Chapter 6
Six
K ept
After I got the girls down for bed that night, I decided to do a little work on the back deck. The weather was perfect for an April night with the temperature at an unseasonably warm seventy-four degrees.
I had just closed the French door and stepped out on the deck with my laptop in one hand and a forty-ounce insulated cup filled with iced water in the other. I caught a quick glimpse of movement and then spotted her as she bent the corner from the deck entrance off the guest bedroom.
“Hey,” I said, in an effort not to surprise her.
I failed. She jumped in surprise anyway. “Oh, hey.”
I chuckled. “Hey. You out here trying to get some night air too?”
“I actually came out here to look at the ocean at night. I felt like it would be beautiful. Nobody told me that it’s pitch black and you can’t see a thing.”
“Yeah.” I pulled a breath in through my teeth. “There’s nothing to see at night. Personally, I’m partial to sunrise. I know a lot of people are mesmerized by sunset, which don’t get me wrong; sunset on the coast is beautiful. There’s just something about sunrise though.”
“So, you’re out here for the night air? Is that why you have your laptop? Your computer need some air too?”
“Nah.” I laughed.
“I’ve only been here two days, and I feel like I can say this.” She paused dramatically. “You work a lot.”
“I do, but I love it. I love what I do. It’s almost not even like . . . work to me.” I beckoned her with my hand. “Let’s sit down.”
“This deck is huge. I mean, it’s wonderful, but it’s huge. It’s literally bigger than my apartment in Londynville.”
“I’m starting to think that you lived in a storage unit back in Londynville. Tell the truth. You didn’t even have an apartment, did you? You was staying in one of those self-storage units, weren’t you?”
She laughed, not all tinkly and demure but a real laugh. A laugh where she clapped her hands a few times. I liked that she was able to be herself. We were going to be working together closely. It would be cool if we could both be ourselves.
“I had an apartment, sir. It was small, but it was an apartment. Not a self-storage unit. Just because you’re over here with all of this . . . excess?—”
“Wow. She called my shit excess. Wow.”
She gestured around with her hand. “I’m saying, look at all of this deck, Kept. It’s you and your two daughters, who are toddlers. Why do you need all this deck?”
My deck was spacious. It was a deck that would’ve been perfect for a homeowner who entertained a lot since it featured multiple zones.
There was a full outdoor kitchen with a bar; a dining area; an area for chilling while watching the outdoor television; a lounge area with a comfy, weatherproof sofa and chairs; a screened in area for people who wanted to be outside but didn’t really like being outside; and there was even an Olympic-sized pool with an infinity edge and a hot tub that looked out onto the ocean.
I didn’t entertain. I didn’t even know enough people on the island well enough to invite them over.
“I don’t know,” I admitted finally. “I don’t know. The plan was to build something much smaller, but every time I worked on the blueprint, I would hear God telling me to add something else.”
I had never told anybody else that was the reason that my deck was so large. When I was drawing up the plans, I started to feel something like Noah must’ve felt, like God had me building a deck for a future I couldn’t yet see.
She looked around silently. I felt a little embarrassed about sharing. She was probably judging me and coming to the conclusion that I was crazy. Then she spoke.
“Wow.” She clapped her hands together. “I bet God is going to use this deck for something awesome. Maybe your sister will get married on this deck . . . or your girls.”
I sat down on the sofa in the lounge area. Xarielle sat down beside me. Her scent wafted over to me. She smelled like soap and something citrusy. I liked it.
“How did exploration go for you today?”
“Ugh.” She sighed lightly. “I don’t know. You know how when you don’t have money . . . Well, you probably don’t know.”
“Cool out,” I told her. “I told you that I was raised by my great-grandmother. She was on a fixed income. I understand being broke and waiting for payday and all that. I can definitely remember and relate to struggle.”
“Yeah, okay.” Her tone was skeptical, but she continued. “So, you know how when you don’t have money and all you can do is think about what you would do if you did have money? Or what you’re going to do when you get money?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I have money. The owner of the day care center I worked at in Londynville sent me off with a nice check when I left. Couldn’t wait to get here, go to the mall, and be able to spend real money.”
