Page 20 of Hot Blooded
“Nice roses!” a feminine voice calls out.
My head whips around. I’m not expecting anyone to be out here, because Reign’s home is quite remote, down a long and winding tree-lined road, and half-way up the side of a steep mountain.
A girl with pink hair, running shorts, and a sports bra is standing in the road.
“Thanks,” I return, gazing at her.
“You live here?” she calls back.
I nod. “Just as of recently. The guy who owns the place…”
Her lips tilt up. “You banging him?”
I barely conceal my shock. “Um, excuse me?”
She lifts one shoulder. “He’s hot. Someone should be—banging him, that is.”
Momentarily speechless, I simply gape at her. “I work for him,” I clarify once I find my voice.
“Oh. Gotcha… gardening?”
I rise to my feet, wiping my hands on my jeans. She takes a few steps closer. “No, this is just for fun. I was bored, and I thought the roses…” I gesture to my work.
“Oh, well, if you’re bored, you should come to town sometime. Join me for a drink.”
I study her more closely. She looks to be about my age. Despite being out for a run, she’s fully made up, including lipstick that has a purplish tint to it.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Lena.”
“And you live in town?”
“I live next door,” she says with a grin.
“Next door?” There isn’t a house as far as the eye can see.
She nods and then points to a forest of massive pine trees on our right. “Yes. The McAllister’s place is in that direction, about a mile down the road. It’s their second home, they only come during Christmas and for two weeks in the summer. I’m their caretaker. I live in the apartment over the garage.”
Oh. I see. “Do you enjoy it?”
She nods. “Yeah. It’s fine, and I also tend bar on the weekends at the Sizzle & Ale. And seriously, open invitation. Here, let me give you my number.” She pulls a cell phone from her sports bra. After inspecting the screen, she wipes the sweat from it onto her shorts.
There’re not many people our age in this town. From my research before moving here, it’s mostly millionaires with second homes and they’re rarely in town. Since I don’t have any friends here, I can’t deny the appeal of having someone close by to hang out with.
I type Lena’s number into my phone and save the contact information.
“Text me next time you’re bored. We can do something more fun than gardening.”
“Okay.” I smile. “I will.”
Satisfied with that, Lena stuffs her cell phone back into her sports bra and then starts off again in a steady jog, her pink ponytail bouncing along behind her.
I kneel before the garden bed once again and begin straightening the mulch around my freshly planted bushes. Lena is interesting. She seems to know Reign, or at least that he was hot. I wonder if she’s met him, or only caught a glimpse of him coming or going. Or maybe she’s served him at the bar where she works.
After my personal life had plunged off a cliff, I’d given up on close, personal friendships. They were too messy. They invited too many questions.
But I’d told Reign my truth, and he hadn’t run away. He’d held me, comforted me. The memory of that makes my skin tingle. Maybe letting people in wasn’t such a bad idea.
