Page 13 of Shadows of Before

“Jeff.”

“This is my wife Joanna and my daughter Ellie.”

Are you kidding me?He went along with everything Landry did to her and he had a good life? What to do? Confront him about the bird. Embarrass him in front of his wife. But what came out was, “Nice to meet you, Joanna. What a lovely baby.”

“Thanks.” Joanna leaned into Jeff. “We’re very happy.”

She caught Jeff’s gaze. He looked away. At least he had some shame. “See you around, Jeff.” And she hurried off.

Back in her apartment, she was still at loose ends. She didn’t have to work today or tomorrow. What should she do? She turned on the television. A baseball game. Some movies she’d wanted to see. Nothing appealed to her. She’d ghosted all her friends. She could go to her family. But then she couldn’t drink beer all day.

Without showering or changing, she got a Coors and dropped down on the couch she kept from her former house. She found the remote and turned on the game.

Soon, the beer mellowed her. And she was able to stop thinking about how awful her life was.

* * *

Still upset with Katie for not taking action on the two assholes’ prank, Will opened the door to a well-dressed, pretty woman. Hesaid, “You must be Ms. Jacobs.” The realtor he’d contacted to sell his father’s house.

“Yes, hello, Mr. Kirkland. Please, call me Taylor.”

“I’m Will. Where do we start?”

“Show me your house first?”

“Of course, come in.”

He caught the scent of some expensive and sexy perfume as he drew her to the first living room off to the left. The wallpaper and wood moldings and trim were from the sixties and worn. “I told you there was a lot of updating to do.”

“Let me see it all.”

Another living room, then a huge kitchen. Very old appliances that were green. At least it had hardwood floors. Then a big television room. A den. “Upstairs are five bedrooms.” They climbed the steps.

“Wow,” she said after she saw the second floor. “And you said you have complete ownership? No siblings?”

“No.”

“It’s a big house.”

“I’m afraid my parents expected to have a big family. But it never happened. I was born later in their lives. They were good people.”

She smiled. Kept eye contact a little too long. They walked back downstairs. The woodwork, railing on the steps were all real wood and stained, also not chic today.

They took seats at the table in the kitchen. “It’s got solid bones. If you updated it before you sell, the house would probably double in price.”

“I have no interest in that. I’m not staying in town.”

“Oh, what a shame.” Her blue eyes twinkled at him and her face softened. A fleeting image of Katie after they had wild sex came to him. Her expression had been unguarded and she stared at him with warmth.

Nope, nope, nope. “But I’ll be here until the house sells.”

“That may take a long time. What’s the size of the property?”

“Two acres.”

She turned to him. “I find myself in a dilemma. I’m trying to be professional,” she put her hand on his chest “but I’m attracted to you.”

He knew a come on when he saw one. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

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