Page 37 of Against All Odds

Snow: Call me. I have a plow and I’m not afraid to use it.

The second thing is:

No one should sleep on an uncomfortable bed. Call me when you’re home and I’ll move it in for you and no, this is not on my list of things I do, just for you.

E

What? Why?

He bought me a bed? I didn’t even complain about it, did I?

I think I passively mentioned that the bed was uncomfortable when he helped me paint, but that was it. I grab my phone and dial his number.

“Hey, are you home?”

I blink, still trying to get my thoughts right. “I am, but what? You bought me a mattress?”

“I had an extra one in the upstairs room. I planned to make it into a guest room, but I ended up turning it into a movie room. A bed didn’t make much sense.”

None of this makes sense. “Everett, I can’t accept this ...”

“What? You need a new mattress. You said yours was uncomfortable. I’ll be there in three minutes and I’ll bring it in for you.”

He hangs up and I just keep looking at the mattress.

He did this for me?

I’m so unaccustomed to anyone just doing something like this that I can’t even process it. I can feel the moisture welling behind my eyes. This is so sweet.

So unexpected.

He continues to surprise me at every turn. Helping me with painting, the dinner, the almost kiss, and now this ...

Everett walks up the steps with a smile. “Hey.”

My heart is pounding as I look at him. “I don’t know what to say,” I confess.

“How about,Let me get the door?”

I laugh and shake my head. “That’s one option, but you didn’t need to do this.”

“Is the mattress you’re sleeping on comfortable?”

“No, but . . .”

“But what? You need a new bed, I have a mattress, I want to give you this. Think of it as a housewarming gift.”

I force myself to take a deep breath. “And it’s incredibly sweet. I really appreciate it. I just feel like it’s too much.”

He shrugs and walks forward. “It’s not.”

But it is. “I get paid this week, if you let me know how much it is.”

“I didn’t bring it over here to sell it to you.” Everett looks slightly offended.

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