I shoved my laptop under the sofa, collected the trash and dirty dishes, and brought them to the sink to wash up. I’d let myself become a goblin this week, focusing on writing so I could tune out everything else around me, but it hadn’t worked well. It was hard to be creative when I was expending so much energy not thinking about him, and I felt… ill. Not love-sick or pining, but tired. Restless. Withering. Like Julian was sunlight and I was starving forhim.
I leaned against the sink and stared at the cat, who’d followed me into the kitchen and now perched on the counter. “I’m disgusting,” I told her. “A totalsap.”
She didn’tdisagree.
I picked her up and cradled her against my chest as I walked to thebathroom.
“Okay, first things first: shower, because it’s been three days and that’s not a good look for anyone. Then, head for town and see how pissed Jules is.” I grimaced. I wouldn’t blame him if hewas. I wasn’t sure if we’d gone a whole week without seeing each other since May, and I couldn’t have picked a worse time to have a freak-out.
“He really does deserve better,” I told She-Ra, stroking her velvety gray fur, and once again, she had nocomment.
* * *
My stomach growledas I filled a coffee mug before heading out the door, and I wondered if maybe I should stop by the bakery before seeing Julian. Pastries would be a good peace offering, wouldn’t they? I hadn’t been able to eat the rest of the pie Julian had left behind, since just the sight of it had made me think of kissing him… and then all the things that might follow up the kissing, which had made my heart beat way toofast.
“Bill me later,” I told my furry therapists as I grabbed mykeys.
I pulled the door closed behind me and stopped short as I spied an ancient blue sedan pulling down mydriveway.
“Hey,” I said, after Theo had pulled up next to my truck and Sam had climbed out of the passenger’s side. “You guys workingtoday?”
“Yep.” Sam tightened her messy ponytail and frowned at me. “You said that was cool, right? Didn’t matter if we worked sporadically, since Theo’s already got a job and I have some babysittinggigs?”
I fought a smile. Sam and Theo had come by to get the key to the shed last week, as planned, and had spent a couple of hours working on the clean-out since then. Each time they came by, Sam checked in with me before starting. The girl was constantly assuming I’d either change the rules or yank the job away from her entirely. Always looking for the catch. She was like a smaller, cuterme.
“That’s what I said when I gave you guys the key,” I agreed. “Work as much or as little as you like, whenever you like. I won’t be doing anything with that shed all winter, for sure.” I actually didn’t have any concrete plans for the building at all, but I wouldn’t saythat.
She nodded as Theo came around the car to stand beside her. “And you don’t care what we do with the stuff we haulout?”
“Nope. It’s all junk, as far as I know. If you find something fit for Antiques Roadshow, it’s allyours.”
“Fit forwhat?” Theo wrinkled hisforehead.
“Is that the show with all the old people?” Sam saidpityingly.
I rolled my eyes. “You know, I appreciate how you make sure I never feel too good about myself, Sam,” I told her. “I should pay you extra for the egochecks.”
She grinned. “I could do that professionally.” She slapped Theo lightly in the stomach and he grunted. “Couldn’t you see that? After graduation? Professional EgoManagement?”
I narrowed my eyes and looked back and forth from her to Theo. “After graduation? I thought you’d alreadygraduated.”
Sam’s grin died. “Theo did, last spring. I’m a yearbehind.”
“Uh huh. So shouldn’t you be in school, given that this is a Monday?” I paused, fighting the urge to check my phone. I was pretty sure it wasMonday.
Theo cocked his head. “Yeah, but it’s a professional developmentday.”
“Oh.” I shrugged sheepishly. What the hell did I know? “Well, get to work, then,kids.”
Sam snickered. “Get to work, kids? What’s next, grandpa? Don’t do drugs, stop listening to that evil rock-n-rollmusic?”
“Yes.” I narrowed my eyes. “And while you’re at it, get off mylawn.”
She laughed, then looked around the clearing separating my cabin from the woods, which was basically a carpet of damp, faded foliage and very patchy grass. “I don’t think youhavea lawn, Mr.Michaelson.”
“If you’re gonna give me shit professionally, you might as well call me Daniel,” I told her. I looked at Theo, who’d been mostly quiet. “Right?”
He shrugged. “If you say so,” he saidsullenly.
