Page 36 of Dreaming of Dawson

“I told her I was getting a ride, or calling a cab.”

“So you lied?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want her to think I needed to use her car all the time… not that I could have done, since it’s been at the auto shop. But the thing is, she’s done so much for me already, and since my uncle died, she likes to get out to see her friends, and I didn’t want her to feel she couldn’t do that anymore, because I needed the car.”

“I see. But do you think she’d like to know you’ve been walking home alone?”

“Probably not.”

“I’d say definitely not.”

“I’ve been okay.” She raises her chin with just a hint of defiance. It’s not something I’ve noticed in her before, but like her blush, and everything else about her, it’s really cute. “Like I say, I’ve enjoyed it… at least until tonight. There’s no way I can walk in this.”

“No, you can’t,” I say firmly. “And did I hear you say Alison can’t do anything for you, either?”

“Who’s Alison?” she says, frowning up at me.

“The lady at the cab company. She said she couldn’t help?”

“Yeah. She suggested I should find somewhere to stay for the night. I—I was wondering about here?”

“Here?” The thought of her sleeping here hadn’t even occurred to me. Although I don’t know why. Where else can she go?

“Yes,” she says, looking embarrassed. “I don’t know anyone else in Hart’s Creek… except Peony and Ryan, and they’re too far away.”

“Yeah, they are…” I let my voice fade and she steps back, looking down at the space she’s created between us.

“Obviously, if it’s a problem,” she murmurs.

“It’s not. Honestly. I should have offered, not waited to be asked.” I feel even more embarrassed now, but she shakes her head.

“I don’t want to be any trouble. I can sleep on the couch.”

“There’s no need. I’ve got a guest room. The bed’s already made up.”

She nods her head, smiling, and to cover the awkwardness of the moment, I lock the door and turn away, getting all theway to the back of the bar, to the door marked ‘Private’ before I realize she’s not behind me.

“Are you coming?” I say and she saunters over, waiting for me to open the door and then passing through ahead of me.

I unlock the door that leads up to my apartment, and let her lead the way, taking care not to focus too much on her ass, although it’s difficult. It’s directly in front of me, and looks amazing, encased in skin-tight denim. Even so, I need to concentrate. Macy’s presence may have prevented me from drinking quite as much as usual over the last few weeks – for various reasons – but climbing the stairs is still a little tricky at this time of night, I’m ashamed to say.

I’m relieved to get to the top, and I flick on the lights, blinking against them for a second, and then checking around to make sure the place isn’t too untidy. Fortunately, it’s okay, and I step around Macy into the kitchen.

She’s still standing by the door, looking beyond the dining area into the living room, and the balcony that overlooks Main Street.

“Was this the one room you and your wife had to live in while you fixed this place up?” she asks. “Because if it was, it wasn’t exactly a hardship.”

I shake my head. “No. The only decent room, other than the bathroom, which was just about serviceable, was the bigger of the two bedrooms. It’s at the front, and has a balcony too, so we used to eat out there.”

“I hope it was summer.”

“Late summer and fall, but the weather was kind to us.”

She’s doing it again… dragging details out of me, even when I least expect it.

“So this room was uninhabitable?”

“Mostly. It had been flooded at some stage, and the floor had rotted right through in several places. Fortunately, therewasn’t too much damage downstairs, but up here it was a disaster.”

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