Page 10 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
Weeat in silence, with an occasional glance across the table, until I can’t takeit anymore. “Good?”
“Yep.I love pizza. Don’t think I’ll ever outgrow it.”
“Youshouldn’t. It’s one of the four food groups.”
Giggling,she shakes her head. “I’m afraid to ask what the others are.”
“Bacon,Donuts, and Beer.”
“Ofcourse.”
She’sin a good mood tonight, not so guarded or suspicious around me, so I risk aquestion. “Who’s the boy at your apartment?”
“Mybrother, Ethan.”
“Doyou live with your parents?”
Herface hardens. “No, it’s just us.”
“Sorry.I lost my parents too. Car crash.”
Sympathyfills her eyes. “I’m sorry. Was it long ago?”
“Sixyears. How long has it been for you?”
Sheaverts her eyes as she replies, “We haven’t seen them in almost two years.”
Theyhaven’t seen them? They aren’t dead, just estranged. I want to ask a thousandquestions, the first of which is how she ended up raising her brother, but thelook on her face stops me. She doesn’t want to talk about it, and I don’t wantto upset her.
“So,what the hell is contact paper?” I ask, changing the subject. Musical laughterfills the room, and the sound soothes something deep inside me.
Afterdinner, she goes back to work, and I change the fuel filter and spark plugs onthe truck. About a half hour before she’s supposed to leave, I finally get itrunning smoothly. Now, I have to talk her into taking it home. Since she’sloath to even accept a ride from me, this should be a challenge.
“Areyou insane? I’m not taking your truck. You barely know me. What if I crash it?”
“ThenI’ll get it fixed.” I shrug. She opens her mouth to protest again, and Iinterrupt her. “Look, it’s not just for your benefit. Running errands is partof your job, and I need you to go to the grocery store tomorrow. And to getsome of that contact paper…and whatever else I need for the kitchen, but won’trecognize because I don’t have a vagina.”
Witha reluctant smile, she shakes her head. “Well, that was only mildly sexist andoffensive.”
“Please,just don’t bring back anything pink.”
“Fine,”she relents with a sigh. “Make me a list for the grocery store. I’ll take thetruck for tonight, but that’s it.”
“Areyou always so stubborn?”
“Yep.You’ve been warned.”
* * * *
Warned.I keep trying to warn myself. Remind myself that I can’t fuck a woman that willbe at my house every day. And there’s no way I’m going to let her quit this jobshe needs so much because I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants. I need to spendless time around her. Fortunately, Dare calls the next afternoon and asks me togo to the bar with him and the guys. Perfect.
Zoestruggles through the door with an armload of bags, spreading them out on thecounter. I catch the dirty look she throws when I don’t go outside to assisther, and I do my best to ignore it. “This is contact paper,” she says, tossingme a roll of tan colored paper. “I’ll line the cabinets with it tonight.”
“Soundsgood. I’ll be leaving this evening for the night. If you get done with thekitchen, please dust and sweep the living room.”
“Okay.”
Idrop a key on the counter. “Lock up when you leave and take the truck hometonight.”
