Page 34 of Out Of Time

Remi pressed up on her tiptoes and brought her finger to his nose to boop it three times. “Ding-ding-ding! That’s it. Weare Marsha and Walter, and this is our favorite kind of date night.”

Mine too,Max thought, because this felt like a date, an unconventional one, but a date, nonetheless.

“Shall we?” Remi asked, offering him her arm.

“We shall,” he agreed, taking her arm and letting her lead him to the front door.

Remi looked up at him, and her smile was wild and silly, clearing her throat as she spoke with a posh accent. “Well, Walter,” she said and giggled, breaking character for a split second, “I’m sorry, I still can’t believe you went with Shmalter.”

Max started laughing too, then cleared his throat and decided to take the lead. “Funny you should laugh at my last name, Martha, darling, considering Shmalter will be your last name soon since we’re engaged to be married.”

Remi pulled herself back into character, popped out her chest, and said, “And what makes you think I’ll take your last name, Walter, darling?”

Max fought back a laugh. “How silly of me to assume.”

“Silly indeed… but would you look at this entryway, darling. It’s so…” She paused.

Blah?

Boring?

Lifeless?

Sterile?

“Stunning,” she finally said. Max would have called it a million different things, but she was right, this entryway was rather stunning with her standing there. Because Remi made any room she stood in come to life.

“Indeed,” he agreed, as she led him to the kitchen.

“This could use a pop of color, what do you think?” she asked, and Max wasn't sure if she was still speaking as her character Marsha, or as Remi, but yes, he absolutely thought thekitchen could use a pop of color. He had just never found the time to actually add any.

“Maybe a plant?” he offered, thinking of all the potted plants on her small front porch.

“Oh, yes, a plant would be lovely. Greenery always brings a house to life, Walter.”

“I couldn't agree more, Marsha.”

Remi looked up at him, and Max watched as Marsha’s smug demeanor washed away, only to be replaced with Remi’s soft smile. The blush of her cheeks returned, and then, with her voice a bit lower, a bit less campy, she asked, “Should we check out the bedroom…” She cleared her throat and added, “Walter, I know you’d love to see the master.”

Max felt his face burn hot and damned his red hair and pale skin for giving him away every time because something about the mention of his bedroom with Remi made his entire body heat.

“Not as much as you’d love to see the walk-in closet,” he added, no sign of Walter in his tone.

Somewhere in the last few words they’d exchanged, they had both ditched their characters, aside from the silly names, and they were speaking entirely on their own behalf. They were both saying the things they wanted to say under the guise of characters, in the name of roleplay.

“The bedroom is this way,” she said, and of course she had seen his room before, only this time was not like the rest. This time she was here because he invited her, and because she wanted to be. There would be no paycheck at the end, no clocking in or out, no entry codes that were specifically created for the housekeeper.

Max’s arm dropped, and her hand slid from his forearm down to his hand where she intertwined their fingers and tugged him towards his room.

“It’s a bit disappointing,” Max offered as they walked into the massive space.

“It just needs some personal touches,” Remi said.

“I’m not good at that sort of thing,” he said.

Remi turned to face him, stepping into his space, her fingers still gripping his tightly. “You keep saying that.”

“I’m sorry,” Max offered.

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