There was a hint of resignation in her tone, and Mitch was entirely aware he was putting her out with all of this. If only he’d just let things go when they’d locked eyes through the window. Sure, it had been awkward, but infinitely less awkward than the current scenario he found himself in.
Shuddering a breath, he moved to the couch and took a seat. He looked at his feet. It felt like thousands of tiny nails were being hammered into his soles. His chest and arms were also cold, but not painful in the way his feet were.
“Here.” Faith suddenly materialized with a fuzzy plaid blanket that looked cozy and warm. She held it out for him but caught him staring at his toes. “Mitch, that doesn’t look good.”
“They’ll be fine,” he said, knowing they eventually would be. In all his training, he’d never heard of anyone losing their toes to frostbite in a matter of minutes. It would take much, much longer.
She let the blanket sag within her grip. “I don’t think this is going to heat you up fast enough. Maybe you should go take a warm shower.”
At her place? He couldn’t be sure why the thought made his head feel a little light, like it was suddenly filled with helium. But Faith was right. A hot shower sounded like absolute heaven. Still…
“I really don’t want to inconvenience you more than I already have, Faith.”
“Well,I’mnot currently using the shower, so it’s really not an inconvenience. Plus, it’ll take a minute for the tea to steep. And even longer for Madeline to show up with the spare key. Have you texted her yet?”
He reached into his pant pocket for his phone, stilling when he realized he didn’t even have it on him. If Faith hadn’t still been in the parking lot, what would he have even done without any means to reach out for help? She’d saved him from the embarrassing act of knocking on his neighbors’ doors, and he was more than grateful, and utterly indebted.
“I can text her for you.” Faith already had her phone in her hand, her fingers plunking something across the surface.“There.” She must’ve hit send. “Hopefully she’s nearby and can get here quickly.”
“Again. I’m so sorry I’m keeping you from the bakery.”
“It’s really okay, Mitch. I’m the owner. I set the hours.”
No amount of reassurance made him feel like any less of a nuisance. And when she led him to her bathroom attached to her master bedroom and showed him where he could shower and warm up, he recognized the extent of his intrusion. Her makeup was strewn about the counter, piles of hair ties and a random claw clip placed sporadically on the tile. Faith bent down to pick a pink towel from the floor next to an oversized t-shirt that he had a sneaking suspicion she wore for pajamas. She obviously hadn’t been expecting company, and Mitch was feeling guilty about his overstepping big time.
“I’m really sorry about all of this, Faith,” he said, his discomfort riddled in his voice.
She held his apologetic gaze for a moment before saying, “Let me grab you a fresh towel. There’s body wash and shampoo on the ledge in the tub. And my hairdryer is…” She swiveled around, searching for the tool. “In the upper cabinet, I think.”
“Thank you, Faith.” He wouldn’t need a hairdryer but appreciated her hospitality. “Truly.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, the shyest smile finally curving her mouth. “You came to my rescue the other day at the bakery with the smoke alarm. I guess it’s my turn to return the favor.”
CHAPTER 10
“The towel fresh out of the dryer was a nice touch.” Mitch appeared in the kitchen, moving the fluffy bath towel over his dark hair. He was back in his flannel pants, but this time, he’d taken her throw blanket and fashioned it as a sort of shrug, borrowing one of Faith’s tortoise shell hair clips to keep it pinned in place near his collarbone. “I give that shower of yours five stars.”
She chuckled. He was just in time for tea, the pot whistling loudly like a song. “I hope there was enough hot water for you,” she said, pulling the kettle from the burner. The melodic trill hissed into silence, and she poured the liquid into two small mugs. “I find that our particular building runs out quickly. I have a hunch some water heaters need replacing.”
“It was perfect.”
Folding the damp towel over the back of a chair tucked under her small dining table, Mitch took a proffered cup from her hand. The mug was brimming with her favorite lavender chamomile tea, a delightful blend she’d purchased at a charming little teahouse in Sacramento during her last trip to the valley. She often made a cup late at night when slumber eluded her,relying on nature’s own sleep aid to help push her toward restfulness.
“And thank you for this, too.” Mitch lifted the mug and grinned.
“Of course.” Faith cradled her own steaming mug between her palms and blew a gentle breath across the surface. “How are your toes?”
“All ten still intact, thanks to you.”
“I think you’re giving me more credit than is due, but you’re welcome.” She stilled, suddenly remembering an earlier message she needed to relay. “Madeline texted while you were in the shower and said she’s currently over at her other property, but that she should be here in an hour at the latest.”
Mitch sucked his teeth. “Shoot. Really? An hour? Faith, I’m seriously so sor—”
“If you apologize one more time, I just might scream.” Faith comprehended his gratitude. No need to overdo it. “I forgot to ask if you wanted any milk or sugar,” she changed the subject to put an end to the excessive groveling.
“Both would be great, if you have them.”
“Asking a baker if she has sugar,” she retorted with a cluck of her tongue. “That’s just shy of blasphemy.”
