it already has and you just don’t know it yet. So, it’s with a bit of apprehension that I buzz Ellie’s apartment on Friday evening. I’ve been ignoring the odd sense of anticipation that’s been building over the last few days. If I’m honest though, I like it. The feeling is new, it’s different. It’s other. That she has no connection to anything else in my life is part of the appeal, I’m sure. She’s basically an island in the middle of the chaos.
She greets me with that beautiful, infectious smile that’s been lurking in my imagination. “You came,” she says, sounding surprised as she stands back to let me in.
“Of course I came. I said I would.” She takes note of my tool box and the new lock that’s sitting on top of it while I get my boots off.
“In my experience, a lot of people say a lot of things. Doesn’t mean they follow through.”
Her light brown hair is loose today, and I realize I’ve never seen it out of a pony tail. She’s got it pulled over one shoulder where it sits in a curly brown mass. As I straighten, I’m again struck by how tall she is. She has to be at least 5’10”. It’s a bit unnerving when our eyes meet with only a foot of space between us in the cramped entrance hall.
“That’s me,” I say with a hint sarcasm. “The king of follow-through.”
I catch a flash of another smile as she leads me into the living space. “How fortunate for me, my patio door, and my stomach,” she says, her tone light. I’m satisfied to see that she’s not dressed in anything . . . date-like, just a sweater . . . and jeans that are once again molded to that phenomenal ass. Right, moving on. I take another look at her sliding glass door.
When I’m not making a racket with the drill, we make small talk. It’s fine. She’s nice enough and the conversation isn’t awkward. I find out that for the next few months she’ll have Fridays and Mondays as her days off from work. My gaze flicks to where she’s perched on the armrest of her sofa, watching me work. “How’d that crappy turn of events come about?”
She gives a little shrug. “My friend Vanessa is the manager and originally, she hired me as a favor, so it’s nice to be able to pay her back. If I work the weekends, she doesn’t have to. Plus, I make a bit more per hour when I’m the designated person in charge.”
I nod. “At least you turned out to be a good employee.” I tell her about Jorgie and my misgivings about getting him a job.
With all the talking, it’s taken me longer to finish than I expected. Strangely, I’m not put out. I actually don’t mind her easy-going personality.
“Okay, come check this out,” I tell her, showing her the new locking mechanism. As she leans in slightly, the citrusy scent of her hair fills my nose and I immediately shuffle back. The last thing I need is to be sniffing this woman.
Oblivious to my discomfort, she grins over her shoulder, saying, “So, does this mean I can get rid of the unsightly stick?”
I clear my throat. “Definitely not. The unsightly stick stays. It’s a good visual cue to potential home invaders that the next door over will make an easier target.” Her eyes widen at my honest assessment, but I figure she deserves the truth.
“Ok, well, thanks. On that bright note, you can tell me how much I owe you for this.” She waves her hand at the door.
“You don’t owe me anything, Ellie.” Her warm brown gaze briefly touches mine when I say her name. “I’m the one who owes you, remember? Come on,” I say, grabbing my tools and heading for the door. “You can explain why you saved my ass over dinner.”
“Are you sure? I feel bad that you’re going to all this trouble for me.” The inflection on for me has me turning back. It almost sounds like she doubts she’s worth the bother.
“I’m very sure. And I’m hungry. You’re not going to turn down a free meal, are you?”
“Not likely,” she acknowledges. “So where are you taking me?”
“I don’t know. Where do you want to go? There’s always Applebee’s.”
She laughs. “Right, so I don’t mistake this for a date. You know, you could probably get rid of me faster if we went to Chipotle. And the