Page 12 of Look My Way
“You know, for a second I thought it was Friday, and I almost did a double take at the house number.”
I sputter a laugh, stepping to the side. “I’m guessing you’re here to see the yard?”
“You’ve guessed right. Although I don’t think it was you I spoke with.” He stands taller, narrowing in on me.
“No . . . that was Daniel.” Once again, I don’t mention being in a relationship. It’s easy to let it slide sometimes when I don’t have anything to show for it on my finger. Daniel doesn’t buy me jewelry. Not for anything. This is the kind of stuff he does instead, adding himself more into my world. The planter boxes won’t be mine. They’ll be ones he’s paid for. Ones he’s had built.
“Ah. Does he reside here as well?” He glances behind me as if hoping to answer his own question.
“No.” I open the door wider, gesturing for him to come in, and he squeezes past me. His eyes roam all over my living room, taking in the furniture and no doubt the large picture of me and Daniel on the back wall. I’m looking at him and he’s staring straight ahead. I don’t even capture all his attention when we’re doing couple shoots for our wedding photos.
“I live here alone. At least for now. He is here a lot, though.”
“Ah. Well, what he’s doing for you is a nice thing. At least, I can only assume it’s for you.”
“Yeah.” I laugh awkwardly, walking behind him to shut the door.
“It’s very bright in here. Almost as if we’re standing back outside.”
“Yeah . . . I’m washing all the curtains today.” Because if I told him they’d randomly gone missing at some point today, while I’ve been the only one home, then he’ll be sharing those same looks as Daniel. There’s still a chance I can have one person in my life not see me that way . . . only, he won’t be staying. He can’t. Then again, I might need more planter boxes, or a wooden bench or porch swing built.
He makes a quizzical expression, twisting his mouth. “Is that what’s happening?”
“Yeah. I do it every other month. The dust is horrible sometimes, and I get bad allergies.” Man, when I make up a story in my head, I really keep going with it. I’m once again one of my characters, not sure where I’m going next until the gaps are filled in by the person writing me. The dust does get to me when it’s bad, but I haven’t washed the curtains in forever. I make a note in my head to check the laundry room as soon as Zavier leaves.
“Sounds reasonable. I don’t bother with any of that, but I’m also not home a whole lot to be bothered by gathering dust anyway.”
“So, what you’re saying is that if I were to go to your place, there wouldn’t be only dust bunnies but dust dogs and cats too.”
“You inviting yourself over already? We should at least have date three first, shouldn’t we?” His eyes spark something in them and he laughs. “I’m fucking with you. Let’s see this back yard, shall we?”
My teeth grind together and I nod, leading him to the door in the kitchen. I open it, allowing him to walk out first, and he turns to face me before I can reach where he is. “Where are you wanting them, and how many?”
“Along that fence over there.” I point, shielding my eyes from the sun. “Did Daniel say he was going to be here too?”
“He said he might be, but my last job finished earlier than expected, so I came an hour before I told him I could. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No. Of course not. I just don’t know what he told you he wanted, is all.”
He glances at my small fenced-off garden and back at me. “This is for you, isn’t it?”
My head slowly bobs up and down.
“Then tell me what you want.” He tugs off his shirt revealing a gray tank underneath. His muscles flex as he extends the tape measure he plucks from his pocket. He has a large tattoo on hisleft bicep—a rattlesnake, appearing larger when he spreads his arms apart.
I can’t stop looking at him. He moves so fast too, his face changing as he positions the measuring tape. His brows bunch together and he nods to himself, muttering something.
“I’m listening whenever you’re ready.” He smirks back at me.
I almost touch my face to make sure my mouth isn’t hanging open. He’s got this flirty stance going as he swipes sweat from his brow. My mouth goes dry, and I can’t believe the places my mind is going. They’ve never gone there with Daniel, so why now? Why him?
That naughty look he’s giving me is practically saying whynothim. I swallow hard and look around, forgetting why he’s here when his shirt lifts as his fingers scratch at his lower back. No more ink. What about other places on his body?
He clears his throat. “You okay over there?”
“Yeah.” My face heats. Get it together, he asked you an important question earlier. What the hell was it? My fingers slide halfway into my pockets and I rock back on my feet, forcing my eyes anywhere but him. It’s harder than it should be, but I finally manage to look where my garden is. That’s right. Boxes for my plants. He’s here to build something he’s being paid for, not for me to ogle or beg him to pin me to the fence to take my measurements next.
“Sorry. The heat is getting to me, I guess.” I shove my hands deeper into my pockets, stepping closer. “How many boxes do you think we can fit there?”
