Page 31 of Building Romance
He starts moving and I give Drew a pointed look. Drew gives me a look that says, “What is going on?”
I shrug because honestly, I am still processing Mr. Pickles, Ava, and Fletcher saving my life.
I walk out the door and start down the stairs.
“Are we not taking the elevator?” he asks as he motions to it.
“Do you value your life?” I reply.
“Oh, not working?” he says.
“Let’s just say it breaks down enough that unless I’m forced to take it, I don’t,” I explain as I walk down the stairs, careful to hold on to the railing because I don’t need Fletcher rescuing me again. It feels like I owe him something and I don’t like owing people anything.
I hear Margie in the entryway as we round the staircase.
“And then he said everyone is doing it and I couldn’t believe that. When was the last time you did it in the ass?” she asks someone.
“Oh? Really?” Her voice is so loud that I’m fairly certain she is talking to someone on the phone who is hard of hearing.
“Wow. OK. I’ll pass that on to Cornelia too. Good to know,” she says as she comes into my view. She’s at the mailboxes and on the phone. She has her cell phone up to her ear.
“Great. We’ll have to grab coffee next week. Yep. Talk to you later,” she says as she turns and smiles at me. “Off to the competition?”
I nod. “Yep. Heading there now.”
She walks over and hugs me. “Well, good luck,” she says, completely oblivious to the fact that we just overhead her ass discussion.
“Thanks,” I manage as I fight back a laugh.
“Who’s this fine young man?” she asks as she steps back.
Oh dear God! Can the earth swallow me up now?
“This would be Fletcher McDowell,” I state. “Fletcher, this is my neighbor Margie.”
“Nice to meet you,” he says, offering his free hand.
She shakes it while narrowing her eyes and then pulls back her hand and points it at his chest. “You better watch it, young man. Our Camryn will be winning that competition and her café is the best in the city. Everyone knows it. Your little store doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Right. Thanks for the warning?” he says but it comes out as a question.
“Consider yourself warned,” she adds. And then waves and smiles as she goes into the elevator.
“I thought you said…” He trails off as he points to the elevator.
I groan. “Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear any of that and Margie doesn’t care about getting stuck. She’s retired and has more time than sense.”
“Oh,” is all he says as we walk out the door to a waiting limo. His hand goes to the small of my back as we approach the car. It’s a little thing. I’m sure he’d do it out of politeness for any woman as she gets in a car but something about it feels…intimate.
I take a deep breath as the driver opens the door for us and takes the luggage. Here goes nothing.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Fletch
My mind is going a million miles a minute as we drive out of the city. I have thousands of questions about Camryn’s roommate, her neighbors, and her. She was definitely crying when I arrived. I felt such an overwhelming need to comfort her. I have no idea why and I can’t think about that right now. I need to focus.
Glancing over, I study Camryn. She’s looking out the window. Her eyes aren’t glazed over like before but she looks deep in thought.
