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It takes me a moment to realize what he’s said, but once I do, I release a loud laugh. “Oh my god.”
He flashes me a wide smile and pats my back. “Seriously. We have plenty of other nights to all hang out. Tomorrow we’ll play the game I mentioned. You just go and get some rest.”
“Yeah,” Paulette agrees, tossing the wet towel on the counter. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay, good night, you guys.”
“Good night,” Austin calls as he heads to the fridge, already discussing the drink options with Paulette.
With the last of the food put away, I disappear down the hall and up the stairs, ready to pass out from exhaustion.
CHAPTERFIVE
When I wake the next morning, the house is quiet. I’ve always been an early riser, so I’m surprised to see the sun is already up. It must be after six.
After brushing my teeth, washing my face, and changing into warmer clothes, I slip downstairs and make myself a cup of coffee. I pour in the oat milk Mara bought and add a dash of cinnamon, plus spoonfuls of stevia to make it just right.
Next, I slip out of the kitchen and onto the back porch, where there’s a set of wicker rocking chairs with a small wooden table in between them. I sit down, inhaling a deep breath and closing my eyes.
For all my hatred of small towns, I can’t help but understand the appeal in this moment. The peace and quiet I could never find in the city. The stillness of it all. It’s sort of enchanting in its own way.
Before I can appreciate it too much, the silence is interrupted by the slamming of a door. I jolt and tear my eyes open, searching around for the source of the sound.
When I find it, I go still. Two people—a man and a woman—are stopped in the middle of the porch at the house next door. Midforties, I’d say. Moderately attractive, albeit plain.
She has sleek, shoulder-length, dark-brown hair and blunt bangs, and is wearing an all-white tracksuit. The man next to her has black hair that falls to his back in curls. His chin and cheeks are covered in dark facial hair with crisp, clean lines that keep him from looking scraggly. She’s carrying something—a box of items I can’t see—and they’re having a discussion, their hushed tones silenced by the wind and distance between us.
I sink into my chair farther, hoping to remain unnoticed from where I sit. Hidden in plain sight.
The man leans closer to her, saying something with a stern expression, and she balks, leaning back with brows drawn down. She shakes her head, and he holds out his hands, trying to take the box from her.
Creeeeaak.
I jerk my head toward the sound, realizing all at once my cover has been blown. Memphis stands in the doorway with a mug of coffee in his hands and a strange look on his face. He doesn’t seem to notice the neighbors.
Releasing the screen door, he lets it shut the rest of the way, slamming closed. “I didn’t know anyone was out here. Mind the company?”
I avert my attention back toward the neighbors, checking without hope to see if it’s possible they didn’t hear us and don’t realize I’ve been spying on them.
To my mortification, I find them both staring at us from across the lawn. I lift a hand and wave awkwardly as Memphis moves toward the railing.
“Morning,” he calls, waving.
I lift my cup, taking a drink and looking away, staring hard in any direction but theirs as if to say I’ve just been sitting out here minding my own business and not at all watching them.
They give us forced smiles, then quickly disappear inside their house, shutting the door without a look back.
“Neighborly,” he mutters, sipping his coffee.
“Gotta love that small-town charm,” I muse, narrowing my eyes at him. “What are you doing out here? Why are you up so early?”
“My alarm goes off at six,” he says between sips of coffee. “Just took a shower and needed breakfast.” He lifts the mug, then eyes me. “I wasn’t aware this was early.”
As the wind picks up, making music with the wind chime hanging from the edge of the porch, I pull my legs up into the seat with me, tucking my feet under myself to keep them warm. Even in fuzzy socks, they’re practically icicles. “We’re on vacation. Everyone else is still asleep.”
“Not you.” He doesn’t bother looking at me as he says it.
“I always wake up early.”
