Page 54 of Burn With Me

“How often do you test it again?”

“Normally once a week, but the numbers have been all over the place recently, so I’m testing the water every day.”

“Is it normal for that to happen? Do you know what’s causing it?” I ask, putting eggs on her plate.

“No, it isn’t normal on a fully started system. It happens in the beginning or if fish get sick randomly. Which happens, but this kind of came out of nowhere, with no sick fish found. Thankfully, we have some extra tanks that are always kind of ready, other than the sick isolation tanks and breeding tanks.” She pauses, and her eyes go wide. “Sorry, I’m rambling. I’m sure you don’t care about the nitty-gritty details.”

I stop fixing my plate and turn to look at her. “I’m just happy you’re talking to me this morning,” I say with a wink.

“As long as I wake up on my own without an alarm and have my latte, I’m not as grumpy. Any other time, you better watch out.” She laughs.

“But seriously, I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t interested, sweetness. You’re smart and successful. We might have just met, but I’m interested in anything you say. I don’t know everything about aquaponics, but if you need a soundboard, I’m always here for you. Do you get me? ” I say honestly, and she just nods at me, her eyes stirring with emotion.

She quickly looks away and starts to fiddle with her silverware.

I’m annoyed that she thinks I don’t want to hear about her work, and I get mad when I realize someone has put that in her head. I quickly put it together that her ex probably did that.

Walking over to her, I set our plates down, push hers toward her, and frame her face with my hands. “Sweetness, I want you to look at me and listen. I have no idea what anyone has said to you to make you think that your career isn’t as important as mine, but I’m telling you right now. It is. I will repeat myself until you believe me. You are smart, beautiful, and successful. I’m lucky to be in your presence, and I promise you will know it every day. I might not be perfect, but I’ll do my best to make sure you always know how I feel about you.”

She just looks at me with her mouth open in shock, and I chuckle. “Close your mouth, baby, or I’m going to put something in it that isn’t food.”

She snaps her jaw shut and pokes at me. “Are you real?”

“Last time I checked. Now, let me finish eating breakfast so we can plan the rest of the day,” I say and dig into my food.

After we finish eating, she insists that she has to do the dishes since I cooked.

After the dishes are done, I walk back to the bedroom and pull my pants on. “If you don’t mind swinging by the rental so I can change really quick, then I can help you at the farm,” I say, joining her at the sink to grab the toothpaste and the new toothbrush I grabbed on my way to her bedroom from the spare bathroom.

“It might be boring, but I won’t turn down company while I’m working,” she says after she finishes brushing her teeth.

If you had told me three months ago that I would be in a new state and loving a morning like this full of domestic bliss, I would have laughed in your face. But here we are, and I have the biggest smile on my face that won’t seem to go away.

In the kitchen, as she gathers everything she needs for her, Penny, and Ginny, I remember the window. “Sweetness, do you want to leave the front window open?”

Her face scrunches with confusion. “The window is open? I don’t remember opening it since my allergies have been bad this spring.”

“You didn’t open the window?” I ask as I close it.

“No, maybe Pam opened it one night and just forgot to close it.” She shrugs as we walk out the door.

I don’t know why this makes me feel uneasy, but I have to remind myself we aren’t in the big city anymore. People leave their windows open all the time here.

After she locks the door, I hold my hand out to her. “Keys, please.”

“I can drive, you drove last night,” she says.

“I know, but Pam and Sam told me how much you don’t like driving, and I don’t mind.”

She hands me the keys, and we walk to the Jeep. I’m sure we’re a sight because she’s putting the seat belt through Penny’s harness, and I have a cat sitting on my shoulder, trying to put it in the carrier.

Once everyone is situated, I back out of the driveway and head to my rental so I can change and take my girl to work.

Twenty-Two

Ameila

As I sit in the car with the animals while Luke runs in to get a change of clothes, I start to panic.

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