He disappears into my house. He’s walking around like he's been here for years, and it makes my hands prickle. Within a few minutes, he comes strolling out with a salad in his hand.
“We can start with this, and the salmon should be done in another couple of minutes.”
The sun is setting, painting the sky with deep shades of orange above the treetops and peeking through the trees. The air is cooler as we sit down. Dinner is served, and I'm impressed by his grilling skills.
Once the last bite hits my mouth, I throw the napkin on the table. “That hit the spot. Thank you for cooking. It was delicious.”
“Why don’t you get comfortable on the couch, and I’ll clean up.”
“You cooked. I think I can manage cleaning up.”
He shakes his head no. “You have had a tough few days. Go chill on the couch, and I’ll come join you when I’m done.”
I lean back in my chair; my body is screaming for sleep. It’s not a terrible idea to go rest on the couch. “You up for a movie?”
“I’m up for whatever you want to do.” He smirks at me. I don’t even wonder what he’s thinking about…because I am too.
I’d love to have him consuming me, but I can’t believe how exhausted I am. I’m not even sure I can make it through a movie. What I do know is I want him here with me.
I stand up and say, “At least let me take some things inside.”
“Okay, then I want you to hop on the couch, and I’ll take care of the rest. It’s not that much.”
Grabbing my plate and glass, I walk inside and put everything in the sink. Dane didn’t follow me in, but I can see he is cleaning the grill.
I stroll to the living room and flop down on the comfy, oversized couch with a chaise lounge. I pick up the remote and start scrolling to find a fun movie to watch. But I have no idea what movies Dane likes. I decide I’ll wait for him; he shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. With the remote on my chest, I slide the blanket onto myself and snuggle in, getting comfortable.
I feel the couch dip beside me. I open my eyes. “I think I fell asleep.” My voice is groggy.
“I should have skipped the cleanup and come in here with you.”
“Exhausted doesn’t touch how I’m feeling right now.” I can barely keep my eyes open.
He brings his arm around me and tugs me closer. My head rests on his chest, and I hand him the remote. “You can find something to watch. I like almost anything except scary ones.”
“Okay, let’s see if we can find an action movie to keep you awake.” He kisses the top of my head.
I watch him scroll through some movies, but my eyes are heavy. They keep closing. I’m trying hard to keep them open, but I’m failing spectacularly. I hear him whispering to me, “Get some rest.” He strokes my arm and kisses my cheek.
It was the permission I needed to fall into a deep sleep.
Next thing I know, he is picking me up. “Did I miss the movie?”
“You need sleep more than you need a movie.”
“Where are we going?” Trying to shake the fog, I’m being laid down on what feels like a bed. Covers are laid over my body, and I sink into my pillow.
He kisses my cheek and gently brings his fingers over my face. “Rest. I’ll see you in the morning, sweetheart.”
My alarm goes off. I’m disoriented. Shutting off the alarm with my eyes barely open wide enough to see the time, I see it’s six o’clock in the morning. I stretch out my body and realize I’m in bed. I rack my brain and finally remember the evening with Dane. He brought me to bed, but I was out of it. Complete exhaustion consumed me. My body felt weak, and the minute I sank onto the couch, I knew I wasn’t going to make it through a movie. Knowing Dane was taking care of things allowed my brain to shut down, and when he wrapped his arm around me, it was a signal to my body to relax and drift off to sleep. Maybe it was his warmth, maybe it was his touch; all I know is I didn’t give it a second thought.
I still can’t believe I slept for over eleven hours. I sit up in bed to gain some perspective and sort through what needs to be done today. Off to the salon to take care of my clients. Andlet’s be real, the salon is a welcome distraction from all that has happened. Swinging my legs off the bed, a long sigh escapes me. It’s time. I move quickly, shower, and then slip into a cute dress, followed by some sandals. I spend a few extra minutes blow-drying my hair straight and use my beach wave curler to add some dimension back.
After I finish in the bathroom, I walk straight downstairs. There’s no time for coffee this morning. I’ll make some when I get to the salon. Grabbing my purse off the counter, I head to the garage and hop into my car.
I pull out, and Joel’s team follows me to the salon; it feels good to look in the rearview mirror and see them. Once we get to the salon, they park out front and in the back. I leave the front door locked until Sally gets here. I’m in the zone, moving around the space, and I jump out of my skin when someone knocks at the front door. People need to stop scaring the shit out of me. I quickly turn my head and see it’s Dane with coffee.
I scurry to the door to unlock it. “You scared me…again.” I laugh and shake my head.
