He seemed like a different man since she’d moved in, though the actual moving in hadn’t exactly happened yet. She spent her days and nights at his place while keeping all her things in the efficiency. He hadn’t pressed her about it, and she hadn’t mentioned it, but she liked having a cushion with her name on the lease. The fear that what had happened with Cody could happen with Smith refused to leave her mind. Not that Smith might cheat on her, but that something might happen between them making it impossible to live with him.
Unfortunately, talking to Smith about her fears caused him to clam up and grow defensive. She understood his lack of communication skills, but it didn’t make it easy to talk to him about their future. And then she worried she’d once again jumped too fast too far for a man. But then he’d look at her like he loved her, and she’d forget about her worries and do her best to stay in the now, enjoying him.
Halloween came and went, and with it an amazing time at the McCallisters’. Smith kept his arm around her in a not so subtle attempt to let Brad and a few other singles know she was taken. But it didn’t bother her either, because she didn’t like the way some of the women looked at him, as if he were still available.
They laughed about it after, but she saw worry in his eyes. No matter how much she tried to convince him they were fine, he seemed on edge. And she still hadn’t given up her key next to door.
Two days after Halloween,Erin received an invitation to cocktails with Naomi, Jordan, Kenzie, and Aunt Jane. A little uneasy about being one of the Griffith girls, though technically Smith wasn’t a Griffith, she nevertheless went out for drinks.
And accidentally got hammered. Much of the night remained a mystery, though she did recall a male review club and a bunch of ones Jordan had forced on her disappearing down a man’s G-string.
“Hey there, big tipper.” Smith’s loud voice cut through her Sunday morning regret.
“Oh, my head.”
“I hear you slipped on a few buttery nipples. That right?”
“Ugh. I had four drinks. Four.”
“At the first club,” he muttered, sounding amused.
She blinked open one eye and saw him looming over her, as he normally did.
“Whoa. You’re a little scary hungover.” He pulled her into a sitting position and sat watching her.
“I’m not a doll, you know.”
He sighed. “Yeah, we haven’t gotten to the doll fantasy yet, where you let me position you and you don’t move.”
“Don’t move?”
“Like a doll. Then I have my wicked way with you.”
She glared at him, or tried to glare past the tiny hammers intent on killing all her brain cells. “Stop looking so cute and hopeful.” She rolled out of his bed and would have stumbled to the door if he hadn’t picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. “Thanks,” she muttered and slammed the door on him.
She took her time in the shower, letting plentiful hot water—thanks to McSons Plumbing who’d installed an energy efficient new water heater just yesterday—sluice away her pain.
Afterward, she had a case of dry mouth, no appetite, and bad cramps. She’d been expecting her period, so she had supplies. But she didn’t feel comfortable talking about it to Smith, and she knew it would come up in conversation. Feeling crabby and miserable, she wanted to go next door and hide for a week.
He saw her, his smile faded. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t feel good.”
“Aw, honey, you’ll feel better soon. Just drink a lot of water.”
“You don’t know everything. Water won’t help.” Actually, it would. But so would a Midol.
“O-kay.” Smith paused by the stove. “Want me to make you something to eat?”
“Noooo.” She felt nauseous at the thought. She was never, ever, going to try to outdrink Aunt Jane again.
“You mind if I make something?”
“Go head,” she mumbled into her arms and dozed off.
She woke to him placing her on the couch with a blanket over her. And it made her think of home, her mother, and her beloved Grandma Freddy.
Cramps twisted her insides. Her mother would have found her a hot water bottle and placed it on her stomach while rubbing her head.
