I hoped I was in the wrong driveway. Unfortunately, the exterminator truck next to my car confirmed that I had, in fact, found Shaun’s house. And the truck looked surprisingly in place in the drive of the otherwise picture-esque Hallmark movie scene laid out before me.
The driveway was wide and led to a two-car garage, attached to a very nice house. A lot newer than my brick house, for sure.
“Huh. Exterminator business must pay well,” I thought as I got out of the car.
But as I walked up to the door--the freshly brushed off walkway, in fact--I noticed the “for sale” sign in the yard.
Maybe not as good as I thought.
The cool night made my nose feel dry-cleaned. But it also stirred around the smell of a charcoal grill burning.
And hell, after the day I'd had, a steak and a bottle of wine sounded perfect. Good thing I grabbed two. I didn't feel much like sharing.
Of course, I could have gotten takeout.
Why the hell did I agree to this?
Just another complication I didn't really need right now.
I inhaled again and smelled the charcoal. Okay. Maybe not. That smell always made me smile, even when I didn't want to.
Then a gust of wind hit me, and whatever smile the charcoal gave me vanished as I felt my nose being dry-cleaned again.
“He’s nuts for wanting to cook out in this,” I muttered as I walked to the door. The house itself glowed with light, contrasting to the cold dark of the winter night. Christmas lights still hung on the porch and around the windows—not Griswold overboard, but enough that they made the place look like something out of a family home photo. Glowing and sparkly.
I think if I hadn't had such a shitty day, I might have smiled again. Because
I was about to hit the doorbell when the door opened.
Shaun smiled at me, winter coat on, and was pulling off a pair of gloves. “Hi.”
I raised my eyebrow. “You got cameras on this place?”
“One of those motion sensors,” he said. “Besides, I heard you pull into the driveway.”
I nodded and looked around. There weren’t a lot of cars on the street he lived on, it was tucked back into the edition, away from a lot of the entrance traffic.
“It is quiet out here,” I said.
“It is. I like it that way.” He stepped out of the way. “Come in, please.”
He held the door open for me, and I entered.
I had brought two bottles of wine and he took them out of my hand. “Nice tote. They’re already cold.”
“A gift from my sister. I have found it quite useful. Don’t have to wait on the wine to chill.”
"Thoughtful. Your sister, that's the gal behind the desk, right? The bright red hair?"
"And the blonde who's a hairdresser. With the little girl."
He nodded. "Two sisters. That sounds like--"
"A pain in the ass. They're pains in the ass."
"I was going to say interesting, but pains in the ass works too."
Now that did make me smile. "Do you have any siblings?"
