Page 73 of Hunt for the Roses
I turn around and close my eyes as I run my hands through my drenched hair. Are these feelings I have for Dane momentary? Or do these feelings run deeper than I had planned?
Like clockwork, I hear my phone vibrate on top of my bathroom sink counter, and I push the shower curtain aside to peek at the name and number on the screen.
Ronnie.
I stretch my arm out for the phone and pick it up.
“Hey,” I greet my brother.
“Hey, you busy?”
“Just showering, everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’m at the restaurant right now helping Dad with a few things. I was going to drop by in about a half hour to say hi. And also, Mom won’t stop hounding me about giving you the supplies for the centerpieces,” Ronnie replies.
I exhale a laugh. “Sounds about right. I’ll be around, so drop by whenever,” I say.
“Cool, I’ll see you soon.”
“See ya.”
I place my phone back on the counter to get back under the running water, grateful I have something to keep my mind occupied for the rest of the day.
When I open the door to my house, Ronnie greets me with a huge cardboard box.
“Relentless doesn’t even begin to cover Mom’s antics back at the restaurant,” Ronnie greets.
I open the door more so he can step in. “Uh oh. How many times did she remind you to bring me the materials?”
“Probably a good ten times,” Ronnie replies as he walks through the foyer to the kitchen.
When he places the box on the kitchen island, I open it up to view its contents, and start to take out the wooden lanterns. “Don’t you know by now that if you just do her chore the first time, she won’t have to repeat herself?” I ask.
Ronnie is leaning against the counter with one palm. “This isMomwe’re talking about.”
“This is true,” I say as I keep digging through the box of contents.
“So what are the centerpieces anyway?”
“Lanterns with tea light candles. Didn’t really want the centerpieces to be over the top since it’s not really our style, and it also goes well with the farmhouse theme of the restaurant,” I say.
“They didn’t have any that were pre-made?” Ronnie asks.
I shrug as I keep my eyes averted. “I thought it would be a good idea to keep myself occupied. Something I’ve learned the past year.”
“Makes sense. I mean if you ever need to be occupied anymore, you can repaint the walls of my house. Would save me a ton of time and trouble,” Ronnie jokes.
I look up to Ronnie with a smirk. “Hard pass on that.”
“Worth a shot,” Ronnie says as he peels himself away from the counter, and opens my fridge door, grabbing a bottle of water.
I turn around to face Ronnie. “So, anything else happen?”
After Ronnie swallows his first sip of water, he shakes his head. “Nothing worth mentioning.” Ronnie takes another sip and then asks, “What’s new with you?”
I shrug as I look off to the side. “Exercised today. Going to do laundry after you leave. I’ll probably binge watch some trash TV.”
Ronnie laughs. “My god, you and your reality television.”
