Page 29 of You Found Me
I’m at a loss for words. So, when my phone starts ringing, I excuse myself from the table to answer. “Oh my god. What took you so long to call me?” I whisper shout into the phone.
The laugh that fills my ears is too loud. “I’m sorry. I was out back working in the yard and didn’t have my phone on me.” Theo jokes, “I guess it’s not a love match then?”
“It’s not funny. She’s insane. And you know I don’t like calling women crazy, but holy hell,” I exhale. “She wanted to marry her ex after three months of dating. I should also mention that he never once said he loved her.”
I hear him whistle. “Yeah, sounds about right. I’d say you need to get out of there. Just come over to the house when we hang up. Front door is unlocked and I’ll have a beer waiting for you.”
“You’re a lifesaver. See you in five.” I end the call and walk back over to Heidi who’s engrossed in her phone.
“I’m so sorry to cut this short but that was my boss. There’s an emergency at work with a project that’s due on Monday.”
“No problem,” she says, barely glancing up from her phone waves me off. “Nice meeting you.”
She goes right back to her phone, not waiting for my response. I walk out through the side gate in hopes of avoiding Ms. Clara, and a few minutes later I’m outside of Theo’s house. I walk in like he said, finding him lounging in an Adirondack chair with two beers on the table next to him.
He hears the sliding glass door open. “Well, if it isn’t Meadow Springs very own Romeo. I feel honored to be blessed by your presence.”
Walking to the chair next to him, I smack him upside the head. “Shut up. The only thing that saved me was the fact that she’s not over her ex. Pretty sure she was texting him when I left.”
“I met her a couple of years ago. I think she’s in love with the idea of being married because she was talking to Mia and me about trying on wedding dresses.” He pauses, taking a swig of his beer. “When Mia asked her when she was getting married, she giggled and said,‘As soon as I convince my snookums to propose.’ My eyes bugged out so hard that Mia had to smack me so I could compose myself.”
“What is with the women in this town insisting on playing matchmaker? Just because I’m single doesn’t mean I can’t find my own girlfriend. Maybe I don’t want to date anyone. Did they think of that?”
“Dude, relax. They do this to everyone. I still get set up on dates by that group. I’ve been on dates with all of the single women in town, no matter the age.” He shrugs, “The only way to stop it is to get yourself a girlfriend.”
“I don’t have one now because I want to focus on work. Balancing two jobs is a lot.”
He turns to me, left eyebrow raised. “That’s the only reason?” At my nod, he pushes on, “Or is it because you’re waiting for someone special?”
“I’m single because work takes all of my focus. That’s it. I don’t have the bandwidth to give anymore of myself to anyone.”
I look around at the neighboring houses and stop when I see a woman looking out her window. When we make eye contact, I wave and instead of waving back, she drops out of frame making me laugh.
“What?”
I point to the house directly across from us. “A woman was looking over here and when she saw me wave, she disappeared, like she actually dropped to the floor.”
He lets out a deep sigh. “That’s Colette’s place. She actively avoids being in her backyard when I’m out here.”
“Oh, that would explain why she didn’t wave back,” I tell him with a laugh.
“Maybe.” Theo shrugs, then asks, “So, how long do you think you’ll have to avoid the Inn?”
“I’m afraid I might never get my stuff back,” I joke. “Hopefully if I wait another hour or two, she’ll be gone.”
“You can stay however long you need but I’ll be leaving around four to head to my parents’.”
“I’m sure I’ll be good to go back before then.”
“There’s a spare key under the frog next to the porch swing out front. If you go and she’s still there, just come back. Were you at least able to eat on your date?” The asks, his grin coming back.
He’s enjoying my discomfort way too much.
“All I was able to inhale before you called was a piece of stale bread with no butter, or jam, and then some sweet tea that almost killed me.”
“I can throw a couple burgers on the grill really quick,” he offers.
“You’re already a better date than Heidi.”
