When I finished, Garner slid my half-full plate in front of him and gestured down the short hallway. “Shower’s there. Towels are under the sink. Take as long as you want.”
The bathroom was spotless. I locked the door, turned on the water, and stepped under the spray. The heat hit my shoulders, and I nearly sagged with relief.
I pressed my forehead against the tile and closed my eyes, letting the water wash away the tension I’d been carrying for months. Maybe even years. My chest tightened, and I swallowed hard, blinking fast.
Get it together.
When I emerged, feeling better than I had in a long time, I changed into the spare set of clothes I kept in my backpack. My duffel was still in my car, along with the small suitcase I’d bought several months ago. I’d found it at a thrift shop, but it was a major step up from the black garbage bag the rest of my things had been in.
“Guest room is ready,” Garner murmured when I stepped into the hallway.
The room he gestured toward had a stack of folded blankets at the end of the bed, and a lamp glowing softly on the nightstand. “Thanks.”
“It’s still early. You should get some rest.”
“Yeah.” I closed the door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed, overwhelmed by how enormous all of this felt. And confused by my reaction to Garner. I’d never really felt desire before and thought my childhood had broken something inside me. But he’d proved that theory wrong.
As I lay down with a full belly and clean body, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if this was my home…with him.
4
ELODIE
For a split second after I woke, panic flared. My body braced for cold vinyl seats and stiff joints, but then I shifted and felt soft sheets beneath my hands and caught the faint scent of wood smoke lingering in the air.
Garner’s cabin.
I sat up slowly, blinking as my eyes adjusted. Late morning light filtered through the small window. I must’ve slept for hours.
A quiet knock sounded at the door.
“Hey,” Garner’s voice came through softly. “You awake?”
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Yeah.”
He waited until I opened the door before speaking, giving me space even now. “I’m heading out to check the site. Thought I’d see if you wanted to come with me.”
I hesitated. “The construction site?”
He nodded. “Normally, I’d go alone, but…” He paused, clearly choosing his words. “There’s been some trouble lately, so I’d feel better if you stayed where I could see you. Especially since you were there last night.”
My instinct was to insist I’d be fine on my own. That reflex had been built over the years. I’d learned the hard way not to be a burden. But something about the way he looked at me, concerned without being overbearing, made me rethink my answer.
“Okay,” I replied after a moment. “I can come.”
Relief flickered across his face before he masked it. “Good. We’ll have a snack first.”
“Oh, I don’t need?—”
My words broke off when he rubbed his flat stomach. “You’re not going to make me eat alone, are you?”
I shook my head with a soft laugh. “I guess not when you put it that way.”
As he turned away to give me time to get ready, it hit me how strange it was to be included without having to ask. And comforting.
We had a quick—but not small—snack before we got in his truck to head to the site. I was surprised by how easily I left my car behind, as though I trusted his neighbors to watch over my most prized possession while we were gone. But I kept my backpack with me.
The construction site looked different in the daylight. Stripped back to dirt and timber, with excavators and bulldozers I hadn’t noticed last night.
