazoned in pale gray on the side.
I stared at the door for a second when he pulled it open for me.Overtired, I hesitated for a moment, then thanked him before getting in.Rick climbed into the driver’s seat after he loaded my luggage.I felt my eyelids droop as he started up the engine.
The combo of a long journey and lots of tears had started to take its toll.I felt myself begin to deflate like an old balloon.
“It’s an hour’s drive.Why don’t you try to catch some sleep?”Rick suggested.His voice was so soothing.
I let my gaze linger on him; the line of his jaw under scruffy brown-gold stubble, the hazel eyes that seemed to see straight through me.
“What kind of person crosses an ocean to avoid someone?”I mumbled, too tired to censor myself, not sure if I really wanted him to answer or not.
I fell asleep before he replied.
* * *
Rick
An hour later, Rick pulled up on the street outside Jess’s house.Maddie was asleep next to him.She looked impossibly beautiful, her face relaxed in slumber.Soft lips, thick, dark lashes, raven’s wing hair.
Who crosses an ocean to avoid someone?
He’d like to have several very stern words with that someone.
When Jess told him that her British cousin was coming from the UK to cover the family bakery for Jess’ three-week honeymoon, Rick didn’t know what to expect.
Of course, he’d watched Maddie’s YouTube cooking videos, scrolled through her Instagram full of mouthwatering photos of apple-crumble bao and raspberry-filled angpao cookies.
But in those videos, she hadn’t been like this.A tumble of bed-head raven hair, a crisp accent softened by tiredness.Wounded eyes.Jess warned Rick to look after Maddie, telling him she’d been through a lot lately.He’d figured that any friend or relation of Jess’ wouldn’t need too much looking after.His next-door neighbor was born independent.
Maddie Liu might not be bleeding, but she was absolutely walking wounded.
Rick stood by the passenger door for a moment.He needed to wake her up, get her settled next door.
In the quiet of the early May night, cicadas chirped.
Her chest rose and fell beneath the white t-shirt she wore under a soft pink hoodie.He sternly made himself not think about what might be under those clothes and opened the door.Gently, he nudged her shoulder.It was a safe area to touch.
She didn’t stir once.Out cold.
He murmured her name.“Maddie.We’re here.”
At the lack of response, he tried again, slightly louder.She didn’t budge.Not even an eyelid twitch.
For a few moments he chewed over the appropriateness of scooping up a woman without asking first.She needed the sleep, and he couldn’t just start yelling at her in the street in the middle of the night.
He wasn’t in the military anymore, after all.
Several options flickered through his mind, He could go through Maddie’s stuff, find Jess’ keys, or he could bring her into his house and settle her there.Might be easier.Would certainly be quicker.
First, he toted her stuff to his house, shouldered open the door, and shoved it inside.
When he got back to the truck, he found her still deeply asleep, snoring softly.It was kind of adorable.Her lashes were thick, dark crescents against her cheekbones.
“Maddie,” he said, louder, shaking her shoulder gently.
Her breath hitched, and she murmured something unintelligible, but slumbered on.
