CHAPTER 8
C HAPTER 8
“O nce you’re well,” Marlow stated, “there won’t be much downtime. My ultimate goal is to see you on a better track, able to care for yourself and Andy.”
“I want that, too,” she said. “ So much .”
“Perfect. Then I hope to help you learn a trade, something marketable that you can use to secure a decent job with a future. That might require education, which would involve night classes.”
“I’ll do anything,” she promised.
Pixie made it so easy, Marlow was starting to feel like an ogre. “You say that now, but keep in mind that your days will be spent caring for the baby and working.”
Eyes flaring with a look of hope, Pixie whispered, “Working where?”
“For me, actually.” Marlow had given it plenty of thought and decided on a course of action. “I’m ready to move forward with my plans of starting a small business. I had been researching possible locations just outside Bramble, within a drivable distance. I’ll set you up with a laptop, show you what I’m interested in, and you can continue the search until I find the perfect place.”
“I . . .” Breathless, Pixie nodded quickly in agreement. “Okay, sure. I can do that.”
“Then we’ll need to find the right merchandiser, someone who supplies quality material that we can personalize in some way to make it unique. Clothing, home goods, possibly jewelry. We can sort that out when the time comes. I’m not entirely sure yet what I want.”
Her blue eyes still huge, Pixie nodded.
“None of this will be easy.”
“I don’t mind,” she rushed to say. “I swear, I’ll work around the clock. I’ll do anything, I’ll—”
“You will stop demeaning yourself. That’s rule number one. You’re here now, with me.” That likely had more significance than Pixie realized, because Marlow had always been a champion of the underdog, and she especially loved causes that helped women in need gain a better foothold in the world. “No employee of mine will grovel. I want you strong, Pixie, even proud. Not apologetic.”
Tears filled Pixie’s eyes, and she gulped. “Sorry.” She dashed at her eyes with annoyance. “I swear I won’t keep doing that.”
Softening, Marlow covered one of her hands with her own. “I understand, Pixie. I really do. You’ve been afraid, with nowhere to turn.”
She whispered, “Afraid mostly for Andy. I love him more than I knew was possible. He’s so tiny, so dependent on me. He’s all I have, and I’m all he has, but I’ve made such a mess of things, most of the time I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Heart breaking, Marlow cut her off. “You’re an attentive and loving mother, and now you’re also my assistant and under my care. Let me stress that I want you well. Your health is important so that you can be the best mother possible.”
“I will be, I swear it.”
“Good.” Brisk now, Marlow removed her hand and got back to expectations. “We’ll see the doctor recommended by the clinic, and then we’ll follow a plan to get you back to perfect health. Using the doctor’s guidelines, we’ll introduce a schedule of work that doesn’t interfere with caring for Andy. There will be no dating, no wasting money on frivolous things.”
“I wouldn’t, I swear!”
“No fast food. No cute new bathing suits.”
Pixie stiffened, but not because she was insulted by the strict warnings. “I couldn’t wear a bathing suit, anyway. The pregnancy and the C-section . . .” She settled her hands over her stomach. “I’m a mess. Pretty sure my body will never be the same.”
“Does that bother you?”
Showing a little spunk, Pixie snorted. “When I would never let another man touch me anyway? Not to insult Dylan—”
“Oh, please. Insult away. Just because he’s gone doesn’t mean he wasn’t a selfish, obnoxious jerk.”
That epithet earned a fleeting smile from Pixie. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about him.”
“Well, I hope he was better to you than he was to me, but it hardly matters now. He’s gone, and neither of us will miss him.” On the off chance that Pixie might correct her, Marlow immediately continued. “I understand that having a baby affects everybody differently, but I’m sure you’ll regain your figure. You’re young, and the baby will keep you active.”
“Believe me, my body is the least of my worries.” She plucked at her T-shirt. “With my hips wider, my stomach not so flat, none of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit me anymore. My car was already full, so I left a lot of stuff behind.”
“I did the same thing!” Amazing that they had something so basic in common. “I wanted an all-new look, though. Less business, more casual.”
Pixie grinned crookedly. “You always look good. Like someone in a magazine.”
Funny how the compliment warmed her face. “Thank you.”
“I was just going for comfort. I couldn’t stand trying to get into jeans. They hurt. And with nursing, my boobs are bigger. I was spilling out of my smaller shirts.” Her eyes flared. “I probably shouldn’t have said that?”
“Pfft.” Marlow waved off her concern. She was enjoying the camaraderie. “If two women can’t talk about boobs, who can?”
Lips lifting into a smile, Pixie said, “I honestly didn’t expect much when I came here. I was just hopeful you’d help for a day or two, and maybe give me some good advice. Instead, you’re being so nice.” She bit her lip. “I know I don’t have the right to ask for anything.”
Marlow went still. Pixie looked so uncertain that she braced herself. Had she misread Pixie’s sincerity? Would the big requests begin now? If she wanted money, how much? Coolly, Marlow met her gaze. “Is there something you want?”
“For you to please believe me.” She leaned forward, her expression earnest. “I didn’t know Dylan was married. I had no reason to think he was. He asked me out, so I just assumed he was single and never questioned it. I accept the blame for being naive, for screwing up my life and getting myself into this mess, but I swear I would never have gotten involved with a married guy.”
Bemused, Marlow just stared at her. This was what Pixie wanted? Merely for someone to believe her, to trust her?
Compassion made her heart squeeze. “I believe you.”
Pixie searched her face. “You do? I mean, really?”
