AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked over at her, seeing her smile, and had to focus all my energy on not wrecking my goddamn truck.
“You didn’t hear it from me, but I’m pretty certain the woman’s never been laid. She never married, mainly because there isn’t a man out there who’d want to put up with all her miserable bullshit, but for as long as I can recall, she’s never so much as dated.”
Humor was laced through Lyric’s words as she asked, “So what you’re saying is the woman needs to get her pipes cleared out good and proper.”
A surprised crack of laughter pushed out of my mouth. “Yep. I’d be willing to stake my pension on it. I’m guessing she came in again today to hassle you some more?”
“Ding, ding, ding. I think she’s dug her heels in on making my life miserable, at least until the next open forum with town council.”
“Well, if it gets out of hand, you can always call me. I’ll come down and deal with her.”
When I was met with silence, I turned and found Lyric watching me, her expression softer than it had been only moments ago. “Thanks, Holt. I appreciate that.”
God, that look. It nearly did me in. “Any time, Little Dove,” I said, my voice hoarser than normal.
“Oh! I almost forgot. Your mom and sister stopped in as well. They invited me to dinner.”
I let out a pained groan. “Of course they did. You don’t have to go to that. I can make up an excuse for you.”
We pulled up to the house a short while later, and for the first time in a week, some of the weight that had been pressing down on my chest had eased.
“I was thinking I’d order pizza for dinner. How’s that sound?” I asked as we both climbed out of the truck.
“Oh, um. No thanks. I think I’m just going to make a quick sandwich and soak in the bath for a bit before bed. I’m pretty tired.”
Wait. What?
I looked her way as I rounded the hood to get Churro out of the back seat, and the sight of those fucking shutters snapping back over her eyes was like a blow to the chest.
I almost let myself believe that Lyric and I had turned a corner, but just as fast as the shift between us had happened, that wall she kept between us slammed right back into place.
* * *
A glanceat the alarm clock showed I’d been tossing and turning for the better part of two hours, trying to find sleep with no luck at all. It didn’t help matters that I’d been lying in bed, stewing over a certain female housemate who didn’t give me the time of day once we got home.
Sure enough, she’d slapped together the world’s fastest sandwich, only, instead of eating in the kitchen where I could have possibly started a conversation with her, she’d actually taken it into the fucking bathroom with her! Who did shit like that? Was she that desperate to get away from me?
I’d ordered pizza just like I’d said, but it wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it should have been. I was too busy listening for signs of life down the hallway to appreciate the one night I’d splurged. Goddamn woman was starting to affect my cheat days now. I wasn’t sure I could tolerate that.
The bathroom door had opened while I’d been watching the hockey game, but before I could turn around and get much of a look at her, she’d already scuttled to her room and was closing the door behind her.
I’d stayed up until the end of the game in the hopes that Lyric might have thawed at some point in the night, but by the end of the third period, there was no sign of her. Defeated and pissed, I shut off the TV, grabbed Churro, and the two of us headed to bed.
Now it was a little past midnight, and I was still wide awake.
“Fuck it,” I grunted, pushing up and throwing the covers off. I went to the kitchen and yanked open the door to the liquor cabinet. Right there, front and center was the bottle of Lagavulin I’d bought only a day after sleeping with Lyric. At the time I hadn’t let myself think about why I’d dropped a mint on a bottle of scotch I didn’t even drink. It hadn’t even been opened until I brought her home with me after her house had been ransacked.
The label was facing forward, taunting me, so I decided I’d drink the stuff my damn self. After all, Lyric had been right. It was damn good.
Moving to the cabinet beside the microwave, I pulled it open and grabbed a glass. I’d just poured myself a finger of the smoky amber liquid when a soft chuffing sound from the living room caught my attention.
Leaving the glass and the bottle on the counter, I followed the sound and stopped dead at the sight of Lyric curled up on my couch with a pillow and blanket from her room, dead to the world.
What the hell?
“Lyric,” I said softly. She let out another tiny snore and kicked a foot out from beneath the blanket, but otherwise didn’t move. “Lyric,” I tried again, a little louder that time.
She moaned, her speech garbled with sleep. “No. So tired. Go away.”
