Page 79 of Cherish

“Who exercises shirtless in November? It’s New England, for goodness’ sakes. He’s simply showing off. Oh. My. Gawd! Look at how he does those pushups. He’s done about a hundred already. What a tool. Nothing I hate more than a showoff.”

Her back is turned to us the entire time. When the source of her irritation stops the pushups only to start a round of burpees, Mellie stills. Her mug of coffee is halfway to her mouth, but she’s standing as still as a statue.

I deliberately clear my throat. She must realize what she’s doing, because when she turns to face us, she has a blush on her face.

“First, she’s your mother too. Second, he’s an assistant vice principal at an elementary school. He’s hardly a felon. In fact, he’s squeaky clean.”

“I don’t think she heard you,” Alex whispers, her cheeks pink with happiness. I ignore Mellie who is still staring at the tenant and kiss my wife instead. “It’s unfair you have to work on a Saturday.”

“It’s life. Get some more rest and I’ll see you this evening. Love you, angel.”

She gets on her tiptoes, wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me as if Mellie’s not in the same room. She tastes of sleep and coffee, two things I can never get enough of.

“Finally, he’s done. Showoff.”

I leave Alex standing in the kitchen and cross to the front door at the exact moment he opens his door to get to his upstairs apartment.

“Adam,” I say to our shirtless neighbor, “want to come in for coffee or water?” I hear Mellie’s gasp and Alex’s laugh. Adam nods and walks inside. Normally, I’d want to keep a guy who looks like that as far away from my wife as possible, but I never have to worry about that with my woman.

“I don’t know if you’ve met my sister, but this is Mellie. You remember Alex.” He shakes Alex’s hand first. When he takes Mellie’s hand, he lifts it to his lips, but Mellie snatches it away before his lips can make contact.

“Mellie,” he says, and for the first time, I notice a hint of an accent. “You’re the one who watches me every morning.”

Alex laughs outright, earning her an angry look from Mellie, who otherwise remains quiet.

“Mellie, can you get Adam some coffee?”

She looks like a deer in headlights, not saying a word. She opens her mouth, but no sounds come out. Adam smiles and reaches around her for the coffee pot. He stands there, coffee pot in hand, waiting for her to offer him a mug, but she does nothing.

“Mugs are right there, Adam.” I point to the cabinet right above Mellie’s head. Mellie is a tall girl at only two inches shy of six feet, but Adam towers over her. He takes a step forward, crowding her enough to push her into the counter, and reaches above her to open the cabinet.

Mellie finally shrieks and pushes him away. “Don’t crowd me,” she says.

When she shoves him, he doesn’t take a step back. He takes his time pouring the coffee before finally doing so.

“Ah. She speaks. I wasn’t sure if your voice worked. I know your eyes do, though. Those burpees were for you, brown eyes.” His eyes are playful as he looks at her over the rim of the Boston College mug.

Mellie’s cheeks get even pinker, but she doesn’t address Adam.

“I’ll see you guys later. I have to go get ready for my date tonight.”

“Mellie, it’s five o’clock in the morning,” I remind her.

“Yeah, well, it takes me a while to get all of this together.” Without another word, she walks away.

“It already looks pretty perfect to me,” Adam says.

Mellie’s steps falter. She turns around and looks at Adam. He stands there, all six feet six inches of him, and does that thing boxers do where they make their pecs move. Mellie’s eyes widen in shock before she practically runs back to her room.

The minute she’s out of sight, Alex laughs so hard, she holds onto me for support. Adam has a smirk on his face, but I notice him craning his neck to see where she ran off to.

“I thought she had gone mute just like you did when we first met,” Alex says.

I kiss my wife and walk Adam to the door of the apartment on my way out.

CHAPTER 53

ALEX

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