“That’s actually a good idea,” she said.
“You didn’t have to add the ‘actually’ on there,” I said to her.
“Yes, I did.” Shelby marched off and called over her shoulder. “I’ll get us some water. Go find a shady spot in the meantime.”
That sounded like just what the doctor ordered. I ambled away from the unfinished shed, desperate for any kind of relief from the oppressive heat. The nearest tree was on the other side of the field and I headed over.
As I got closer, I realized it wasn’t just a big shady tree. Beneath it was a pond. The water called to me, too inviting to ignore. I emptied my pockets, prayed there was nothing sharp at the bottom, and waded in.
The cool water was heaven on my skin, whisking away the sweat and heat. It wasn’t too deep, so the pond only went upto my waist, but I knelt enough to get my chest in. Right about nipple height.
It felt so good, I never wanted to leave. Shelby was going to have to drag me out with her van. I was taking a nice long break.
A few minutes later, Shelby’s voice cut through my bliss. “Bad bunny! Get out of there right now!”
“Look, Shelby, I promise I’ll get back to work soon, but I’m only human.”
She planted her hands on her hips and shook her head at me. “No, genius. That’s the duck pond. It’s disgusting in there. I hope you’ve gotten all your shots because you’re going to need them.”
It took a second for my relaxed brain to process her words, but once they cracked through my thick skull, I yelped and splashed out of the pond as fast as I could go.
“What the hell, Shelby? Put up a sign or something.”
“You didn’t get it in your mouth, did you?”
“No, thank God,” I said, shivering at the idea.
“You’re going to need a shower,” she said, sighing. “Dammit. Come on, Carter. Let’s get you to the house.”
“Really?” I asked, almost forgetting I’d been swimming in duck crap. This would be the first time she allowed me inside her house. I was weirdly excited.
I stopped in front of her bright yellow front door. “Hold on,” I said, then kicked off my boots and shucked the overalls off my legs. I had boxers on, but Shelby’s face turned bright red and she looked away quickly.
“What are you doing?” she asked, not nearly as in control as she usually was.
“I don’t want to drip all this shit in your house,” I said, shrugging. “What kind of houseguest would I be then?”
Shelby kept stealing little glances at me like she couldn’t help herself. I loved to see it, but I was still feeling like I’d beenswimming in a duck toilet. I needed a shower before I could even think about making a move on her.
Not that I was planning on trying anything.
Still, I couldn’t resist teasing her just a bit. “I promise you can look all you wantafterI shower.”
Shelby scoffed and pushed the door open. I followed her with a smile. The house looked like she hadn’t redecorated too much since her grandparents left it to her. There were a lot of pastel pinks and little ceramic figurines. Ruffled throw pillows on the couch.
But there were touches of Shelby, too. Fresh flowers in a vase on the counter. Clothes scattered on the floor. Mugs everywhere.
“I guess it’s the maid’s day off,” I said, and for a second, I thought she might hit me.
“Do you want a shower or not?” she asked.
Feeling unclean, I relented and followed her to the bathroom. Shelby left me alone and I eagerly scrubbed myself under the hot water. I would have preferred a cold shower, for more reasons than one, but I really wanted to get any lingering muck off me.
When I got out of the shower, I put on my mostly dry boxers. Thank God for synthetic fabrics. But I was stuck in only a towel and my underwear when I emerged from the bathroom to find Shelby.
I followed the sound of metallic rattling that shook the entire house. Shelby was standing in front of an ancient washer and dryer. “I’m drying your overalls,” she said.
One of the things I was discovering about Shelby was that, despite her prickly demeanor, she was a softie at heart. She talked a lot of trash, but she was taking care of me at the same time. It made me like her even more than I already did.
