his that flash, curiosity.
Swiping at my forehead, I lift a shoulder and blow out another breath. “It’s not an everyday thing, but I always try doing something.” He nods once in appreciation at my response, not saying anything else. I shift my attention to the house. “You buy Evelyn’s old place? I know she’s been aiming to get it off her hands since Billy passed.”
When I look back at him, his brows are lifted to his hairline. “Do you know everyone around here?” He made a similar remark at Terry’s when I was greeted by a few older locals who are regulars at the gym.
I grin. “You will too if you stick around long enough. Exeter’s not that large.” Tipping my chin toward the yellow house to the right of his, the only one that’s directly by his place besides the ones across the street, I say, “You’ll meet your neighbors soon enough. They vacation during the end of summer in Alaska to visit their kids and grandkids. Good people.”
Again, he stares.
Shrugging, I gesture toward his house as if to silently question him about it again.
When he finally answers me, it’s about what I expect, and I like his honesty. He seems like a blunt guy, not one for bullshit, which he cemented during our meetings earlier this week. Richman, though a generally good guy, sucks when it comes to disciplining certain loud-mouthed staff. Lawrence, or Ren as Harper and a few others called him the same day, had no problem calling Pete McEntire out on his inappropriate commentary. I wouldn’t be surprised if the almost baseball star standing in front of me got reprimanded by Richman, but I know better than to ask. “I’m not sure if I’m staying or not yet. Depends on how things go this year. For all I know, the kids will hate me. Some of the staff—” He chuckles. “—already do.”
He’s thinking about Pete, I’m sure. “Nah. It takes more than a few comments to get people to hate you. And as far as I’m concerned, the kids will like you. You’re down to earth. Funny.”
A hand flies to his heart. “Why, Mr. Nichols, did you just pay little old me a compliment? You’re going to make me blush.”
Feeling my own cheeks prickle with rising heat over his theatrics, which I hope he takes as nothing more than overexertion from my run, I shift on my feet and say the first thing that comes to mind. “I don’t think there’s anything little about you.” His lips part to retort something sarcastic, based on the way his eyes light up, but I cut him off before he can. “Plus, it isn’t like I haven’t complimented you before, so you shouldn’t be so surprised.”
The last part may be overdoing it a bit because I don’t remember if I’ve offered him a compliment before, but I also haven’t gone out of my way to be rude. Except the night at Terry’s when I left after he was trying to make friendly conversation. In hindsight, I owe him an apology for walking out. But the easy conversation right now, the light teasing that could be considered flirting to some if they saw the look in his eyes, tells me he isn’t even thinking about it, which makes me decide not to bring it up.
“True,” is the answer he finally relents with a smile still on his face. “I’m fixing up a few things and repainting. Figured I’d get at least a few sides done before the sun comes out fully.”
Explains why he’s up so early.
“Then again, I don’t think it gets nearly as hot here as the city.” His hand waves around us before he adds, “Not as much asphalt.”
A crack a smile. “Yeah, it’s not awful in the summertime here. A few record-breaking heatwaves, but nothing wild.”
“You live around here?”
I point behind me. “A few blocks from here. Near the Cantina restaurant that Richman ordered lunch from for us.”
His lips twitch, probably recalling how Pete’s comments started. Frankly, I never liked the guy. On top of being full of himself, he was known to make sexist and racist jabs with no more than a pat on the wrist as punishment. It’d take something serious for administration to do anything about him, but I guess that’s what comes with being tied to Exeter’s founding family. Safety. For a while, I gave the guy benefit of the doubt, but it was clear that I was wasting my time thinking