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Hours of work ahead will give me time to shake it off and settle in. I can’t be too upset if Nora ends up being my best client. She might be my ticket out of homelessness.
The house isn’t as bad as I expect from her requested schedule. I zip from room to room, wiping off surfaces and vacuuming floors. I have extra time near the end and get started washing windows. Anything I can knock out of the way now will free more time to get down to the really dirty details during my deep clean.
I’m really intrigued by the master bath and walk-in shower with a massive stone bench seat. I imagine that would really come in handy for shower sex, and I add it to my mental dream house list. Actually, I admire most of this house and wish I could take a picture for a Pinterest board I’ll never actually create.
The all-white kitchen has plentiful cabinets and granite countertops. The space opens into the informal dining room and living room beyond that. The back wall of windows overlooks acres of yard. The old pines from the front surround the property in greenery and lush forest that transport me to a secluded cabin somewhere and not just on the outskirts of town.
Besides the office, the house also contains a full library suite with custom built-ins and books on every shelf. I have to restrain myself from plucking one out and skimming a few pages instead of clearing them of dust.
The strangest thing about the house is the lack of personality. Not a single family picture to be found. If it weren’t for the toddler’s things, this could be a model home.
Before long, five hours have passed, and I’m done for the day. Nora is nowhere to be found as I pack up my supplies. On the kitchen island, nearly where I left it this morning, lies the contract—signed. A white envelope of cash rests beside it.
I peel out of there with a giddy smile on my face, eager to get my pup and find something to eat. Ghost returns from her day happy as can be, and Cami makes me promise to call the next time I need assistance.
As I drive back to our spot, I can’t help but think maybe I found a friend in this town. Arrow Creek doesn’t seem like a bad place to settle down. If I can keep building my client list, I might be able to run a successful business and do it with good company surrounding me.
I know better than to get too ahead of myself, though.
I’ve had experience with the best intentions souring fast. So while I’ll start to immerse myself in this town, I won’t hesitate to keep one foot on the gas pedal as a backup plan.
7
Rhett
Trying to get to know someone without the sole intention of getting into their pants is harder than I thought. The last time I had a friend of the female variety and didn’t screw them would probably be when I met Nora.
The first step would be not to look like a fucking tool leaning against the side of my Jeep with a bag of steaming hot food in my hand, but here I am. I can’t lend her a free room, but I can be a friend. Never mind that I already visited the trove beneath her skirt.
I won’t say no to a delightful fuck in the back of my Jeep, but I’m trying to help in the only way I can that doesn’t involve my dick.
The pressure of my decisions sweeps away when I catch the first glimpse of the white Lexus turning around the bend. Timing is on my side. The second meal I’ve provided this week won’t be cold. As long as she likes lasagna and garlic bread, I’m golden.
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I approach before she even shifts into park. She left hastily last night, and I’m eager to mend the gap. She springs from her seat with a flush painting her cheeks pink. A fabric tote is clutched in one hand and a leash in the other.
“Do you mind taking care of Ghost so I can change out of my work clothes?”
I peruse her behind darkened shades, from her curls to her sandaled toes. The black jeans hug her long legs to her ankles and accentuate every curve around her waist. The top is reminiscent of the one yesterday. I think plain white tees might be my new favorite piece of clothing.
With a rustle of plastic, I thrust the bag between us. “I got dinner.”
She regards me with a crinkle of her nose. “Thank you. But if you don’t mind, I have banana smashed into my shoulder, and who knows what kinds of germs I picked up while cleaning.”
The dog. Duh. “Right. Sorry, I can take her. Let me just…” My options are limited for where to place our meal. Either in the car with the dog who looks mighty hungry or back at my Jeep with the memories of last night.
Think friend thoughts.
“Trade.” I offer her the food while I snag the leash. I tap Ghost twice between the shoulder blades, and she hops out with a tail wag.
“You remembered.” The slight awe in her voice injects me with something I haven’t felt in a long time, but I brush it away.
My shoulder twitches toward my ear. “Go get changed, Evie.” Without waiting for her response, I lead her dog to the field beyond the parking lot. She does her business, and we meander along to stretch our legs. I don’t know about the dog, but I find myself needing more exercise the longer I live in my Jeep, so I don’t mind spending a few extra minutes taking a walk.
Time seems to stretch before a prickle warns me that Evie’s been gone a tad too long. Though she didn’t mention it before we separated, it’s possible she paid for a shower after a day of cleaning houses. Keeping the leash secured in my fist, I lead us across the parking lot to the entrance to the convenience store. The dusk lighting plus the fluorescent bulbs inside provide a clear picture. Evie doesn’t appear to be within view.
Content to wait, I lean against the brick exterior and prop a foot on the wall behind me. Ghost settles at my feet. I stroke her fur on the top of her head, mildly amused at the change in our relationship in just a day.
