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Offside Rules

Page 24

by Kenna King

"And when I’m on the road?" She shifts the bag on her shoulder but doesn’t reach for the key. "It’s for the kitchen, Baylor. Use it when you need to."

She takes it, her fingers brushing mine. I look up at her face.

"This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you," she says.

"I know." I let go of the key. She’s accepting a kitchen. I’m not asking her for anything else tonight.

"I’ll bring some equipment up before my deliveries so the inspector can see what I’m using," she says, putting the key in the little zipped pocket inside her bag. "I’ll wait until we get the approval to start baking."

"Text me when you’re on your way up." I reach for my phone on the counter and unlock it. "We should probably exchange numbers before I tell you to do that."

She takes her phone out again and reads me her number. I save it and send her a message, and her screen lights up a second later. She checks it before slipping the phone away. At least I won’t have to ask Ronny’s group chat when she’s coming over.

Her eyes move toward the hallway. "Can I see the damage to the bathroom? It’s still hard to imagine how it got so bad."

I lead her down the hall and push open the guest bathroom door. Part of the flooring is pulled up where Dan checked for moisture. The vanity is still there, but he said it has to come out too. There’s no hole in the ceiling like the one downstairs.

"Can you use this?" she asks, staying in the doorway.

"Not until Dan’s finished with it. I have a bigger bathroom off my bedroom."

"Bigger than this?" She looks at the tub. "I would kill for a bathtub."

"You don’t have one?"

"No. Just a shower."

"Come look." I step back into the hall, leaving the guest bathroom door shut behind us. "Mine’s dry. Nobody got near it last night."

She follows me, which surprises me enough that I check over my shoulder before I turn into my bedroom. Thankfully, it’s mostly neat. The shirt I took off is on the bed, and I move it to the hamper on our way through to the bathroom.

The soaking tub sits in the corner, separate from the shower. Baylor stops beside it, looking from the tub to the taps. "I’m so jealous. That looks amazing."

"Use it when you want. Just text me first so I don’t walk in."

She turns toward me. "I couldn’t—"

"You have the key. If you want a bath after you’re done baking, take one."

She looks back at the tub, trailing her fingers along the edge. I leave the offer there and step aside to let her back into the bedroom. I hadn’t expected to show Baylor Fairbanks my bedroom tonight. She’s interested in the bathtub, but I’m still glad I picked up the clothes off the floor.

I walk her to the front door while she shifts the bag higher on her shoulder. "What time are you bringing your equipment up?"

"Early. Before my first delivery. I’ll text you."

I glance back at the board on the fridge. "Then I should probably sleep in pants."

She stops with her hand on the door and looks down at my sweats one more time. "Yes, Wolf. You should."

As soon as the door shuts, I put the ice pack back in the freezer and check Dan’s email. There’s a list of documents the inspector needs. I send it to Baylor, set an alarm for seven, then add one for seven-ten. Tomorrow, I need to be awake before somebody comes in to judge my kitchen. Preferably wearing a shirt.

Chapter Five

Baylor

I’ve had Wolf Ziegler’s phone number for less than six hours, and I’m already texting him to put some damn clothes on.

I’m coming up. Please be dressed.