Page 62 of A Labor of Hate
Unfortunately, I’d realized the moment my hand touched the doorknob that at this time of day, Colt would be cooking dinner.In the kitchen.The exact room the door to the carport led into.The exact room I’d have to pass within full view of in order to get to the relative safety of my room, should I brave Colleen and enter through the front door.Even if I sprinted the whole way, he’d see me.He’d get a whole eye-full of my garish suit and reddened face, all while he looked as yummy as always.
Before catching feelings for him, I would’ve done everything in my power to avoid that.Now?When I wanted to impress him, maybe have him find me attractive or notice things about me that weren’t my annoying habits and weird quirks?
I’d made a split-second decision and dashed for the backyard, latching the gate behind me seconds before Colleen rounded the corner of the house.Yet another problem arose, though, because the backdooralsoled into the kitchen.And that’s when the window to my room caught my eye.
Which was how I got here, hanging halfway out the window with my belly caught in the windowsill.
Regret, thy name is Lex.
I huffed out a breath, bracing my hands against the windowsill by my tummy.My arms shook from the effort and concentration it took to keep my weight from squishing into the silicone.I wasn’t sure if it would leave a dent, and I didn’t want to find out.I couldn’t take the tummy off from this angle even if I didn’t mind risking my cover, so the only way out was through.
I could do this.If I could do pull-ups, push-ups, burpees, yoga, and dance, climbing through a window should be a piece of cake.A piece of stubbornly lodged, pear-shaped cake.
Maybe if I rotated so I could slide through on my back?
“Lex?”
I froze halfway between rolling over, my blood running cold and draining from my face.This couldn’t be happening.No, no, no, no, no!
Colt repeated my name, his voice coming from—not the inside like you’d guess, oh no.It came from behind me.In the backyard.
“I have so many questions,” he continued, “but first and foremost is, what are you doing?”
I tried with renewed vigor to hoist myself through the window—or even back out of it, I didn’t care which direction at this point—only to budge maybe an inch.“What does it look like I’m doing?Wait, don’t answer that.”
His view currently consisted of my backside, covered in a sagging swimsuit bottom with a floral print that should be illegal, my short legs kicking ineffectually.I didnotwant to know how it looked to him.
I racked my brain for a possible explanation.Now that a rectangle of glass and a wooden frame had humbled me, the foolishness of my decision was unignorable.“I’m, uh, I’m testing to see how easy it would be for someone to break in through the bedroom window, obviously.”
“A pregnant someone wearing—what on earth are you wearing?”
“It’s the height of fashion, Colt.Look it up.”I kicked again, accomplishing nothing.
“Uh-huh.”
He sounded torn between amusement, doubt, and concern.I would’ve wished I could read his subtle facial cues to figure out which emotion was most dominant, but I didn’t want to look him in the eye right now.I was already dying inside.Seeing what respect he had for me drain from his eyes in real-time would finish me off.
“So, uh,” I said conversationally, as if he weren’t conversing with my rear end while the other half of me dangled through the window, “what brings you to the backyard?Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, making dinner right now or something?”
That wasexactlywhere he should be.Five thirty to six thirty every night was dinner preparation.Every.Night.And yet today of all days, he’d deviated from his routine.
“I was waiting for you to get home so I could ask how it went,” he replied, amusement winning out in his voice.“When I saw your car but not you, I came outside to investigate.Then I heard some rustling back here and, well… here I am.”
Of all the times to care about me, this was one of the worst.And, sure, he only wanted to ask because it directly pertained to our mission, but a girl could dream, right?
“I see.”My arms shook violently, a sheen of sweat gathering on my skin.“That’s very thoughtful of you, but I don’t want to hold you up.”
“Trust me, I amveryglad I postponed dinner.”
My face ignited, likely darkening the red that lingered from Hattie’s overzealousness.Good thing he couldn’t see that right now.“Are you sure your hair won’t spontaneously combust from breaking your routine?”
“Very funny.”His tone indicated he found it to be anythingbutthat.“Do you want my help or not?”
“No, I got it.”I squirmed some more, clearly showing how much I didnot.Would it be worse to die of embarrassment from him having to help me, or from starvation for being stuck in this window for eternity?It was a toss-up.
“Clearly.”
I struggled more, almost making progress when I started scaling the wall with my feet while hoisting myself up by the window frame from the inside, only to slip and get stuck right where I started.
