Page 39 of First Love, Second Draft

Gracie’s brow furrowed, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.Peck peck peck.“Just eat lunch without me. I’ll snack on something later.”

“Lunch? Babe, lunch was years ago. I can’t even remember lunch at this point.”

“Fine. Supper. I’ll eat something in a bit,” she said, starting to raise her voice.

Which, doggone it, always tended to make him raise his. “This isn’t about food. Would you just stop for a minute and listen to me? I’ve got something important to tell you.”

“So then say it already.”

Well, he couldn’t very well bring up his hopes for a future between them like this. Her, not even sparing him a glance. Him, already annoyed. So, he brought up the other little matter that needed addressing. “You want me to say it? Fine, I’ll say it. You stink.”

Well, looky there. Her undivided attention. Not a single peck as she lifted her hands off the keyboard to grip the top of her robe together and face him. “Excuse me?”

“You stink.” They’d just have to talk about their future later. “And I’m not talking figuratively in case you’re wondering. I mean your body literally stinks. Bad.”

Gracie’s mouth gaped open.

“Hey,” he said, stepping further into the room. “I’m not judging. I wouldn’t smell good either if I stopped practicing regular hygiene.”

“I practice regular hygiene.”

“You think thatthis”—Noah grabbed her left wrist and lifted her arm over her head—“is the smell of regular hygiene?”

Gracie jerked her face away from her armpit and tugged her arm down. “Fine. Maybe I’m not a garden of roses at the moment. What do you want me to do about it?”

“Take a shower. That’s what I want you to do about it.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?” Gracie fisted the top of her robe as her cheeks flushed dark pink.

“Well, you start by turning on the water.”

“Later. After I finish this scene.”

“That scene’s not going anywhere. And once again, I do meanliterally. I read it over your shoulder a while ago, and there is like, nothing happening at all in that scene.”

“Which is exactly why I need to work on it.”

“You are getting in the shower.”

“Not until Mona gets back.”

He took a moment to just breathe so they didn’t go back to shouting again. “Excuse me, Mona? Mona who ditched you the second you got home from the hospital? Mona who won’t be getting back for who knows how long? That Mona?”

“That Mona.” Her fingers strangled her robe with a white-knuckled grip.

He lifted a dismissive hand and turned for the doorway. “Well, I’m sure as heck not waiting forthatMona. I’m starting the shower right now, and you better believe you’re getting in it. So get ready.” She could get mad all she wanted, but good grief, this was happening. “You stink,” he shouted over his shoulder as he started down the hallway.

“So do you,” she shouted back. “And Idomean figuratively.”

He paused outside the upstairs guest bathroom. Nah, what was he thinking? A quick shower wouldn’t do. This woman needed the full treatment. He hustled into the master bathroom, straight to the giant claw-foot bathtub Gracie just had to have even though it had meant nearly disassembling the house to get the cast-iron monstrosity through the front door and up the stairs ten years ago.

Talk about a major headache.

Well, talk about a major headache until they took their first bubble bath together. From that point on, it was more like one of the best ideas Gracie had ever had in her life.

Lot of good memories in this tub, that was for sure. But something told him this evening wasn’t going to be one of them.

Noah spun the dials and tested the temperature. Dumped in some bath salts. Couldn’t hurt. Then rushed out of the bathroom to get back to Gracie, who was no doubt trying to escape out a window at this point.

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