Page 17 of A Quick Stop in Paradise

“Who?” She turned bleary-eyed, focusing on me and blinking fast to clear away the haze, looking at me like a near-stranger she recognized vaguely from years ago. I laughed. She was so cool, so in control, that it was cute seeing her a little sloppy like this.

“Do you want me to put on some coffee? I usually do a crappy little flat white with instant espresso and microwaved milk and a little handheld frother, but I don’t know if maybe you have standards.”

“Brooklyn…” She covered a yawn with both hands, sitting up slowly, stretching her arms out over her head. She had a monogrammed silk pajama set, the whole deal,RBthere in flowing cursive letters above the breast pocket, a dusty mauve color that matched her clean, simple manicure, and it looked cute with the juxtaposition of the way she looked like a sleepy puppy waking up from too long a nap. “What time is it?” she mumbled, and I bit back a laugh.

“Seven.”

“You just told me…”

“I wasn’t about to bring that up.”

She laughed, rubbing her eyes. “Sorry. I’m slow in the mornings. I would love coffee… would you mind?”

“Not in the slightest. What do you want to do for breakfast?”

“Mm… my family will be mad if I’m not around for breakfast plans, so I have to go face the music…” She stood up slowly, yawning into her hands, scrunching up her face as she did, and I stood up with her.

“Can’t go facing the music on a totally empty stomach. Let’s do a little something small just so you don’t get hangry dealing with your family in this state.”

“Thanks, Brooklyn. I’m looking forward to falling off a rock wall and somehow considering that to be repayment for this.”

I grinned, turning back to the kitchen and grabbing the milk from the fridge, turning on the electric kettle. “You’re probably going to pick it up quickly. You seem like a quick study.”

“I’m a pretty quick study in the arts and humanities. Science, I can do okay. PE was never my subject.”

“Let me guess, you had a bad teacher.”

“Not relevant. I’ve got a much better one now. Where’s your bathroom? I probably look like a poodle that went through the dryer.”

“You look cute. The bathroom is down the hall on the left.”

She shook her head, rolling her eyes with a little smile to herself. “Cutemeansyou look like a mess and I think it’s funny,but I’ll still take the compliment. Do you mind if I take a really quick shower?”

“Not at all. Set out the white towels on the shelf for you.”

“You’re a good host… do this often?”

“I’ve got my work friends here, and the terrace and pizza oven here make the place popular for hangouts, so—not my first time with a friend crashing for the night. If I were a better host, I’d have spritzed the towels down with lavender and set out a bedspread for you with turndown service and everything, but as it is, I’m at least making you food, so that’s gotta count for something.”

She laughed. Seemed to be doing better today, which was a load off my mind. “I’ll consider forgiving the oversight of a little fancy chocolate left on the turned down sheet corner. Thanks, Brooklyn. I’ll be just a minute.”

I changed gears and made my coffee first, popping some protein pancakes from the freezer into the oven to warm up, and all was well until there was a knock at the door, and I realized I hadn’t checked my phone all morning, just thinking of Ryan. I smoothed out my hair and made sure my clothes didn’t look like a mess before I opened the door, the morning air warm and damp with dew on the other side, golden morning sunlight spilling down over where Allison stood on my stoop with a sheepish smile.

“Hey,” she said. I put my hands on my hips.

“I fed you last night, and you already want me to feed you again? Little baby bird over here.”

“I’m not even harassing you for food this time! I left my work jacket here last night… it’s got my name badge in it.”

“Oh yeah.” I’d found it there, draped over the back of the patio chair, but I’d forgotten all about it with Ryan showing up. I stepped back out of the doorway. “Well, you’re here now, so do you want coffee?”

“I mean, it’s not like I’d mind.”

“So coached, so polite. Your jacket’s hanging by the back door.” I went back to the kitchen, and she took her shoes off in the entry.

“Who’s here? I don’t recognize the car.”

“Ah… that’d be Ryan Bell. She’s in the shower right now.”

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