left before I could say goodbye, today!” Patrick complained. “Thanks again for lunch,” he said.
“Wait, you brought him lunch?!” Jacob said in mock protest. His wide grin suggested that he simply enjoyed pestering me.
“I’ll be sure to bring your lunch, tomorrow,” I cooed.
“Well, how come he gets lunch brought to him? When is my turn?” Cyler asked. The memory of grinding against him while dancing, flashed in my mind, and a healthy blush flared across my face.
“Ah, whenever you’d like,” I replied while coughing away my lustful thoughts.
“In that case, I’d like a three-course meal with chocolate cake for the dessert.” Cyler’s demands made me smile.
“I said whenever, not whatever,” I scolded him with a cheeky grin. The others laughed and continued to eat the seared, deer meat and veggies I’d prepared for them.
Kemper kept opening his mouth like he wanted to say something but would immediately shut it.
“Is there something you want to say, Kemp?” I asked. A sweet and innocent blush covered him, and I found myself wanting to hug him. I shook my head at myself, willing those emotions to go away. I welcomed my familiar chant that kept me away from Josiah during times of weakness.
Not yours. Not yours. Not yours.
“Oh, uhm. I–” he started then coughed. “I . . . uh, was wondering if you could bring me lunch one day? There is an apple orchard, near my work building, I think you’d like.” His words seemed rushed and unsure.
“I’d love that, Kemp,” I replied.
“Well, I might as well request lunch, also,” Maverick joined in.
My eyes flashed to his. He looked calm, and memories of our intimate time in the clinic flooded me. I wanted to spend time with him, but I wasn’t sure I could face the clinic just yet. I still felt too raw from my experience there.
Maverick sensed my unease and quickly recovered. “Oh! But, since the clinic is so close to here, how about I come home for lunch?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, that would be lovely.” Once again, I found myself feeling thankful for Maverick’s perceptiveness.
The rest of the dinner, they spent arguing over what they wanted to eat. I excused myself back to my room and politely declined their offer to participate in game night.
The next day, I spent the early morning in my room while they ate muffins I’d prepared ahead of time. Once everyone left, I started cleaning their home, similarly to what I did in the Stonewell Household. I mopped and scrubbed their floors, bleached the bathrooms, and washed their sheets. It took the entirety of my morning and almost left me running late for lunch with Jacob.
It was important to me that I earned my place here. Cyler promised that everyone earned their keep in the Dormas province, and he wasn’t kidding. Every non-disabled person contributed to the running of this town. Children collected water from the well first thing in the morning. Even the few elderly we had, baked or knitted clothes. It was a small, but a beautifully functioning town.
Jacob worked at the train station, handling the imports and exports of supplies. He had a small team of men that dealt with the transactions and ensured that no one was entering Dormas without permission.
The station was a good hour-long walk away from the house, so I lightly jogged to be there on time. When I arrived, Jacob was shirtless and lifting large boxes onto the train. His defined chest and deep-set abs made my mouth water. Beads of sweat dripped down his caramel stomach with each movement. He was muscular in ways that made my head spin.
Before I could gather myself, Jacob caught me staring at his swift, sharp movements. I was rewarded with one of his mouth-watering smiles.
“Hey, Ash. Like what you see?” he asked, playfully.
I decided that placing more distance between us was necessary. “No. I was just concerned that you aren’t drinking enough water. Come here and eat your lunch.”
Jacob jumped off the train in one swoop and jogged over to where I was standing. He grabbed the basket full of food from my hands and laughed. “Your hair is extra wild today.”
He’d noticed. My unruly curls seemed to grow more prominent in the Dormas humidity, and my jog to the train station didn’t help things.
His comment made me feel self-conscious, and I placed my hand on top of my hair. Once he had the basket, I nodded my head and began walking back to the house.
“Where are