Page 28 of Here & There

The way the railing presses into the plushness of her hips is a study in fine art. I need to stop staring. But when I force my gaze upward, her ponytail lifts in the light breeze. Her light brown hair is soft and shiny now, though it looked just as good when it was still kinky with salt. Her cheeks are rosy with the crisp springlike day, her freckles looking extra bright.

I walk up the steps just far enough so she can reach the manila envelope I’ve been clutching in my hand. “Papers you asked for. For the job.”

She wanted my financials and all the menus from the past few years, failed and successful.

I move back to the safety of the bottom of the stairs next to Nate.

“Thank you.” She slips the envelope into her giant purse.

We could leave now. We didn’t have to come this morning at all; I could have dropped the stuff off anytime. I could have emailed it like she asked.

But the papers aren’t why we came.

I look back over my shoulder at the array of vehicles strewn disrespectfully across Ben and Diane’s lawn. “I take it you know about the shithead brigade?”

Nate snorts beside me. I always forget about swearing around him. Not like he doesn’t do it enough when he’s gaming—I hear him through his door.

Shelby’s pretty lips flatten into a thin line. “Unfortunately.”

“I’m sorry. I should have known they’d be here,” I say. I don’t know if that’s true; they don’t usually stay here, so I didn’t even think about it. But the run-down motel at the edge of town they normally stay at—the only place that tolerates their raucous nonsense—has been shut down for the past month for some kind of fire code violation. I was shocked when Lana told me Diane and Ben let them stay here instead, and I rushed right over when I realized I’d let Shelby camp out right in the hornet’s nest.

I’m not even upset with the B&B owners. I know they’ve been struggling lately.

“I should have helped you figure something else out.”

“I’m just glad I got a room,” Shelby says. “And they’re only here for a few days.”

I run a hand over the back of my neck. Then I say, “I can’t let you stay here.”

The words are out before I think of a better way to say it.

Her eyebrows go up, and I’m not sure if that’s because of how I phrased that or because of the words themselves.

“I just mean…I don’t think you should stay with them here. They’re dicks.”

“Do you think they’re…dangerous?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know. But they sure as shit won’t leave you alone.”

She looks ill. “No one else had any room. Except this place called Widow’s Walk, but they didn’t even have a website, and they were way up the mountain. Plus, someone said they were possibly haunted and?—”

I clear my throat. “We have a spare room.”

Shelby’s eyes go wide. “Oh. Uh…I couldn’t?—”

“Nate’ll help me get it into shape today.”

Nate’s agog.

“Mac—” Shelby looks genuinely shocked.

“I know, you don’t know me. But the room’s got its own entrance. Your own little bathroom. It looks out over the water. It’s nice.” It will be nice, once we haul all the shit out of there and attack it with some cleaning supplies.

Just then, the door to the B&B opens with a bang. We all look up.

I grimace as those sorry excuses for men start pouring out onto the porch. My temper immediately rises. Without thinking, I reach up and take Shelby’s hand, gently pulling her down the stairs close to us.

When she meets my eye, something inside me does a little flip, like the road’s dipped while I’m going at speed. I let go of her hand. “Sorry,” I grumble. “I don’t trust them.”

---