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“I know that. I just haven’t seen it yet. And you do have a pool, which is more than I have.”
“How do you know I have a pool?” He pulled up to the stop sign just past the library and turned to study me.
“I may have Google-Earthed you.”
Isaac laughed. “I never took you for a stalker, Carmen. Good for you. Any secret cameras I should know about?”
“Just in the bathroom.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
It felt so good to laugh together. I rested my head back and closed my eyes. “Why was your date so short?”
“She turned out to be a terrorist.”
“Ah, one of those.” I rested for a few minutes, feeling totally relaxed knowing I didn’t have to put up a single pretense for the rest of the night. But once we reached Isaac’s neighborhood, I sat up and started paying better attention because I truly was curious. The houses on each side of us were so cute, each a little bungalow with its own personality.
Isaac turned down a street that ended in a cul-de-sac and pulled into the carport of a sky-blue house. “This is me. It’s a little shabby. I haven’t done anything with it except take out the carpet and refurbish the hardwood underneath.”
“I think it’s great. Which side has the neighbors you were thinking of inviting to bingo?” Winnie was less than enthusiastic about helping me with bingo night, so I let her off the hook with the promise she would figure out why my computer kept rattling like a ghost lived inside. It would be me and Isaac doing pickup again.
He pointed to the house on our right where we could see the flicker of a TV behind a set of white lacy curtains. “Those ladies. Come on. Maybe you can talk them into it.” He went to open his driver door, and I reached across and touched his arm.
“Wait, right now?”
Isaac smiled and leaned towards me across the console. “I know you’re dying to get me all to yourself, but I promise they’re not the type to hold us hostage. They go to bed in like ten minutes anyway.”
“You’re assuming things.” I crossed my arms and leaned in as well, closing the distance between us until we were practically nose to nose. “I was not even thinking about getting you all to myself.”
Isaac’s eyes darted to my lips, making my stomach swoop. “Well, that’s a bummer.”
This man. How did he bait me into flirting with him so easily? I’d much prefer his talents were of the showy variety. Tap dancing. Water glass music. Anything but competitive flirting.
I got out and shut my door, taking in a cleansing breath that didn’t have the scent of Isaac in it. The man smelled as good as he looked. And yes, I’d been super looking forward to having him all to myself. Not for any nefarious reasons. It just seemed like there were always other people around, and we hadn’t had a real heart-to-heart since that night on my couch when we ate leftover enchiladas together and promised to be friends again.
I heard his driver door open and shut, and then he came around to my side looking apologetic. “It’s been a night. If you want to plop on my couch with your shoes off and have me raid the pantry for you, we can do that instead.”
I reached out and fiddled with the edge of his leather jacket. “There’s no reason we can’t do both. I’d love to meet your neighbors.”
“If it makes you feel better, there’s a ninety-nine percent chance they’ll say something embarrassing about me.”
“Then I’m definitely in.” We walked across his lawn to theirs, both mowed short with distinct cut lines that indicated the same lawn mower took care of them. A neighborhood landscaping service, perhaps? Their porch steps squeaked as we walked up, but I doubt they heard us over the blaring of the TV. Isaac knocked, a series of quick raps with his knuckles followed by four longer taps.
“Is that so they know it’s you?” I whispered.
“Yep.”
“We should make a special tap for my door.”
“We have that. It’s called me sending you a text saying, ‘hey, I’m here.’”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“All right, fine. You can get a special knock, too.”
After a minute, the TV volume lowered, the lock turned, and the door creaked open, revealing an elderly lady in a quilted muumuu and matching slippers. “Isaac!” She broke into a huge smile and opened the door wider to let us in. “Who have you brought with you? Is this Carmen? How were the wieners?”
I turned to look at Isaac, who immediately turned a fun shade of red. The embarrassment part of this visit hadn’t taken long at all. I liked this woman already.
