Page 14 of I Heart Mason Cartwright
“What?” Willow exclaims rushing to her side. “No, it’s just sediment. The water hadn’t been used in a long time. That’s the way it comes out at first.”
“Ohmigod, so gross,” AshLynn says. “It looks like it smells.”
“It doesn’t smell,” Willow says. “Smell it.”
“No. Ugh. Gag. Get me out of here.” AshLynn goes out the front, letting the screen door slam shut behind her. I notice a brand-new wet/dry vac off to the side, grab it, and look for an outlet to plug it in.
I find one just as Willow says, “Oh, I’d be careful with that—”
I power it on and start suctioning up the water from the floor. When I glance back at Willow, she has her eyes shut with her hands over her face, but I’m not sure why.
Willow spreads her fingers to peek through them after a minute, her mouth moves but I can’t hear what she’s saying. I hold my hand up to my ear to show her that I don’t know what she’s saying. All I hear are the sounds of water being sucked through the hose into the vacuum canister. Willow waves her hand to show it was nothing and smiles big.
She’s got a nice smile.
I set the hose on the floor to let it do its thing and start picking up all the sodden clothes and blankets to wring them out in the sink. Willow watches, eyes wide and mouth agape. It takes me less than fifteen minutes to get all the water off the floor and the garments and things used to wipe it up hung out to dry.
“Ohmigod! You’re my hero!” Willow says once I’ve turned off the wet/dry vac. “I can’t believe you just walked in and did that. You’re amazing. Thank you so much. Just so you know, I really wanted to help you, but I’m not entirely convinced I won’t be electrocuted by walking in water with a vacuum. Or really anything that’s powered by a plug and outlet. I mean, obviously you’re still alive, but let’s face it, you could have some random magic electricity juju that wards off evil volts of death charges.”
I laugh. “I know a thing or two about home renovation.”
“Mason isgreatwith his hands,” AshLynn trills as she reenters the room. I’m tempted to puff my chest out. There’s something about when a girl gushes over you in front of another girl that makes a guy feel like he’s invincible.
Until I remember that AshLynn doesn’t know how I am with my hands. And that she introduced me as her fiancé. Which I need to find out the reason for. Just as soon as I’m finished losing my mind over her sister.
“Anyway, thank you, so much,” Willow says. “The vacuum scared me with the water, and even though the hardware store man said it was safe, I just . . .” She trails off and looks to the ground, cheeks turning pink.
“Oooohhh, why are you blushing, Willow? Who’s the hardware store man?” AshLynn asks the question I was thinking. “Do you have a crush?”
Please don’t have a crush.
“Hardly.” She scoffs. “It’s the worker at the hardware store. He’s older than Dad and allergic to dogs.”
I hide my relief at her lack of a crush by kneeling to pet the dog sniffing at my feet. “What is this beautiful baby’s name, by the way?”
“Princess Tinkerbell,” Willow says. “P-Tink for short. Part Siberian Husky, part diva. She can catch a burp in the air, makes sure the trash and recycling always make it in the bins, loves long walks on the beach, and is a Capricorn.”
I stand. “She’s beautiful,” I say looking Willow directly in the eye. She blushes slightly and looks down.
“Thank you.”
I could get used to that blush. I like it.
“Oh, that’s so cute,” AshLynn says of Princess Tinkerbell, but oddly not looking at or even trying to pet her.
P-Tink nudges her head under my hand so I lean over to pet her some. Her tail wags with satisfaction and I swear I hear her sigh. “She’s awesome.”
“You don’t burp at her, do you?” AshLynn asks. “That’s so gross.”
“Duh. Watch.” Willow grabs a diet soda from the fridge and takes a couple long swigs. After a few seconds she burps. On cue, P-Tink leaps through the air in front of her, clapping her jaws open and shut as she goes. She barks and runs in a circle after she lands, then sits looking up at Willow, proud as can be. “Good girl,” she tells her as she rubs her head.
I hold my hand out for her can of soda, wanting to try it for myself. Liking that I’m about to place my lips where hers just were. She hands it to me and watches as I take a long drink, which results in a large burp. P-Tink is up and in the air in front of me before it’s over. I’m impressed and praise the dog accordingly. It’s not a trick that serves a purpose, but, damn, she’d be great at parties.
“Now that it’s all cleaned up, you going to give us a tour?” AshLynn asks.
“Actually, AshLynn, can I talk to you outside first?” I look at her pointedly.
She avoids my gaze. “Of course, right after the tour.”
