Page 26 of A Very No Strings Halloween
A minute or five later, after I’ve checked my texts and returned from the ladies room and stacked some of the plates on our table, Billy remembers I exist and comes back to join me.
“Okay, here’s the deal. After-party at Roberta’sretirement community over in Brookline. They got a shuttle bus. Whaddya say? You can meet some potential clients.”
“Actually, I think I’m gonna head home.”
“What? Come on, it’s only eleven.”
“I know, but I have to work tomorrow, so…”
He looks disappointed. Not in me, in himself. And now I feel bad.
“But I had a really great time. Honestly. Thank you so much for a wonderful dinner. You did great.” I give him a little kiss on the cheek as I get up, gathering my things.
He shrugs and scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, thankyou. I’ll get the check and find that guy I hired to drive us home.”
“I can just Uber home and come get my car in the morning—it’s fine, really. Just let me know when you’re free to help out at the house again. You should go hang out with your new friends.”
“Absolutely not, young lady.”
But I’m out the door before he can stop me. And I know he won’t try to catch up with me either. Not because he isn’t a gentleman. Because I think we both know we’d get pretty tangled up in strings if we get into the back seat of a car together tonight.
SEVEN
Billy
BILLY BOSTON AND THE PRISONER OF ASS GRABBIN’
Knock, knock, knock.
I throw the wallpaper I just tore into the trash barrel I brought to Donna’s house. I’ve been working here for the past hour, getting the lay of the land. There’s some ugly here, some bad, but the bones are good, as they say.
Donna was supposed to meet me here about an hour ago. I’ve been texting her, but I didn’t call because of the nature of her job, sometimes she has to stay late. I go to the front door and open it. And there she is, slightly out of breath, looking stressed but pretty as ever.
“You don’t have to knock—it’s your house,” I say.
She puts her hands on her hips. “I gave you the keys.”
“Well, I didn’t lock it when I came in here.”
“Oh. Well. Sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it. You want some good news? You look like you could use some good news.”
“I could definitely use some good news.”
“Come on in.” I step down and hold the door open for her as she enters. My hand naturally finds the small of her back to guide her in. Completely unnecessary. But it feels good.
“It still looks like an awful lot of work to me,” she says, her gaze roaming the house.
“Yeah, but let’s focus on the good first. Here.” I hold out my hands, presenting the area I was just working on. “I had a hunch that if I tore back this plasterboard…”
“Shiplap!” Donna says, full of wonder, like she’s a little girl and I just presented her with a unicorn.
“Shiplap,” I confirm with a nod. “Chicks still dig shiplap, right?”
Donna smiles the first smile I’ve seen on her since she got here. I’m gonna make sure it stays. “I can confirm that I will always love me some shiplap.”
“Come on—there’s more.” I place my hand on the small of her back again as I guide her around the house. Yes, it desperately needs a reno. But there are bits and pieces that are unique and kind of amazing. There’s one room stuffed with trash and furniture, but some of the furniture is really great and just needs apolish. And that room was once and will again be a beautiful three-season sunroom.
