Page 11 of Just For Her

Only when Chrissy put her hand on her friend’s did Kayla stop talking. “You know you can stay hereas long as you need.” With a fervent pat, she sat back up, arms crossed. “Huey’s already said it’s okay. He likes you. Something about wanting ‘all the cute girls’ in his house.”

Kayla couldn’t help but laugh. “You know I can’t put out a friend for long. I already feel bad that you’re hosting me until I can turn my life around.”

“What’s the point of the extra bedroom if nobody’s using it? Besides, his kids don’t come to visit until June. Four months is enough for you to decide what you want to do. Maybe you’ll have a great job by then and be raking in enough money to have your own place while you look for Mr. Right.”

“Have you seen the rents in this town?”

“Are they really worse than Portland?”

Kayla nodded. “If not the same, then worse. Everyone is choking on a housing crisis.”

“Well, Huey and I have this big house in a quiet town. As I said, someone should be using that bedroom. You’re already way more polite and cleaner than his two teenagers. Seriously, when I last talked to his ex-wife, she joked that it was ‘my turn’ to clean up the bathroom when they were done with it. Thought she was talking about the boy because you know how they can be.” Her knowing nod didn’t tell Kayla anything, who had no experience with teenage boys who weren’t her older brother. “But it was thegirl.Emma has so much makeup that she turned our guest bath into a mini-Sephora, only without the organization. Our cleaning lady almost quit when she saw the mess.”

“I can’t imagine not keeping my makeup all in one neat container.”

“Kids, right?”

Kayla had to take her friend’s word on it. “You know I’m not picky.” She picked up her phone with one hand and Tove’s card with the other. “But I hope I don’t marry someone with school-aged kids. I can’t even imagine it. They’ve gotta be out of college, at least.”

“Then you only have to worry about the inheritance.”

Kayla was already dialing Tove’s number. By the time the other woman picked up, Kayla had perfected her pitch.

“…Chances for snow flurries beginning around ten tonight,” the weatherman out of Medford said. “The whole Central Oregon area is looking at a few inches to renew the ski pack.”

Tove barely registered what the man said about the impending snow. Although it was nearly six now, she was no stranger to getting around in the snow. Nor did she plan to be awake by the time the snow started falling on the neighbor’s ranch.

She would be plenty cozy in her home, with Nemo and Chance to warm her bed as they were wont to do on cold winter nights.

Except there was no proper decompressing that Wednesday night. From the moment she returned home from the office, Tove switched from one family crisis to another. Neatly stacked in her home office were the tax files she brought home with her, but she didn’t have time for those, either. The major thing on the docket as soon as she finished dinner was receiving a visitor who may or may not be out for a Fredriksson payday.

I can’t believe I’m doing this.Yet Tove didn’t want Kayla coming to the office. Not only were family members in and out of her office that week, but she couldn’t risk someone seeing a woman clearly out of her element “consulting” Tove about things she could not afford.Or so my family would astutely surmise.The random Bendite wouldn’t ask questions. Anyone with blood relating to or the last name Fredriksson?The hot seat would be on.

This was another great reason for Tove’s rural location. Who knew that living between two towns had so many practical elements?

Still, Tove prepared for Kayla’s arrival. She decluttered the living and dining areas, including a quick vacuum over the large piece of carpet connecting the front hallway with the living room. Unlike some of her family, she did not have a personal cleaner who dropped by atleastonce a month to keep things tidy. Tove had always been alone in that department.

Her dinner dishes were neatly stacked in the sink. She wiped down the counters and the breakfast nook covered in coffee mug rings. Although she had ditched her nice blouse and pants upon returning home from the office, she now had ten minutes to change into something besides the usual sweats she wore around the house. Kayla expected someone put together and befitting the name of Fredriksson, even if Tove’s responsibility was fixing problems, not causing them.

Black velvet leggings. A baggy white sweater over her bra. They would have to do, for the doorbell rang once she smoothed down her bangs in the bathroom sink.

Rain pattered on the front porch when Tove opened the door. Kayla was far from the drenched rat she had been when she first came into Tove’s office, though. A sensible Ford was parked in the driveway, close enough for Kayla to sprint up onto the covered porch without hardly feeling the raindrops.

“Hi…” Her wave was not unnoticed in the diluted porch lighting. “I know I’m a few minutes early, but it didn’t take me as long to get here as I thought. Is it all right?”

For a woman who might soon make Tove’s life hell, she was at least polite. “Of course. Come on in.” Tove propped open the screen. “I was about to put on the kettle. Would you like some tea?”

“No, thanks.” Kayla helped herself in. This time, Tove appreciated the full volume of her guest’s fluffy leopard print sweater when Kayla hung it up on the coat rack. She looked around the hallway, taking in Tove’s tastes in architecture and décor. “Thanks for seeing me, by the way. I’m sure you have work tomorrow.”

Tove locked the front door. Kayla had kicked off her muddy shoes and left them on the front hallway mat. After Tove tucked them against the wall, she bypassed Kayla in the hallway and emerged in the open-concept living room that suddenly exposed the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink.I knew I should have gotten to that sooner…She didn’t know why she was a bit nervous about Kayla’s presence. It may have been a long while since she had non-family come to visit, but this was not a pleasure call.

Tove didn’t want tea, either, but her hands needed something to do in the kitchen while Kayla helped herself to one of the living room couches.Don’t look at her. Don’t make her uncomfortable.The dress beneath Kayla’s sweater had a tight bodice and a short but flaring skirt. How she made it from the car to the porch without freezing was anyone’s guess, but it was Tove’s first hint that the would-be troublemaker was not from a sunnier location.

But it didn’t help Tove stay on task. She was a sucker for a great pair of legs, like the ones crossed on her couch.

“Can I at least get you some water?” Tove asked after clearing her throat.

“Sure.”

---