AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ChapterFive
Skye
I don’t knowwhat I expected, but when six o’clock comes and goes Monday evening, and there’s no sign of Gideon—not even a phone call or a text—I’m miffed. And by the time I do hear the magnetic lock click, I’m irrationally angry. I fixed dinner like usual. For me. Didn’t do anything extra, nothing special. But I think the least he could have done was text to let me know he wouldn’t be here.
Which is stupid. We never discussed dinner. We made no plans at all to spend any time together. He’s staying in my spare bedroom while he tries to land some job. That’s it. Gideon Reece might look just like his sister, but the guy is nothing like Chloe.
While he was gone, I flopped on my loveseat with my book and reveled in the fact that I had my place to myself. Probably not good if I’m feeling that way by day three. Still, I’m crashed on the loveseat in loose-fitting sweats and a Blues t-shirt when he comes strolling in.
He glances at me as he passes but he says nothing. No smile. Nothing—like I blend in with the furniture. Fine. I can ignore him. I turn the page in my book and ignore him when he closes his bedroom door. I’ve reread the same paragraph twice when he opens his door and comes back out. Peeking out from the cover of my book, I watch him cross the floor to the bathroom and close that door. Kind of feels like theScooby-Doomontages where Scooby, Shaggy, and the gang run in one door and out another over and over again.
A few minutes later, he’s out of the bathroom and in the kitchen. Still pretending to read, I watch him take a package of bacon from my refrigerator. Yesterday, he apparently went grocery shopping while I was walking in the park. I told myself to be relieved he did his own thing, even as I scoped out his yogurt and milk choices after he disappeared into his room.
He’s wearing khakis today with a white t-shirt. His shoes look like dress shoes but have the sole of a tennis shoe.
“Did you do a job interview dressed like that?”
Damn. Did I say that out loud?
I did. Gideon turns to look at me and holds his arms out at his sides. He looks down at his outfit and back at me.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
I can’t pretend I’m reading anymore, so I close my book and put it on the apothecary cabinet when I stand. There’s nothing wrong with what he’s wearing. Simple but classic is a good look on him. In fact, too much might be wasted with that hair and hard jaw.
I have no intention of saying that to him.
Gideon makes a point of giving my sweats and tee the once over before turning back to the fridge.
“Job interviews usually call for something a bit…”
He shoots me a cool look over his shoulder as I perch on a barstool. I shrug.
“And this is from a woman wearing sweatpants?”
“I’m not at work,” I remind him.
“It’s not that kind of job,” he tells me as he selects the egg carton from the second shelf and puts it on the counter next to the bacon.
“What kind of a job is it?”
“Music store.”
As if that explains everything. I watch him move around in my kitchen like he owns it. The way he pulls skillets and utensils from my cabinets and drawers is kind of spooky. I wonder if he was out here studying everything in the middle of the night.
“So, what? You’re gonna sell records to Gen Z?”
“I’ll be managing it for a bit,” he answers with a shrug.
“Wait. You got the job?”
Gideon stops and stares at me. Hands poised over a bowl, he’s about to crack two eggs.
“I had the job when I came here.”
“Oh.”
Still explains nothing. He goes back to making his breakfast for dinner, and I go back to silently watching him.
