“Sure.” Vocalizing everything was odd. I couldn’t nod at the little questions, couldn’t play things off with a shrug. Conversation with this man involved commitment. It was frightening; andrefreshing.
He led the way and held a chair out for me after swiping a few leaves from its seat. His movements were all so careful and precise. I would almost call his demeanor calculated if it didn’t also seem necessary. If I closed my eyes for two seconds, I’d trip onmyself.
“Thank you.” I sank into the chair and he settled in the one nearest me. Having this stranger so close to me should have been awkward, but it was something else. The feel of him beside me was hot and new, and awareness buzzed just under my skin. I fought a wild urge to tilt my head a few degrees and set it on that capable looking shoulder or, even more embarrassing, to lickit.
Looking for something besides his nearness to focus on, I turned to the yard and noticed with a start that everything back here was perfectly manicured. Like the inside, the back of this place didn’t match the front. Like a secretgarden.
I inhaled a heavenly, sweet, syrupyscent.
“There’s honeysuckle!” I scanned the back of the yard and spotted it clinging to the farfence.
“Yeah. Got a ton back there. I know it’s a weed and you’re supposed to pull it, but I justcan’t.”
“It’s pretty, even if it is a weed.” I inhaled deeply. “And thatsmell.”
“What makes a weed a weed,anyway?”
“Right?” I nodded his way, expecting our gazes to connect. Of course, they didn’t and disappointment flashed through me, followed quickly by something different as my attention caught on details, like the soft-looking skin behind his ear, the way his thick, muscular throat moved when he spoke. Something new, excitable. Something likediscovery.
I wanted to ask if he’d always been blind, but that seemed way out of line. Too early, too personal. Rude, probably, although if one of my four-year-olds asked, it might beokay.
Instead, I went with my other burning question. “It’s so neat back here, but your house is a mess out front. Why isthat?”
He cleared his throat before answering. “That bad, huh?” Oh no. Did I embarrasshim?
“It’s a little…” I shrugged. “Intimidating.”
“Not usually big onvisitors.”
“Oh.” Was he trying to tell me something? “So, when I knocked,you…”
“Present companyexcepted.”
“So…you leave it that way onpurpose?”
“Not exactly.” He shrugged. “Actually hired a guy to take care of it,but…”
“Well, he’s not doing hisjob.”
Zach just shook hishead.
“What?” Iasked.
“His wife got sick after having their baby a while ago, and I don’t want to bother him withit.”
“Why not find someoneelse?”
“He needs themoney.”
“Wait, you pay him?” He didn’t answer. “Who’s the socialistnow?”
“Can’t fire the guy for being down on hisluck.”
“People do it all thetime.”
“I’m not likethat.”
“I can tell.” My belly tightened with something like affection for this man I barely knew. “You helpedme.”
