Page 8

“Nyx!” Xander’s voice echoes through the house, and my eyes snap to the wall beside my bed. He’s only a few feet from where I lie, and I relax into that thought. Until the logical side of my brain speaks up and I become painfully aware that he wasn’t the one at my door.

For the rest of the night, I stay curled up on my side with my eyes glued to the door. I can always nap tomorrow…

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough. With the pale light of morning finally filling the black sky, the sounds of the house ebb and fade. Birds tweet beyond the window, and the air cools. Pumpkin scratches at the door, but I haven't moved an inch, my joints creaking and cracking as I finally manage to be brave enough to stretch.

Xander’s voice carries through the door as he moves through the house. Clearly, he’s accustomed to the paranormal activity in his house as he murmurs lovingly to the cats, completely unbothered by the thunder of sprinting footsteps from another room.

The front door closes, and I shiver. Of course, Xander is an early bird. I'm sure he’s off to the gym or wherever bodybuilders go to get swole. Maybe he’s going for a run?

My imagination wanders to the thought of Xander running. His thick thighs taking the brunt of each step, and his muscly pecs jiggling as his biceps bulge beneath another mouthwateringly hot, skin-tight shirt.

My body grows heated, and my dick notices as I bite my lower lip. Yup, I'm delusional. One night of interrupted sleep and constant stress has made me horny with my imagination of my new roommate running.

I groan and wipe the dried sleep from my eyes, finally managing a proper stretch as the orange glow of sunrise beams through the window.

“Might as well get up since sleep is overrated in this house,” I mumble to myself and slip out of bed before making my way to my closed door.

Sucking in a breath, I bounce on the spot as if I'm a fighter gearing up for battle. “Three, two, one.”

I swing the door open with a yelp, only to come face to face with Nyx, who sits with a flicking tail and her bright red eyes. She lazily blinks up at me before sauntering away and perching herself precariously atop the windowsill of the hallway's broad windows. The hallway is empty, not a single ghost in sight, and I can’t decide whether or not I prefer that.

Pumpkin comes meowing up the stairs and tries to jump the distance but only gets a few inches off the floor before pointedly looking up at me. I roll my eyes, scooping him up and depositing him next to Nyx, who gives him a lick.

I smile at them and make my way downstairs towards the kitchen with the unbearable desire for my morning coffee.

I’m about to fill the kettle when I see the silver shine of a brand new, glistening coffee machine. Even a box of pods sits beside it, and I nearly scream with joy. Of course, Xander has a fully stocked box of coffee pods with six different choices.

I choose the latte pod and pop it into the machine, find a mug, and watch the broth fill with a gurgle.

Taking a sip, I can hear the cats meowing to one another while my gaze scans the rest of the house. Despite the ruckus from last night, nothing seems to be out of place, and all is quiet. As I wander through the kitchen, I find a small Post-it note and a key on the bench with cursive writing.

Gone to work. Help yourself to anything you want. - X

I smile at the note, specifically at the X. I know it’s his name, but I simply imagine it to be a kiss. Instead of tossing the note, I fold it neatly and slide it into my pocket.

Sunshine filters through the house as I slowly make my way down the hallway and towards the back door, where it shines the warmest. Unlocking it and stepping onto the back patio, I’m surrounded by the fresh fall air. Dew coats the grass beyond the wooden floorboards, and pockets of colorful flowers sprout up from the earth. Only a few I can name, like Dragonsnaps, Lavender, and Babybells, but there are so many more that I’ve never seen before.

But what captures my gaze isn't the rainbow of flowers but the huge blossoming cherry tree that overlooks a dark pond. The tiny pink flowers cover it from trunk to tip, and small petals fall in the breeze like drifting snow.

My feet carry me across the patio and into the garden, the cold grass tingling my bare feet, and my sleep shorts useless at keeping the shiver away from my skin. Nonetheless, with my hot coffee, I explore the perfectly kept garden.

As I wander and hum to myself, I slowly become more aware of what I'm actually looking at. Winter is close, and flower season isn't until spring, let alone the blossoming cherry tree. I look up at it, wondering if it’s frozen in time, similar to the house.

My mind churns, and after last night's spooky noises, I wonder if the rest of the town is just as strange. I’ve never heard of the place before, and despite its remoteness amongst the mountains, the town carries a kind of warmth and life that I want to explore more of.

Sipping my coffee and taking another glimpse up at the cherry tree, I decide on what I'm going to do for the day. Despite having a few chapters of my manuscript to edit, my day is fairly empty, and it isn't even past 7 in the morning. So I quickly turn for the house and hurry inside, finding Pumpkin and Nyx still in their same spot.

Barging into my room, I choose my outfit of the day and undress. But as my fingers slip around the band of my shorts, I pause. The weight of the note fills my palm as I pull it free from my pocket and take another look at Xander’s handwriting. I don’t have it in me to throw it away like anyone else would. Maybe it’s the years of a loveless relationship that has my heart squeezing at the small piece of paper. So I hurry to my drawers and slide it to the very back, beneath my folded underwear. Where it will be safe forever.

Throwing on my day outfit, I snatch up my laptop and car keys and basically run out the front door with my half-drunk coffee sitting in the sink.

Oh well, I have things to do! People to meet!

Turning my car on and pulling away from the curb, I follow the same route I took yesterday to find my way back into town. Now that it isn't raining, the main street is filled with pedestrians, cyclists, and children in strollers.

“I guess Xander isn’t the only early bird in town,” I chuckle and find an empty car space beyond a bustling, warmly lit coffee shop.

Clutching my laptop to my chest, I step onto the sidewalk, locking my car and sniffing the wonderful smells of freshly baked pastries. The morning sky is still dim as I teeter towards the open door, following my nose as my stomach rumbles. I guess a night of spookies can make a man hungry.