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He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the front door. Like the house itself, the furnishings weren’t what I’d expected. There was a vintage sofa in the living room and a couple of armchairs arranged in front of a brick fireplace.
“The back door is off the kitchen.” We walked through the dining room and into the small kitchen. David flipped on the overhead light, then opened an upper cabinet door and pulled out a flashlight. “There’s a small landing outside the door. We both won’t fit on it, so I’ll muck about the yard while you do the marking. When we go back inside, we can both take care of the salt.”
“Okay.”
We walked out the back door and I started making the protective marks while the flashlight beam bounced around the backyard. When I finished, I looked around, the nearly full moon providing enough light for me to tell that the yard butted up to some woods. A small shed was in the back corner.
Realizing that I was finished, David came back and flipped off the flashlight. “Nothing looks amiss, so that’s good.”
“I can’t wait to see everything in the daylight.”
He laughed. “I hope you’re not too disappointed. The grass is overgrown and the flowerbeds need weeding.”
We went back inside, and I poured salt on the window ledges in the front room while David worked on the back. When we were finished, I asked for the location of the bathroom, and David pointed me toward a short hall off the dining room.
“There are only two bedrooms and mine’s in the back,” he said, moving into the kitchen and opening a cabinet. “I put our bags in there. Feel free to make yourself at home. I’m going to figure out what I have for us to eat.”
“Okay.” I took my time walking through the dining room and down the hall, amazed by how comfortable and cozy David’s house was. I closed myself in the small bathroom, which was covered in light blue tiles. The shower curtain and towels were white, making the room feel clean and fresh.
When I finished, I wandered back to David’s room. He’d left the lamp on next to his bed, and my bag was sitting in a chair in the corner. The room was small, so the queen-size bed filled up most of it. The room was warm and inviting, with light tan walls and a dark red comforter on the bed.
I found David in the kitchen, standing in front of the oven with a frozen pizza box. He looked up with a grin. “The bad news is that we’re having a three-month-old frozen pizza for dinner. The good news is that I have a bottle of wine that’s even older.”
I laughed. “Sounds good. Especially the part about you cooking.”
David put the pizza in the oven, then poured wine into two glasses and handed one to me.
“I love your house,” I said after taking a sip. “Are you still planning to give it up?”
He picked up his glass and rested his backside against the kitchen counter. “I don’t see the point in keeping it. At least for the next few months. Subletting it to a grad student or a new professor seems like the best plan.”
“What about your things? We probably won’t have time to move everything out while we’re here.”
“I can pack up most of my personal items this weekend and store the boxes in the shed. I’ll just rent it furnished.”
“Are you sure you want to do that? You have some really nice furniture.”
His eyes narrowed in concern. “What’s this all about, Ellie?”
“I just feel so guilty. You’re giving up everything, literallyeverything, for me.”
He cracked an ornery smile. “Not just for you, Ellie. I’m doing my part to save humanity. You’re just a fringe benefit.”
I laughed. “So you’re telling me that your decision to live in Manteo—with me—was made with purely altruistic motives.”
He stepped toward me and pulled me into his arms. “Yes. Pure and utter selflessness.” He kissed me, taking his time as his mouth explored mine.
But I wasn’t so easily distracted. I pulled my head back and searched his face. “David, I’m serious. What happens when your sabbatical is up? It only lasts until the end of December.”
“It’s only mid-August. We have a few months to figure it out.” He cupped my cheek. “Don’t worry, Ellie. I’m exactly where I want to be.”
“Back in your kitchen?” I teased.
“No, withyou. Wherever you are is where I want to be, Ellie Lancaster.”
We sat at his kitchen table and drank wine while we waited on the pizza. “What’s your plan with Allison?” I asked, keeping my gaze on my glass.
David hesitated. “I’m supposed to call her in the morning to confirm, but last I heard, she can’t meet with us until tomorrow evening. So I thought we could go by the library during the day to look at those resources I mentioned.”
