Page 58 of Burn for You

“Thanks,” she responds. She’s lived here for over a month now, and still doesn’t know where to find anything in this kitchen. She plates up our dinner and I can’t deny it looks amazing. Better than I expected.

She opens the drawer for the utensils and puts a fork and knife on each of our plates. At least she knows where those are.

“So what are you going to do, then?” She asks, coming to sit beside me on the other side of the counter. It doesn't surprise me that she wants to sit here, given her commentary on sitting at the big table last night. And I don't mind it so much either.

“What?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Oh,” I say as I start cutting into my chicken. “I’m going fishing.”

Her fork hits her plate as she whips her head to face me. “Fishing?” I nod in response. “Youfish?”

“Yup.”

“No, you don’t,” she scoffs.

I swallow down a bite of her delicious meal before responding. “I can assure you, I do.”

“I can’t envision it.”

I roll my eyes. “Then maybe you should tag along and see for yourself.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth.

I try to subtly glance over at May. She’s got a frown on her face, one that I can assume is reflected on my own. She might be confused as to why I just said that. I am too.

It’s a two-hour drive from here to my fishing spot. Two hoursin a car with May. Two hours there, and two hours back. Never mind the hours of peaceful silence I had in mind. I was planning to stay the night at my cabin.

The cabin where there’s only one bed. I know on my life I could not share a bed with May Whitley. She’s probably one of those people that spreads out like a starfish in the middle of the bed.

I suck in a breath to take my offer back, but before I can get it out, she says, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Mh-mm. Okay.”

“Okay, like you want to come fishing with me?”

“Okay, like I guess I’ll come fishing with you since you asked.”

I shake my head. “You definitely do not have to.”

“Do you not want me to? If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t have asked.” Her tone is turning up. Her face scrunching up as she looks at me like I’m the biggest asshole she’s ever encountered. To be fair, I probably am.

“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying.”

“What are you saying, Rafael?” She drops her knife on her plate and the sound rings through the open space around us.

Her eyes are piercing into my soul, the fire in them burning me up as she stares straight into my eyes, waiting for my response.

“We’ll leave at five.”

chapter twenty-two

MAY

I rubmy eyes as I sit up in bed. Why the hell did I agree to this? I am not a morning person on the best of days, but five a.m.? I’m surprised I’m even awake enough to form coherent thoughts.

I pick up my phone and see shot slingers messages from late last night.

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