No worries there. You do what you need to. I’ll be right next door.
After sending it, I pause and add more.
I’ll get you that key made tomorrow.
Iris replies with a few emojis: a pair of lips, a heart, and a wink. My lips spread into a goofy grin as I stare at my phone. Across the street, Iris closes her window and curtains and turns off her light. Disappointing, but I guess I can’t expect her to sleep with the window open just for my benefit.
I strip the bed and take the soiled sheets down to the laundry room. By the time I get the bed remade, I’m pleasantly exhausted.
That night, I dream of Iris, a sweet dream of the two of us taking Hailey to the zoo.
Chapter 21
Iris
I don’t know what came over me. Exhibitionism isn’t usually my thing, not to mention the risk of someone walking by late at night and hearing my vibrator. Something about Micah just drives me wild, though, and I couldn’t resist.
At least he seemed to like it. Judging from the way he stripped his sheets soon after we finished, at least. I kinda grinned at that when I was peeking through the curtains at him.
It’s been a few days since my little show, and life is hectic. The ad campaign is revving up, and I barely have any time to eat, let alone pop next door for a visit. True to his word, Micah had a key made for me, and he slipped it under my doormat with a cute little note saying I was welcome at any time. Unfortunately, life has other plans, and I can’t seem to break away from work to stop by.
Since the clients are so antsy, I’ve had to move up the production schedule and rush to find a suitable shooting location. So many emails and phone calls, so many new contracts to draw up, so many details that need to be cemented before shooting can begin.
I keep Micah updated through calls and texts, so he’ll know when Hailey needs to be ready. I email him a copy of the script so she can practice her lines. There’s not much to it, just a few words here and there, but my hope is that she’ll memorize them early so the filming takes less time. Less time filming, less time before this whole campaign is done.
Every night Micah stops by with food. I don’t have time to entertain him, but he seems to understand. He drops off my dinner and gives me a kiss before going back to take care of Hailey.
As if the pressure from work wasn’t enough, Karen has been up my ass about me and Micah. She seems to think the world is going to end if we don’t stop seeing each other. We haven’t broken a single HOA rule yet, but her paranoia has her on my doorstep every afternoon with new questions, complaints, and accusations. Each day is some new headache to deal with, some new fire to put out. I don’t get what her deal is. I’ve been too busy to go over to Micah’s lately, and he hasn’t set foot inside my house in days.
When the weekend hits, I shut off my work computer and mute my phone. I need some time away from all that.
I need Micah.
Grabbing my keys, I make sure Cleo has enough food and water for the next night or two before heading next door. I don’t plan on coming home until noon at the earliest, maybe not even until Sunday.
I knock out of habit before remembering that I have a key and an open invite. I feel a bit awkward as I let myself in, but Micah’s smile when he sees that it’s me is all the reassurance I need.
“Hey, stranger!” He stands up from his spot on the floor playing with Hailey and rushes to give me a kiss.
“Hey. I needed a break; thought I’d come over here for a while to get away from my desk.”
He kisses me again, cupping my cheek with his hand and pulling me close. “You’re welcome to come here for a break whenever you need it.”
“Daddy! Come back and help me build the zoo!”
I look over Micah’s shoulder to see that the living room has exploded in building blocks of various sizes and colors. Small walls have been built to form little pens, and inside the pens are an assortment of stuffed animals.
“Oh, cool! I love zoos.” I follow Micah into the room and sit down next to Hailey. “Can I help?”
She nods and hands me some blocks. “Here. We’re making the cage for the lions next.”
“Lions, huh? That’s scary.”
Hailey casts me a dubious glance. “Lions aren’t scary. They’re fluffy.” She picks up a stuffed lion by its tail and waves it around. “See? Fluffy.”
I hope she never gets the idea in her head to try picking Cleo up like that. “Are you sure you should pick up Mr. Lion like that? You could hurt his tail.”
She shrugs. “It’s a stuffie. It doesn’t feel nothing.”
