Page 38 of Love Rescheduled

“You don’t sound that upset about it,” Tara commented.

“I don’t? I mean, I totally am,” I said half-heartedly.

“You can be honest with us,” Jolene added.

I gripped the phone and let out a heavy breath. “Fine. I kind of love the torture. It’s nice not to be alone. But I could get a puppy that would be just as destructive as Josh if I really wanted the company.”

“The hair that dog would shed everywhere would drive you insane,” Tara wisely said.

“This is true. But Josh leaves hair in my sink and tub,” I complained.

“So, kick him out already,” Jolene said.

“I’m going to. Tomorrow,” I resoundingly responded, as well as I could anyway.

“Uh-huh,” Tara sang.

“I’m serious. Tomorrow night at this time, he’s going to be history. Caput. Put a nail in the coffin. Dead as a doornail. The end of—”

“You can stop with the idioms now,” Tara interrupted me. “We get it.”

I’m glad they got it. Someone needed to explain to me why Josh had to leave. I didn’t mention it to my best friends, but I was still reeling from the I love you text. It’s not like I didn’t know he loved me, but he wasn’t supposed to say it to me. Besides, I was back to abhorring him after he’d crashed my date and whisked away the Henry Cavill look-alike I had managed to halfway flirt with on our date. Actually, it was kind of the other way around. Seth was so taken in by Josh. In a way, it was creepy. But I’d seen it all before. The starstruck craze that came over almost everyone who met Josh, whether or not they knew he was famous.

“I should probably get to sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Good luck,” Jolene called out.

“Call us if you need us before then,” Tara offered.

“I will. Good night.” I hung up and stared at Lord Mac, who kept finding his way into my bed. “I guess it’s just going to be you and me again. At least you don’t leave the toilet seat up or steal my dates. If only you could kiss me until my toes curled. See you in the morning.” I threw the covers over my head. I had a feeling it was going to be a long night with my thoughts. At the rate I was going, my thoughts and Lord Mac were all I would sleep with for the rest of my life.

I stopped and stared at Josh, who was dead to the world, stretched out on my couch in last night’s clothes. I had just finished working out on my stair stepper. Sweat dripped off me as I watched him slumber peacefully. I had no idea what time he had gotten in last night or perhaps early this morning. All I knew was as soon as he was awake, he was out of here. I would cry about it later. I marched into the bathroom to shower, with thoughts of slamming the door behind me. The fool deserved an early wake-up call after his shenanigans last night. But I wanted to be well put together when I kicked his butt out. Don’t ask me why, but I felt like I could be more intimidating dressed normally and not in a sports bra and shorts. Besides, I didn’t want to give Josh the pleasure of seeing me with so little clothing on. He didn’t deserve the honor. And maybe I was stalling. But only a little.

Once I was safely behind the door, I undressed and turned on the water. I continued to use Nana’s frilly white shower curtain, which encircled the old claw-foot tub. I’d had the shower faucet installed not long after I’d moved in. I loved a good bath now and then, but showering was much more efficient. As soon as the water was a few degrees shy of the temperature of the sun, I jumped in, needing to relax my muscles. I blamed Josh for every knot in my back. Before I washed my hair or body, I let the hot water pour over me, breathing in and out deeply. Amid the mild ecstasy, I heard the door open.

I wrapped my arms around my chest. “Josh!”

“I just need to take a leak,” he croaked in his morning voice.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” I couldn’t believe he had the gall to just walk right in. Scratch that. I totally believed it.

“I figured since you left the door unlocked, you wouldn’t mind.”

I wasn’t used to having to lock the door, living alone for so long. “I totally mind. I’m naked in here.”

“That was more incentive for me.” He started relieving himself, to my chagrin. “Besides, if you’re planning on getting married, you need to get used to this.”

Oh. My. Gosh. “One. We are not married. Two. You have a lot of nerve waltzing in here. Especially after last night.”

“It’s not my fault we aren’t married. And you should thank me. Your doctor friend followed me into the restroom last night and the dude didn’t wash his hands.”

That news was so disgusting, I could hardly focus on how hurt Josh sounded when he said we weren’t married. I would have to tell Stu to find a new doctor. How could the man not wash his hands after using the restroom? A public restroom, mind you. Could I report that to someone?

“Count yourself lucky I found out that tidbit for you.”

I wasn’t feeling all that lucky standing there covering my breasts while my ex relieved himself on the other side of the curtain.

Josh flushed and washed his hands. At least he had good hygiene.

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