I roll to the side, and his calloused hand begins caressing my body.
“You’re so soft, like silk. There’s no trace of the farm girl you once were.”
Don’t you dare start to feel for him. Not like this. Heal each others’ wounds, that’s what you told him. You’ll be back in LA soon.
It’s the truth, plain and simple. This trip, as my mom would call it, is a gift. I righted some wrongs and set some things straight. Now, who knows, maybe I can even come back for Thanksgiving.
But that’s not all you want.
I look over at Garrett, my stomach filling with dread.
He’s perfect.
“Garrett,” I say, my voice shaking.
“Yeah, Kitty Kat?”
This can work. You can have it all. He told you himself, he’s losing his shop. Ask him to come to LA.
“I…I was wondering—”
A frantic knock sounds on the door.
Oh, no!
I launch out of bed, frantically searching for my clothes.
Please don’t be Prim. Please, oh, please don’t be Prim.
“Tammy!” Prim’s voice calls through the door.
Shit!
I throw Garrett’s pants and boxers at him, then stumble over to the shabby brown wardrobe.
“Get in,” I hiss, unzipping it and grabbing up an armful of clothes and tossing it on the floor.
Garrett’s face contorts into confusion, which is completely reasonable considering he’s somewhere around six-foot-five. “I don’t know—”
“You have to!”
“Tammy,I have a surprise for you!” Prim yells.
“Just a minute!”
I look at Garrett with terrified eyes. “You don’t understand! It’s taken me years to form what little relationship I have with them. This could ruin it!”
He looks to the bathroom.
“I can’t risk it. If she comes in here and has to go, we’re both in trouble.”
He steps into the wardrobe, cramming his broad frame into an awkward and uncomfortable position.
“Thank you,” I mouth, then zippers it shut.
Prim is pounding on the door now, ever impatient.
“Just a minute!” I yell as I finish closing the wardrobe.
Garrett’s neck is bent awkwardly, and I honestly don’t know how long he can hold such a contorted pose, especially with his legs half bent.
Once he’s secured inside, I kick his shoes under the bed and do my best to tidy, what little good it does.
Finally, I open the door, positioning myself in the doorway so she cannot enter.
“Surprise!” both Prim and Eva call out.
My eyes grow wide as my mouth forms a perfect ‘O.’ “Eva, what are you doing here?”
