“For what it’s worth, I’ll miss you too, Big. I think you’ve been the best part of moving to Cashmere Cove.”
19
Handsy and Handy
Poppy
“It’sliketheseventhlayer of hell in here.”
I stop to wipe the sweat from my brow and glance over to where Rose is sprawled out on the couch in front of our one oscillating floor fan. We’ve both abandoned shirts in favor of our sports bras. She looks like one of those Victorian women in paintings from time’s gone by.
Half-naked and morose.
The day I feared since we first moved into The Downer has finally come—our air conditioning unit went kaput.
In the middle of July.
At nine o’clock at night.
Basically, there is no chance to get a technician out here until morning—at the very earliest—and I’m pretty sure Rose and I are going to fry in the meantime.
We’ve got the windows open, but I think that’s making it worse. The air from outside is so hot and sticky it’s seeping into our house and leaving a layer of moisture on every surface…including every inch of my skin.
“Popsicles. Antarctica. Snowflakes. Ice Cream.” Rose has been listing off things that are cold for the better part of the night.
“Alaska. Refrigerated watermelon. Mountain tops. Diet Coke from McDonalds. My ex-boyfriend.”
She’s getting creative, I’ll give her that.
Headlights flash into our living room.
“Big’s home.”
Is it weird that Mack’s presence instantly improves my mood? Whenever he’s around, I feel settled, confident that things will work out—or at least if they don’t, I’ll have some fun in the meantime.
I wait until I hear him toss his keys onto his kitchen counter, and then I bang my fist on the wall we share.
“What are you doing?” Rose props herself up on her elbow.
“Getting his attention.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” I don’t have a plan, but I want to talk to Mack.
“Me thinks someone has developed a little crush on her ex-boyfriend’s brother.” Rose wags her eyebrows at me.
“What? No way! He’s a friend.”
“Then why are your cheeks turning bright red?”
I feel my face, which does seem to be burning off. “Because, like you said, it’s hotter than Hades in here.”
Rose scoffs. “Keep telling yourself that. You’re into him, Pops.”
“I am not!”
“Don’t be ashamed of it. It’s cute. Nice to see you with a guy who’s on your level.”
