Page 8 of Begin Again

He’d seen the muscles on her thighs when she walked out, then on her calves when she returned to her house. Her arms looked toned too. Not much more he could tell with her baggy clothing other than she was still pretty big-chested.

All those things a teenage boy dreamed of for his first time.

It’d been Liz’s first too. Funny how he hadn’t thought of her in years and yet here she was, in front of him, and the owner of the house he’d always wanted.

“I’ll take care of this,” he said, reaching for the shovel. He was going to just dig around it, try to reset the post as best as he could, then pound it back in and push the dirt against it. It’d hold enough.

“I appreciate it,” she said. “I can do it.”

“Nah,” he said. “It looks as if you just woke up.”

She’d always been a nice girl. They’d hung around in the same group of friends. Dated for about six months when they were sixteen and, like any relationship back then, just moved on with other people.

“I did,” she said. “I work third shift.”

“A nurse or doctor?” he asked her, just taking a guess on the scrubs.

“Nurse,” she said. “No way I could be a doctor. Not smart enough nor enough money for the education.”

“You have to be smart to be a nurse,” he said as he started to dig. He figured she’d go back into the house, but she was standing there talking to him.

“I guess,” she said.

She never was one to take compliments. More like she always seemed embarrassed by them. Guess not much changed there.

“Are you supervising me?” he asked, grinning at her.

“Not really,” she said. “Just that I’ll bring the stuff back in when you’re done. No use going to bed again. I’m done until Sunday night, so I should get up and figure out what I’m going to tackle in the house.”

“You stole this house from me,” he said, laughing.

“What?” she asked.

“I’ve been waiting for this house to go up on the market. I had no idea it’d sold until a few weeks ago finding out by chance when Whitney said something. I’ve wanted this house for years.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I remember you pointing it out when we dated. When Ruby Turner called me about a pocket listing I was stunned to pull up here. It’s more house than I need and probably a money pit on top of it. Guess it’s time to make it my own though. Once I figure it all out.”

“I’ve never been inside of it,” he said.

He put the post in place now that he lifted it up, then managed to get it down with the sledgehammer without damaging the mailbox any more.

“Not a ton to see that is pretty,” she said. “But if you want to come in and check it out you can, though I’m sure you’ve got work to do.”

“I do,” he said. “I’d like to take a rain check though. Tonight?” He wasn’t sure why he was saying that, other than he knew if he drove away and didn’t have a date or time set, he’d never get in this house or see her again. There’d be no reason to.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll just be here working or at least planning. Give me a time.”

“How about six?” he said. It’d give him time to go home and shower and change. “I can bring a pizza or something if you want.”

She looked at him for a second. He knew the person who bought the house was single. He’d been told that. Or a single woman. Didn’t mean she wasn’t single, but there were no rings on her hands. He’d even heard the name Elizabeth but nothing else stuck.

Probably stupid on his part to come back. He could be showing up and there’d be a boyfriend here.

“How about I order pizza as a thank you for fixing this for me,” she said.

He smiled at her. “Works for me.”

She reached for the sledgehammer and shovel and picked them both up with ease. “See you later, Christian.”

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