Abby and Baxterare standing side by side, just staring at me. I don’t understand the fascination they have with baths. It’s like they’re trying to figure out why I’d willingly lay in a body of water for ages, a glass of wine by my side. They hate bath time — thank God, the groomer takes care of that.
So far so good… went for a nice walk, met a beautiful man, had a lovely bolognese sauce pasta for dinner and now enjoying a bubble bath.
Life could definitely be worse.
I’m drifting away but I’m startled awake by incessant barking. Since my ears are submerged in the water, they’re not as loud as usual, but noisy enough to wake me from my almost slumber. I shoot up, splashing all over in the process. Abby is agitated, yapping her tiny head off. Baxter is out of the bathroom. I hear him barking in the distance. What the hell is going on?
My heart shifts into overdrive as I carefully step out of the tub and wrap a plush towel around myself. Something’s wrong, but I don’t know what it is yet… probably just someone at the door. I wonder if it’s that gorgeous boy. What was his name again? Oh yes, Alex. Would he even know where I’m staying? Maybe Ming told him. I’m getting very excited as I step out of the washroom.
My stomach does a total nose dive when I see him, making himself at home. Baxter is barking furiously at him. Jacob doesn’t seem bothered in the least. When he turns and glances at me, his jaw drops. “Corrie,” he says.
It takes only a fraction of a second to take him in — worn jeans and a black tee, a large duffel bag, his guitar, a box of food and a cooler. “What the hell, Jacob?!”
“What?” he says. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, confused.
“Hanging out,” he says innocently. “James and Beatrice lent me the place.”
“Oh… really?” I have no more words. I’m livid. Not so much at Jacob, but at Beatrice because I know this was her doing. She’s such a meddler — this is exactly the kind of thing she’d do, trying to play matchmaker and get us back together. She’s always going on about how it’s such a shame, how we are one of the best couples she knows. I’m going to kill her.
All I wanted was a quiet peaceful week. That’s all shot now.
“Well,” I deadpan. “This is Beatrice’s doing. This is a another little scheme of hers. She double booked us on purpose. She’s probably just trying to get us back together.”
Jacob cocks a brow. “Hmm… interesting.”
“What?”
“Well,” he says. “Beatrice called me up, just to talk, and next thing you know, I’m taking the week off and coming here.”
“I’m going to kill her.”
He laughs.
I turn on my heel. “I’m going to call her right now and give her a piece of my mind.”
“No,” he calls out. “Don’t do that… they’re in Colorado right now anyway.”
“You need to leave,” I tell him.
“Uh… I don’t think so,” he argues.
“I was here first,” I point out.
“So?”
The puppies have stopped barking now. They’re curiously watching us argue.
“Get out!” I scream.
He laughs and throws his box of food on the counter. “Sorry… I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well, I better just go now,” I say, feeling a little sick to my stomach. I don’t want to go. “You can just have the place if you’re going to be an asshole about it.”
He turns to me. “No, stay,” he says, his dark eyes a mix of longing and sorrow.
I smile. This is a bad idea. I can see from the expression in his eyes that he’s already picturing us naked in bed. “Um… no.”
