Page 6 of Indiana Idealist
At his downcast expression, I decide to leave. He’s already shutting the door behind me when I turn back to say, “I didn’t mean to ruin your yoga class.”
He pauses with the door half-closed. “You didn’t.”
It’s obviously a lie. I raise a brow in his direction, but don’t verbally call him out on it. Instead, I offer, “If you’ll let me know when you’re planning to go to the studio, I’ll skip those days.”
“That’s not necessary,” he says in a flat tone. His expression brightening slightly, he says, “We’re like a divorced couple trying to avoid seeing each other and figure out a schedule for the kid.”
“Yeah, but we didn’t get to have the fun of making our kid,” I quip before I have a chance to think it through.
When my meaning sinks in, Leo’s eyes dart to mine. Running a hand through his thick hair, he says, “That’s true.”
It’s the first semi-friendly interaction that we’ve had––even though we’re talking aboutnothaving sex with each other.
Almost of its own accord, my tongue flicks out to wet my lips.
His gaze is immediately drawn down to my mouth and stays there for a lingering moment.
The sensual tension is too much for me. My fight or flight response kicks in, and I turn to flee. Over my shoulder, I say, “I hope Charlotte sleeps well tonight. Goodbye.”
Chuckling, he responds, “She always does.”
I freeze in my tracks when he adds in a husky tone, “I hope you sleep well, too.”
If I didn’t know any better, I would swear he was flirting with me. After whirling around to face him, I go for honesty and say, “I never do.”
“Never?” he asks, scrunching his face up in confusion.
“Well, rarely.” He still looks uncertain, so I shrug my shoulders and say, “Insomnia.”
“Oh, wow. I can’t imagine.” His tone sounds truly bewildered as he continues, “I can fall asleep anytime, anywhere. As soon as I’m comfortable, I’m out like a light.”
“Of course, you’re one of them,” I mutter under my breath, frustrated that people who fall asleep easily take it for granted and have no idea how hard it is for the rest of us.
Deciding that there truly is no hope for a truce between the two of us and wishing that I’d left before I started flirting with this frustrating man, I spin around and head home without looking back.
8
LEO
It still irks me that Charlotte insists on spending so much time with Camille, but the three of us have settled into a comfortable routine. Charlotte doesn’t stick around here long in the mornings before heading down the trail to Camille’s house. Camille makes sure Charlotte heads home before it gets dark in the evenings.
Although I miss the company of my pet during the days, it’s obvious that the animal is happy with this arrangement, which is all that really matters to me.
I’m surprised Camille is so open to spending time with a pig. I had assumed she was a total priss, who was only buddying up to Charlotte as a way to annoy me, but that would have surely grown tiresome by now. It’s starting to feel like the woman might truly care about the animal.
Charlotte and I are relaxing over breakfast one morning when gunshots sound in the woods. Although Charlotte freezes and looks up, she quickly returns her attention to her food bowl and resumes scarfing down her breakfast.
If the wind is blowing the right way, it’s not unusual to hear gunshots at this time of year, but these blasts sounded too close. Concerned that some hunters may have wandered out of the posted designated hunting areas, I take my binoculars to the front window. Sure enough, I see a flash of bright orange in the woods.
Sighing with annoyance, I move to the closet to retrieve my orange vest that I keep on hand specifically for these situations. After sliding it on, I sit down to tie my work boots.
When I head for the front door, intent on warning the hunters that they are trespassing on private property, Charlotte seems confused about what to do. She looks back and forth between the front door and her mostly empty food bowl several times.
I take the pressure off her to make a decision by saying firmly, “No, you can’t go. Stay here and be good. I’ll be right back.”
The pig seems to accept that answer and goes back to her breakfast as I head outside.
It only took me a minute to put on my vest and boots, but the hunters are no longer in the area where I spotted them through the window. I lift my fingers to my lips and emit a piercing whistle, but am met with silence.
