“Yeah.I can.Because there’s not much I wouldn’t do to make you laugh.”
“Thank you, Brody.”
“You’re welcome.Wednesday’s are quiet.Let me go break it to Trent I won’t be in today.”
They went through the house, room by room, and made a list of what they would need.Cujo placed a call to Trent, then put the phone on the counter.She was sitting on one of the stools finishing her smoothie.
“Did you eat breakfast yet?”
Drea shook her head.“Just wanted to get started.”
“Well, I need food.You got any eggs?”Cujo opened the refrigerator.Perfect.He pulled out a few other ingredients he could throw in, some tomatoes and cheese.“Bread?”
Drea pointed to the cupboard behind him.
The omelets and toast were made and eaten quickly.Drea had put on a pot of coffee earlier, and the combination of food and caffeine were having a positive effect on her frame of mind.
“Why didn’t you talk to me?”It bothered him that all this had been going on in her head, and she hadn’t said a word.
“I don’t know.After that night with your mom, and Henderson’s room, and then talking to you, I came home and slept for eighteen hours.”
Yeah.Fucking Carter.“I saw you.I was coming to the café to talk you out of breaking up, and then I saw you with Carter.”
“I know you did.But it was all coincidence.He came to get a statement about identifying your mom, and I happened to be leaving José’s, so he drove me home.”
The tension eased a little at the admission.
“So why are you selling?”
“The mortgage payments are awful.I’m paying a lot of money for somewhere I don’t want to be.If I move into a studio apartment, I’ll be much better off each month.”
Was he ready to offer up the next step?Yeah.He was.Was she ready to take it?“If you get stuck, you can always move in with me.”
He put his arm around her, ready for the rejection, but Drea rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.“I’m not sure that’s smart, and I really do want to try being on my own, but it would be a great if I get stuck.”
It made sense.She did need to experience freedom.But he’d encourage her to rent somewhere close, to get a bed big enough for him to sleep in, and to host regular sleepovers.Once he’d convinced her to give them another chance.Obviously.
Someone knocked on the door, and Drea jumped.Cujo looked at his phone, the timing was perfect.
“Heard you needed some help.”Trent walked into the kitchen carrying a tray of pastries.“Harper sent these over for the workers, said she’ll come straight over after work.”
Lia carried in a couple of cans of paint.“I’m going to need to borrow some sweats,” she said looking down at the tight pencil skirt she was wearing.“It’s been too long since I saw you.”She hugged Drea tightly.
Pixie bounced in carrying plastic bags with a local hardware store logo on them.“This is so much better than being stuck in the studio all day.”
“You closed the studio?”Drea asked.
Pixie put the bags down on the floor.“Technically no, because we hadn’t even opened yet.”
Dred walked in and dropped some giant plastic sheets on the dining room floor.“Hey, Drea, thanks for giving me somewhere to go outside of my hotel room,” he said, hugging her.
“I had no idea you were in town,” she choked out.
“Yeah, well, needed a change of scenery.”
Cujo caught the way he looked toward Pix as he said it.Bastard.
Someone else knocked at the door.
