Page 25 of Marry Me, Right Now

“But you do.” His eyes tightened immediately as if he wished he hadn’t said that.

“Not exactly.” I felt my lips pressing together, and noticed him staring at them. “I find it unusual. I don’t think you’re an ass about it, and you live your life your way. But it’s sort of… disconcerting how out of touch with reality you are about some things.”

“Like what?”

“Like not thinking about the subway being three dollars, and a cab being at least fifteen dollars.”

“But those bags were heavy. You could have pulled your shoulder or something dragging those around.”

“Fifteen dollars is two days worth of groceries for some people. It’s over an hour’s worth of work for many people across the city. For you, it’s one cocktail, and you’d never think twice about it. So, you can see that being really weird.”

Jacob nodded, thinking. “You’re right. These things just don’t occur to me.” He took my hand, stroking my palm with his thumb. I tried to ignore the tingle that ran through me, but it was stronger than before.

“Please keep pointing these things out to me,” he said gently. “I’ve been living in my little bubble for a long time, surrounded by the same sor

ts of people. I want to learn.” He paused, looking down as if he hadn’t realized that he was holding my hand in his. Then he looked at me with a glance that could only be described as yearning. “I want to know everything about you. Your life, your world, what your life has been like up until now.”

I heard myself say, “Okay,” in a small voice.

He dropped my hand quickly, giving his head a shake. “What would you like for lunch? Carol will be here in half an hour. She’ll make anything you like.”

“Oh. Um, whatever you’re having is fine.”. The thought of someone cooking for me made my spine itch with awkward stress.

Jacob smiled, curling those full lips up in a thoroughly distracting way. “It’s your first day here. She really loves cooking. What’s your favorite lunch ever?”

The giggle bubbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.”

He grabbed his phone and sent a quick text. “Done. Lunch will be at twelve-thirty. Do you want help unpacking?”

“No, thanks.” I stood up, realizing that I was likely keeping him from work. “Thanks for staying home from the office today to let me in.”

“No problem. I often work from home one day a week. It keeps people from popping in with ludicrous little details. I can focus a lot better in my home office with headphones on.” He waggled his eyebrows crazily. “It also makes me seem mysterious, I hope.”

Jacob stood up and enveloped me in a huge hug. “I’m glad you have a real place to live, Mia. I didn’t realize how horrible the housing market was for…” he hesitated.

“Poor people,” I finished.

His large hands pressed against my back, and I felt my body instinctively moving against his. “People with less money,” he said gently. “The thought of you having to live somewhere small and dirty, or in a bad neighborhood, or with creepy roommates.” He gave me a little shake before releasing me. “I can’t stand the thought of that. You deserve so much more.”

I didn’t want to explain how everyone deserved better. “Thanks,” I said, smiling as I headed to my gorgeous new bedroom. The thought of his lovely condo cluttered up with my stuff made me feel like an intruder, so I unpacked as quickly as possible.

After organizing the contents of my suitcases, I heard a few soft thumps in the hallway. Poking my head out, I saw three delivery men carrying in my boxes, setting them along the hallway two high, treating them all as if they carried the Queen’s best china.

“Thank you so much,” I called out to them, as they finished. I heard Jacob thanking them from the hallway, and hoped that he tipped them well. I was embarrassed to realize I didn’t have more than five dollars cash on me.

This new life was going to come with new rules and obligations. Would it be strange if I asked Jacob to go through the details of my new daily life?

Unpacking and stashing as much as I could, by the time it was nearly twelve-thirty, I had emptied four boxes, and designated three more to long term storage in Jacob’s basement room.

Brushing my hair and adding a little lip gloss, I scrubbed my hands in my new lavish private washroom before squaring my shoulders and getting ready to meet my new housekeeper. The thought was so odd I wasn’t sure where to mentally file it, so I’d have to just wing it.

As I walked toward the dining room area, Jacob jumped up from the couch, absolutely beaming. “Mia, I’d like you to meet Carol.”

A petite woman with soft features darted out of the kitchen to shake my hand. “Welcome, Mia. It’s so nice to meet you.” She was likely only in her late-thirties, yet had a gentle, motherly way about her. She shook my hand gently, but with genuine warmth.

“Great to meet you,” I said. “I hope I don’t create extra work for you while I’m here.”

Jacob shot me a hard look. “I mean,” I sputtered, “Now that I’m here.”

---