Page 6 of Make Mine Sweet
“I know where it is!” He scrambles into the living room where I left my purse and the bag with his extra snacks, juice boxes, and insulin kit.
Ian and I stare at each other for a moment in the quiet kitchen. I’ve never been this close to him before, even all those years ago. His glower seems harsher now that I know who he is. Or who he used to be. I’m struggling to merge those memories with the man standing in front of me.
My mind scrambles over possible explanations for the divide between the two versions of him. Amy said he’s been through a rough patch and needs to be “pulled out of his doom and gloom.” She thought I’d be an ideal candidate for the job. Thinking mostly of the money I’ll save and not how many glares I can endure in one lifetime, I’d agreed.
It’s that optimism/naïveté again.
“Well,” I say, shoving away my old, cringe-inducing memories. “Hopefully, Sunshine has changed for the better.”
There goes that indifferent shoulder again. “It’s all right.”
I’m going to tell my friend, Lila, to put that on the town’s new tourism website she’s working on.Sunshine, Oregon: It’s all right.
It’s hard to believe this is the same guy who had all the women for miles around swooning whenever he made an appearance in town. He’d had a healthy share of admirers back then, and I’d been jealous of everyone brave enough to actually speak to him. I’d never risked it, too afraid I’d say something silly and ruin my chance for a good first impression.
Now? I’m not sure it’s possible to make a good impression on him.
I go outside and crawl into the back of my wagon to pull a few boxes toward the hatch, only to swallow down another shriek when I discover Ian at my side once more when I climb back out.
“How are you so quiet?” I lay a hand over my racing heart.
“Didn’t think I was.”
The front drive is gravel—he couldn’t have been completely silent. My thoughts must have been too caught up in the past to pay attention.
“Maybe I’m just used to a little boy who makes the noise of five people everywhere he goes.” I stand straighter. “Not that we’re going to be obnoxious neighbors. We’ll keep the volume reasonable.”
August’s high-pitched laughter carries to us, shining a bright spotlight of doubt on my assurances. It also makes me suspect he’s trying to share his snack with the dog, after all, but one thing at a time.
“We’ll be quiet as a mouse. You won’t even know we’re here.” Seems like a lot to promise when I have no experience living in a duplex like this—the walls could be tissue thin. For all I know, Ian will be able to hear every cough and toilet flush.
He moves to grab one of the boxes I slid closer. “Three people usually aren’t quiet as a mouse.”
“Two people, and we’ll do our best. Within reason.” I’ll make sure August isn’t a wild man at night, but it’s not practical to expect him to be quiet during the day. If Ian works nights and needs to sleep when we’re home, we could run into trouble.
His gaze hits mine. “It’s just the two of you moving in?”
I can feel my customer service smile strain at the edges. “Just us.”
This is where people usually ask questions. Divorced? Widowed? Nobody knows what to say when they find out I was never married. Then come all the questions they want to ask but don’t. Isn’t the dad in the picture? Can’t you hold onto a man? Where’s your sense of decency?
Typically, women pry more than men do, but I’ve had my share of strange men put me on the spot about being a single mom. I don’t know Ian well enough to get into any of the answers.
But his gaze just travels briefly over me, his head dips in a quick nod, and he hefts the big box out of the back of my car.
Huh. A win for the indifferent hermit.
THREE
IAN
I goon carting Tess’s boxes and bags into her house, shutting down every stupid thought trying to creep into my brain.
This doesn’t change anything. Itcan’t.
These thoughts are reflexive, that’s all. I’ve barely spoken with a woman who wasn’t a relative or a nurse in the last two years. The most naturally beautiful woman I’ve seen in possibly my entire life moves in next door, thoughts are going to crop up.
Just have to find a way to ignore them. Somehow.
