Page 120 of Secondhand Smoke
Oh, god.
Nell felt like dropping the knife and running. But Ron didn’t seem to even notice that part, or at least he kindly pretendednot to. Instead, he simply surveyed in the surrounding area, his eyebrow quirked.
“You cleaned,” he said.
Nell swallowed, pulling her arms in close to her body, hoping it would shrink everything down. She thought he worked until later. Or maybe it was that he usually worked nights? She wasn’t really sure what his schedule was; he just usually wasn’t around when she was.
“Uh, yeah. I wanted to help however I can, as a thank you for letting me stay here. I know it isn’t ideal.”
“No, it’s not.” He shook his head.
Nell shrank a little further. “I, uh, am making lunch to take to Barrett. I was also making a sandwich for you for later. I didn’t know you were going to be here right now.”
Ron looked over the sandwich stuff again, and Nell wondered if maybe she should have asked first. Maybe he had a very specific recipe he was going to use the lunch meat for.
“That’s nice of you.”
Nell blinked and cleared her throat, surprised. “It’s the least I could do.”
He nodded. “I’ll get changed and be right back to eat,” he said and left.
Nell, knowing this was her only chance, ran back to Barrett’s bedroom and threw on a pair of shorts and a bra. If she had her way, she would rather just stay in there and roll around in mortification. But now, she really had to finish these sandwiches.
A few minutes later, Ron sat on a counter stool, picking up the sandwich that Nell had made and eyeing it.
Nell watched, suddenly terrified that her sandwich-making skills were not up to par.
He took his first bite, and Nell stared, rabid for his approval. Clearly, he didn’t completely like her. Clearly, he didn’t trust her.
If she were to be with Barrett, she wanted—no,needed—the most important person in his life to accept her. Even if it started with a sandwich.
“Can I ask you something?” Ron swallowed and set down the sandwich on his plate.
Nell’s stomach flipped, not sure what this meant. “Yes, of course.”
“I heard the band was offered a chance at a deal.”
Nell tilted her head, surprised by this turn in their nonexistent conversation. But she nodded. “A once-in-a-lifetime deal.”
“Do you think they’ll get it?”
Nell smiled. She knew this answer. “I’m positive they will. I don’t know if you’ve heard them perform, but they’re amazing.”
Ron nodded, and Nell smiled wider when he took another large bite of his sandwich.
“Then can I ask a favor?”
Nell was more confident now. She nodded, eager to accept.
“You make sure he goes. No matter what, okay?”
Nell’s smile faltered for a moment because there was that emptiness she got whenever she imagined Barrett up and leaving Gemsburg. But the last bits of Tina’s gift caught it and mellowed it out.
She grinned. “Okay.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
