Page 37 of Come Back To Me
“Fine. But he better not overstay his welcome. He fixes that window and leaves. No inviting him for cake or coffee.”
“Good thing I don’t have cake to offer him then, huh?”
“Just don’t keep him here longer than needed.”
“Okay. Go.” I usher him toward the hallway.
“I’ll be listening from the other side of the door just in case.”
“That won’t be needed. He’s a cop. What’s he going to do?”
“Anything he thinks he can get away with,” he says, turning around and heading in the direction I keep nudging him in.
“I’ll be fine, baby.”
He pauses in front of the open doorway, craning his neck to grin back at me. “I like when you call me baby. He did too. We were wondering when you’d do it again.”
“And now you don’t have to.” I snap my fingers and point at the room.
“Yeah, yeah.” He tosses his hands up in defeat and disappears behind my bedroom door.
I look down at my clothes and turn back to the door, stepping forward slowly. I stop in front of it, taking a breath before welcoming Jeff inside.
He squeezes past me carrying a metal toolbox, smiling and with his gaze circling around the living room. “This is a nice place you have here.”
“Thanks. It could use an update.” I motion to the outdated couch’s throw pillows.
“I like it. It’s very cozy. The soft tones are calming.”
“Yeah. It’s kind of what I was going for. Gareth and I worked pretty demanding jobs, so it made it easier to relax when we came home after a long day.”
“I can see that.”
“Oh . . . the window is over by the TV.”
He nods, rocking back on his heels before stepping forward. “How long has it been like this?”
“Longer than it should have been.” I chuckle half-heartedly and he lowers himself to the ground, looking up at me.
“We’ll get it all fixed up, and then it’ll be one less thing for you to worry about.”
Little does he know, it’s been the last thing on my mind with everything else I have going on. He tugs at the window, grunting when he can only get it to slide up a little. “I’m going to guess it’ll take me around an hour. Shouldn’t be more than that.”
“Okay. Would you like something to drink or some pizza?”
“I’m fine for now but thank you. But if you want to go eat, you’re welcome to while I work on this. I’ve noticed how your eyes keep lingering back on the table.” His lips turn halfway up.
“I was that obvious, huh?” My face heats.
“Yeah, and I think I even heard your stomach growling once or twice at the door.”
“Okay, now I know you’re overexaggerating.”
“Okay, fine. It was only once.” He laughs at me rolling my eyes at him and turns toward the window again, lifting a wrench from his bag.
“I’ll be at the table if you need me,” I say.
“Sounds good, and I’ll be crouched at your window. Sounded less creepy in my head.” He waves the wrench around, looking briefly back at me.