“That didn’t happen for you?”
“I’m cheap, Kept.” I laughed aloud. “I found out that years of scrimping and saving can’t be erased in a day. At least, I can’t erase them. Everything I picked up in the mall was overpriced in my opinion.”
“You didn’t buy anything?” I moved my gaze from the screen of my laptop to her. “It’s okay to spend money on yourself, Xarielle. I mean, I can understand you not wanting to overindulge. But maybe buy one nice thing that means something to you.”
“I’ve always wanted a Pandora charm bracelet. I went into the store today to look at one. The bracelet is almost a hundred by itself before you even consider the charms. I feel like I would have the bracelet and two charms for the next ten years.”
I chuckled. “Nah. You could budget in one charm each payday. By the end of the year, you would have a bracelet filled with charms.”
“Maybe.” She stifled a yawn. “I’m going to call it a night.”
“Cool. Just so you know, you’re welcome to go to church with us tomorrow.”
“What church do you go to?”
“The Cathedral at Jackson Island.”
“When I found out I was moving here, I started doing research on Jackson Island. I’ve been watching the online service for First New Birth Christian Church. I’m excited about actually getting to see it in person.”
“Okay. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Will you need help getting the girls ready?”
“Nah. Sunday’s your day off. We’ll be cool.”
“Okay. Good night.” She gave me a small smile that showcased her deep dimples before walking away.
“Later.”
Even though I tried not to, I couldn’t help watching her walk away. The subtle sway of her hips momentarily hypnotized me.
“We’re not trying to take down the nanny.” I chided myself softly before returning my gaze to my computer screen.
After a day filled with church, brunch, afternoon naps, a quick trek to the beach, dinner, and bath time, I basically fell onto the outdoor sofa at the end of the night.
I was tired as hell. All I wanted to do was chill on my back deck while the sounds from the ocean and the light, salty breeze lulled me into relaxation.
I heard the French doors open and close before I heard her voice.
“Oh my goodness, Kept. That seafood pasta was,” she brought her fingertips to her mouth and kissed them, “chef’s kiss. Please make that at least once a week.”
I chuckled before rolling over on the sofa to look at her. “Glad you liked it . . . even without salmon.”
“Even without salmon,” she agreed, plopping down at the end of the couch by my feet.
“How was your day? How was visiting the church in person as opposed to watching it online? Did it live up to your expectations?” I moved into a sitting position, letting my head fall back.
“It was so good. The pastor, Pastor Havenwood, is retiring soon, so he’s preaching his last sermons. He put his foot in today’s message.”
“So you liked it?”
“I loved it. How was church for you and the girls?”
“It was cool. I mean, Pastor Halliburton didn’t necessarily put his foot in the sermon or nothing.” We both laughed.
She curled up on the sofa, tucking her feet underneath her.
“Do you ever actually watch movies out here on this big old TV?” She gestured at the sixty-five inch screen that was mounted to the side of my house.
“I think I did . . . once. The girls and I watched some kid movie. It was a vibe. I put out snacks, turned on the fire pit, cuddled up with them in blankets, and we watched a movie.”
“I’m putting that on the summer schedule. A movie night with daddy.” She yawned. “It’s so peaceful out here, but there is a little chill in this night air.”
I picked up the remote and turned on the fire pit.
“Fancy,” she sang with a smile in her voice. “Now, where are those blankets you talked about?”
I reached into the storage bench that doubled as a coffee table and pulled out a fleece blanket. I spread it out, covering all of her and my lower body. The blanket and the fire pit were exactly what was needed to beat back the chill.
“Tomorrow is your first real day of work. How’re you feeling about it?”
“I feel confident. How are you feeling about going back to work and leaving me alone with the girls?”
“I feel confident.” I mimicked her.
We sat there in companionable silence while the sounds of the ocean provided a playlist. I liked how Xarielle didn’t need me to keep up constant chatter. I didn’t need all of those words. I didn’t need all of that stimuli.
My gaze flitted over to her sleeping form. She never tried to force the conversation. She never seemed to talk just to hear herself speak. She was easy to be around. I liked that. I liked her.