A gentle breeze glides across my face, blowing my hair off my shoulders. I catch a whiff of the lavender bush a few feet away. “I’ll listen. I’ll give you that at least.”
Kayleigh rubs her hands together as if she’s coming up with some master plan. “I think you need to start painting again.”
There it is. When I first met Kayleigh in college, I painted all the time. If I wasn’t in class, you’d find me in the art room, brush in hand, with as much paint on my apron as on my canvas. Anytime I needed to unwind or deal with something bothering me, that’s where I’d be. As the years went on, I painted less and less. My classes became increasingly difficult and when I neared graduation I had to focus on securing a job. That pushed my painting to the back burner. It never made it back to the front.
“Where did that come from?”
“Hm,” Kayleigh says as she presses her index finger into her chin. “Let me think. Your job. A tree in your house. A neighbor who drives you nuts that you’re basicallylivingwith for the time being.”
“Jimmy’s actually not so bad.”
Kayleigh takes a hold of the table like she’s about to fall off. “Wait. Hold the phone.Not so bad. You must elaborate on that. I thought you’d rather watch someone fish something out of their teeth while humming the ‘Baby Shark’ song than spend any time with him. What changed?”
Okay, maybe that’s the truth. Maybe at some point in time I’d prefer Pee Wee Herman repeatedly yelling “I know you are but what am I” in his annoying, squeaky voice directly into my ear than having to deal with Jimmy. People evolve, though.
I shrug my shoulders up to my ear. “I don’t know. The other day we had dinner and watched a movie together. It was nice.”
“Dinner and a movie? What, like a date?” She’s invested in this story now. Her eyes are wide and bright and she’s practically foaming at the mouth awaiting every detail.
“Not a date. He made me breakfast, so I picked up dinner.”
“Hemade you breakfast? Next you’ll be telling me he kissed you.”
My cheeks redden so fast I’d burn my fingers if I touched them.
“He kissed you! Reese Turner! How did you let that happen and why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s not like it’s something I’m going to advertise.”
“But still…you tell your best friend. What does this mean? Are you two like a couple now?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” A couple? That hadn’t even crossed my mind. I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that I have replayed that kiss in my mind about three hundred times in the past twelve hours. “He may be nice to smooch on while I’m there, but that’s it.”
“Mm hm.” Her perfectly shaped eyebrows raise in dispute. “We’ll see.”
“There’s nothingtosee. I guarantee you that this is nothing. Nothing at all.”
I pick up my sandwich again and take a bite, picturing Jimmy leaning in toward me and his hand on my knee.
It’s nothing at all.
12
Friday is finally here.I made a commitment to have everything ready for next week’s meeting with Alvin by the end of the day today, so I can do something I haven’t done in years: take the weekend off. I’m proud to say that’s what I will be doing.
When I get outside, Jimmy stands there with a bouquet of flowers. “Jimmy? What are you doing here?” He’s all dressed up, wearing a pair of dark jeans and a deep purple polo (he sure seems to like his polos). The color isn’t one I’d normally like, but he wears it well.
I take the flowers as he hands them to me. They smell nice, a mix of roses and calla lilies. “I thought I’d surprise you with dinner and paint shopping.”
“Paint shopping?”
“I plan on being done with your house by next week. Then you will be able to paint.”
“Already? That was really fast.”
“I worked hard to deliver your house back to you quickly. I know you don’t want to stay with me longer than you have to.”
I’m not sure what to say. It’s not terrible being at his house, and I really am growing to love Kale. If he’s telling me this, he probably doesn’t want me there.Hewants to get rid ofme.
