“Challenge accepted.” I smile, taking out a small bag of tools from my backpack. “There must be a hot water tank around here somewhere. I’ll see if I can get it fired up. You get things situated out here.”
“You had me at ‘hot water,’ Zach. If you can get me a warm shower, I’ll give you a big fat kiss.” He grins playfully.
My cheeks go hot, no doubt turning various shades of red. But I’m not going to just wilt under his teasing. “Careful what you promise,” I shoot back.
I leave the room without looking at him, trying to act cool. But that little flirt was enough to send warmth radiating throughout my body.
It doesn’t take long to find the tank in a small utility closet in the bathroom. Like the stove, it has a manual pilot light. I turn the starter knob, which makes a clicking sound. But still no flame. There’s some corrosion on the electrode. With a long, flathead screwdriver from my box of tools, I give it a couple of scrapes. This time, the flame lights and the room fills with the roaring sound of the tank springing to life. I get goosebumps thinking about taking a hot shower. It means getting cleaned up is finally possible.
I strut back into the main room, looking triumphant.
“Ha! I got it working.” I beam. “Once it’s hot, I’m gonna hop in the shower. You can go next, so you’ll owe me that kiss.”
“I haven’t forgotten.” Aiden shoots me a smile. “And if I get a hot shower outta the deal, it’ll be worth it.”
Man. Aiden is so flirty. But these days, people are much more comfortable with their sexuality, right? Who knows if he’s into guys. Either way, it’s driving me nuts. I’m going to flat-out ask him tonight.
I head back to the bathroom with a small kit of toiletries and a fresh change of clothes. While waiting for the water to heat up, I go to town on my beard and matted hair with travel-size scissors. A year’s worth of growth and grime falls into the sink in big ugly clumps. My eyes are visible for the first time in forever.
The water is lukewarm and could stand some more time. But I can’t wait any longer, so I strip off my clothes and jump into the shower.
The warm water cascading over my body is like a dream. I scrub every square inch, watching the blackened water cascade down and swirl into the drain. The whole thing is emotional for me. Letting my personal appearance go like this reflected my mental state. I’d lost the will to care. And now I have something to care about again.
It takes several rounds of suds and scrubbing to remove all the dirt layers. And it’s not always a pleasant experience. Some of my skin has dried out and cracked from neglect, and the soap stings. But I get through it. My skin has gone from a dusty brown to a rosy pink. I towel off and step out.
With the dirt washed out, I finish trimming my hair. Because of the mats, I have to cut it short. I finish up with a thorough shave. In the mirror, staring back at me, is someone I haven’t seen in over a year and frankly forgot existed.
And suddenly, I’m wracked with fear at the thought of Aiden seeing me. The dirt and grime were armor for my self-esteem. It wasn’tmewho was being judged. It was my shoddy appearance. With it all washed away, there’s nothing left to hide behind. Aiden will now see me for who I am. And it scares the crap out of me.
*
AIDEN
Then you’ll owe me that kiss.
Of course, Zach won’t let the kiss comment go. I know. It’s mean of me to tease him like that. But it’s cute when he squirms a bit.
It’s clear he’s got a thing for me. It’s the little looks I get from him—the comments he makes. And I’m not exactly making things easy. I need to be honest with him. Tell him I like guys, but he’s not my type. And I’m not looking for new commitments because of how complicated my life is. Be forthright. No game playing. I’ll talk to him tonight.
In the meantime, he’s run off to get cleaned up, and I’m looking forward to my turn. The very idea of taking a shower makes me excited. I have weeks of sweat and grime that need to be washed off, and some scrapes on my arms are looking a little too red for my liking. Cuts getting infected is no joke in a world without plentiful antibiotics.
While I wait, I explore the cabin more. A pile of firewood rests next to the fireplace, but I don’t want to risk it. Smoke rising from a chimney is an invitation to be attacked. What with the warm day, the temperature in the cabin isn’t too bad. We’ll have to bundle up tonight if it gets cold.
It looks as if the cabin owners used candles for light. Ones of various sizes and shapes are spread throughout the entire room. I go around with a lighter and light them all up.
I’m surprised to find some actual food in the pantry. Most cans are long past their expiration date, but that’s not something you worry much about post-Great Collapse. I find a box of dry spaghetti and some jars of pasta sauce. We’ll have a nice little pasta dinner with some canned chicken. Might as well take advantage of having an actual kitchen. I find a large pot for the pasta and fill it with water.
I’m reading the instructions on the box of spaghetti when Zach comes out of the bathroom. At least it’s somebody roughly the same size and shape as Zach because, beyond that, there is no resemblance.
Um, wow.
My brain forgets how to hold things as the box of spaghetti falls out of my hand and lands on the floor, sending dried pasta everywhere. It’s like I’m seeing Zach for the first time.
His newly clean and short hair is a nice sandy brown. With it trimmed, his eyes are finally visible, and they’re a gorgeous shade of emerald-green with long, dark lashes. How have I not noticed them before? His cheekbones are pronounced, and he’s got a V-shaped jaw, full lips, and a cute little button nose. To put it simply, he’s adorable. I was expecting him to look better cleaned up, but I wasn’t expecting this. He cracked open a cocoon, and the real Zach popped out.
My surprise must be apparent because his face turns cherry red, and he looks downward.
“Your turn.” He avoids my gawking.
