Page 13 of Shit Happens in Ivydell

“Maybe tonight.” She winks.

She tosses some snacks from her pantry and her own detergent on top of her laundry, and puts the basket in the wagon Petra loaned her.

“Why’d you borrow the wagon?”

“I needed it to carry the wood.”

“Of course. What wood?”

“The wood to make the sign for Vintage Vibes.”

“Oh, you’re making the sign, huh?”

“Yeah. I’ll probably have Josephine draw the lettering, so it will match your tattoo, but I can paint it. Speaking of—”

“I’ll put the ointment on it as soon as we get to my place.”

She sets up her computer at my table and lays out her snacks. I show her the washer and dryer inside the shelter I built on the end of the patio to keep dirt from blowing into them. Most of it, anyway.

“They’re outside?”

She can’t really be shocked. There’s no place for them inside.

“It appears that way.”

“Okay, smartass. Go take care of that tattoo before you head off to the shop.”

“When did you become such a nag?”

“I’m not a nag. But if that shoulder gets infected and your skin starts rotting off like a zombie, I’m not coming anywhere near you.”

“See? Now I understand your motive. It’s all about your comfort level, not my health.”

“Exactly.”

I steal another kiss before I force myself to leave her alone.

Less than an hourlater, Ivy bursts into the shop, panting and shaking her head. “I need you to come get rid of a huge fucking lizard.”

“How do you propose I do that?”

“I don’t care. Kick it. Throw rocks at it. Smack it with a shovel! Just get it out of there so I can finish my laundry.”

“Tropical girl who’s afraid of lizards. How’d you survive?”

“I’m not from the tropics. I’m from the Gulf Coast, and I can assure you our lizards do not look like little pissed off dinosaurs!”

“It’s hard to keep them out of there. They like the heat.”

“Super interesting fact. Seems like the sort of thing you could’ve mentioned before I got ambushed by one. Can you run them off long enough for me to finish, please? I’ll definitely go to the laundromat next time.”

“They won’t hurt you, but yes, I will come do a sweep of the area.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“A little. But I’m still going to come to your rescue.”

“When the dryer is done, I’m going to text you to come get my clothes out. Or at least to do anothersweep of the area.”

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