Page 25 of Man Glitter
I laid the last board down on the worktable as the sun began to set and picked up my phone to call Titus.
“Hey man, you got time tomorrow to help me for an hour?” I swept the man glitter out of my hair and off my chest, a small smile at the reminder of Finnie. I doubt I’d ever call it sawdust again.
“Yeah, I don’t start on Finnie’s place until later when the drywall comes in. Whatcha need?” Titus asked.
A smile hit my face at his readiness to help me. I may be the town crazy, but I had some friends when I needed them. “I have a wall to build and my thumb’s not quite healed enough to do it alone.”
“No problem. I’ll be there at seven with donuts and coffee.”
“Thanks, man.”
* * *
I rose before the sun the next day, lining up all the boards on the ground outside my workshop in preparation for Titus’s help. I hadn’t slept well by myself—again—but that was no surprise. Green juice and coffee would keep me going. Chester darted around, excited to be working outside today. He kept stopping to sit, his tail sweeping the pine needles on the ground as he stared at Finnie’s house.
“She’s got her own life, Chester boy.” That pit in my stomach was back. It was one thing for me to be lonely, but to see my dog miss Finnie too? Fuckin’ heartbreaking.
Chester whined and continued to stare like his intensity alone could make her come back. Shit, if that worked, I’d try it too.
A truck engine rumbling up my long driveway had me turning. Titus leaned out the window and waved with enthusiasm, his mullet longer than the last time I’d seen him. I cracked a smile and lifted a hand.
“I’m stoked to see what monstrosity we’re putting together now.” Titus slammed his truck door and ambled over, his tool belt in one hand, a box of donuts in the other. “Can’t build without sugar. It’s a known fact.” He thrust the box at me and though I knew it wasn’t even close to being in the realm of healthy, I took a chocolate glazed.
He mowed two sugar glazed and a jelly filled before rubbing his belly and putting on the tool belt. “Okay. I’m properly motivated. Let’s do this.”
I just shook my head at him and explained what we were doing. We got to work and had the first panel up when Finnie’s front door opened and she walked out. I froze, my gaze tracing over her black pants, high heels, and blue blouse. Her hair was up in a sharp ponytail and I wanted to tug it free immediately. She threw her stuffed work bag in the car and headed out, not once glancing in the direction of my house.
“Ah, so the rumor’s true, huh?” Titus was looking at me with a cheesy grin on his face.
I quickly got back to work, ignoring him while I tried to come up with something to say that wouldn’t stir the rumor mill, but also explain we weren’t nothing to each other either. I didn’t have many friends, but I knew lying wasn’t right.
“Her asshole is puckered tight, but she’s got a soft heart under there somewhere. I just have to tease it out and get her to fully trust me,” I finally said, lifting another post into place.
Titus snickered. “Sounds like she’ll fit right in with the women of Hell.”
I raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t explain further. Sounded like Titus had his own woman issues, which was surprising. From where I was standing, he’d dated every female in Hell under the age of forty already.
We got back to work and burned off those donuts. By the time lunchtime hit and our stomachs were letting us know exactly what time it was, we were done.
“Thanks, man. I couldn’t have done this without you. I owe you one.” I reached out to shake Titus’s hand.
He shook it and then pulled me into a quick hug, slapping me on the back.
“Anytime, dude.” His expression got serious. “I really hope it works out for you.”
Me too, buddy, me too.
* * *
I’d gotten cleaned up, putting on my best jeans and a T-shirt that didn’t have holes or man glitter all over it. I didn’t know when Finnie would be home from her clinic, but I had every intention of speaking my piece. Then I’d promised myself to leave her alone. The porch to her front house was quite inviting, the Adirondack chair more comfortable than it looked. I’d almost dozed off when I heard the squeak of her brakes as she pulled up the drive.
I hopped up and scrambled to remember the speech I’d prepared. She climbed out of the car, her dark eyebrows drawn together as she watched me. The heavy work bag that never left her side got slung over her shoulder like a metaphorical weight. She picked her way across the gravel to the porch, her high heels made more for city living.
“Charlie,” she said slowly.
“Hey. I was hoping I could show you something real quick and then I’ll leave you alone. Swear on my juicer.”
A twitch of her lips gave life to the flare of hope that had almost died out in my chest since yesterday. She didn’t answer me, but nodded, putting her bag down on the porch. I gave her a wide berth, not wanting to give her a reason to leave or argue with me straight out of the gate. She followed me around the house where you could see the long wall Titus and I had built this morning.
