“Nope. I’ve been bad this week. But, I did stop at the dry cleaners, which is right next to my favorite donut shop, and I didn’t go in and buy a donut. So, it all balances out.”
“You should have bought a donut and then brought me one.”
“Next time, Chase. After Zumba.”
“I better let you go. Goodnight, Ashley.”
“Goodnight, Chase.”
He pressed end and put the phone against his chest, a strange kind of adrenaline running through him.
Beth walked into the kitchen with a goofy smile on her face. She leaned against the kitchen counter and faced him. “Let me get this straight. If you’re trying online dating, what’s going on with you and Ashley?”
Chase put down his phone. “Nothing.”
“But wasn’t that her just now? I heard you tell her goodnight.”
“We’re friends.”
“Does she have a boyfriend or something?”
“Nope.” He sighed. “But it’s complicated.”
“It sounds like you’re making it complicated.” She pulled a towel out of the drawer and started drying pans. “So, I’m babysitting on Saturday night?”
“Will you?”
She gave him a mischievous smile, one that would worry him for a while. “Yes, but is it okay if I invite a friend over?”
“A female friend?”
“No, Chase. My thirty-five-year-old boyfriend who just escaped from prison. Yes, a female friend.”
“Well, I guess that’s okay.”
***
Thursday was the best day ever. There were no texts from strange numbers. Ashley had time to clean the entire apartment, including the fridge—Lina was famous for her weeks old leftovers—and best of all, she got a call from the dental office. Ashley had the job.
“Look at you!” Lina exclaimed as she walked in the door that night, her arms full of groceries. “All decked out in my frilly apron, and is that Windex I smell?”
“Whatever.” Ashley took a few of the bags and moved them to the counter. “Laugh if you want. You might go sky diving if you suddenly had time off, but I’m giddy about having the chance to scrub our shower. It’s sparkling. You have to go see it.”
Ashley led Lina into the bathroom to see the sparkling shine.
Lina clapped in appreciation. “No one appreciates your day off habits better than me, Ashley. Believe me. Now can I go make a mess of the kitchen by making you a cake? I heard about our latest employee!”
They hugged it out, and then put away the groceries. Together they prepared a small chocolate cake, eating leftover lasagna while the cake baked in the oven. The lasagna had only been in the fridge for a couple of days, so Ashley had given it a clean fridge pass.
“So, when do you start?” Lina asked.
“On Monday. What should I do with myself until then?”
“I don’t know. Learn guitar?”
Ashley did have a guitar hidden in her closet. She’d begged her parents to buy her one for her tenth birthday. After two lessons, she decided it had all been a mistake. Occasionally, she took it out and strummed it, too guilt-ridden and strangely attached to the thing to get rid of it.
The smell of chocolate cake filled the apartment and they both stared through the glass while they waited the last eternal four minutes for it to finish baking.