“Don’t forget. I knew Dylan, too. Clearly not as well as I thought I did, but I know it wasn’t beyond him to deceive you. After all, he deceived me as well.”
“I . . . Thank you.” Pixie leaned back in the seat. “You can’t know how much that means to me.”
Brisk again, Marlow said, “I’m glad Cort got your phone service back on. Let’s make sure you have a calendar on it, and then we’ll get an appointment set up with the doctor.” She warned, “I’ll want to go with you, because it’s important for me to know the plan. It’s an intrusion—”
“I’d be glad of the company if you’re sure you don’t mind.” Pixie couldn’t quite meet her gaze now as she stammered, “This has all been so scary. For a little while I thought I’d lose Andy, or that I’d die, and then who would care for him? Understanding all the medical terms and the treatment, especially when I felt like crud, was pretty overwhelming.”
Marlow’s heart felt pummeled. “I can only imagine. You’re not alone anymore, though.”
With shaking hands, Pixie covered her face and her shoulders sank, but only seconds later she straightened again and said with strong conviction, “Thank you. For everything. I promise you won’t regret it.”
Marlow nodded. At this point, she was glad Pixie had come to her. What a strange turn of events. “We’ll drive your car so I can fill the tank, but understand, Pixie. I don’t want you going anywhere without telling me. I’m not going to invest in you just so you can take off again.”
“I wouldn’t. I barely found my way here. I don’t know where the nearest grocery store is, and even if I did, I don’t have enough money to spend it there.”
“You’ll be making wages soon enough, so that will change.” One more thing to tackle. “I don’t know Cort’s plans, but you won’t be able to stay here indefinitely. For now, though, I want you to stay put.”
“Even if I wanted to leave, I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
That was the crux of the problem. Pixie needed options, and Marlow planned to see that she got them.
“Somehow,” Pixie said, “I’ll find a way to repay you and Mr. Easton.” She glanced around the lake house in wonder. “This place is so beautiful. I can’t believe he let me stay here last night.”
Marlow, too, glanced around. The lake house was minuscule, with a combo kitchen/sitting area that had only enough room for a two-seater table. However, it had a lot of windows with lovely views, and it sat much closer to the lake than her cottage. The best feature, in Marlow’s opinion, was a small but tidy covered deck off the back where she could put a chair—maybe a rocking chair, actually—so Pixie could enjoy the evening or morning air.
Unlike the guest cottage where Marlow was staying, the lake house lacked fine finishes and upgrades. The kitchen was a single row of basic oak cabinets over a sink and stove with a narrow pantry squeezed in next to an apartment-sized refrigerator. No dishwasher. There were tile countertops, and a linoleum floor meant to look like wood. The space flowed into the sitting area, where a single love seat presided over one chair, one side table, and a narrow console that held a small, older TV.
She had to remind herself that to Pixie, this was a safe haven, and more security than she had known for months.
To shake off her sudden worry, Marlow addressed the next topic. “I did some research before visiting. From what I’ve found, it’s important to get the baby on a schedule—”
“I won’t let him cry,” Pixie objected, for once being firm. “It almost kills me to hear him upset.”
That pleased Marlow. “Of course not. I wouldn’t want you to.”
Pixie went limp in relief. “Oh. Well . . . that’s good.”
“I only meant that it’s a good idea to try to start as you hope to continue with a routine bedtime and, when possible, rising at the same time each day.”
“I usually nurse him first, play with him for a while, then when he sleeps again, I shower and dress.”
Feeling like a mother hen, Marlow asked, “And did you eat this morning? It’s important to have food with your antibiotic.”
“I had some cereal. I was going to see what else there is, try to get organized a little while Andy was napping this morning. Mr. Easton brought in stuff, but I’m not even sure what. Yesterday was . . . a busy day.”
With Andy asleep, she could have been going through everything now, and instead Marlow was visiting. “I could help you if you don’t mind the company.” And then she could see what else Pixie might need—like tissues.
“You’ve done so much already.”
“Would you rather I leave so you can have a little peace and quiet?”
“No! I didn’t mean that.” She looked around again. “I feel like this is more your place than mine, since you and Mr. Easton are together.”
Hearing her say it pleased Marlow but also made her wonder if other people in the town thought they were together. Not that she’d mind, but would Cort? “It’s his and his alone. He lives in the bigger house next to you and owns both this property and the one I’m staying at.”
“Three houses,” Pixie breathed. “Can you imagine?”
Yes, she could. The home she’d shared with Dylan was extravagant, and his parents had multiple homes in multiple locations. She’d long ago gotten used to their wealth. Thinking of his parents brought her to her next topic. “Now, one more thing.”
Wary, Pixie said, “Okay.”
“Do you plan to tell Dylan’s parents that they have a grandson?”
To Marlow’s surprise, Pixie gave the question some thought before saying, “To be honest, I haven’t decided. Dylan warned me against it. He said his parents wouldn’t recognize my baby as a grandchild, only a mistake, and that they could be ruthless.” Her mouth screwed to the side. “He was still alive at the time, and I hadn’t yet gotten sick, so I didn’t think too much of it. Guess I assumed he’d still be around, and he could decide what his parents should know or not know. I was so mad at the time, I didn’t really listen to him. Now, though, it worries me. What did he mean by ruthless? What could they do? They wouldn’t hurt Andy, right?”
Marlow suspected Dylan had been covering his own behind more than trying to protect Pixie or Andy. If his parents had found out about the baby, they’d have been disappointed in him. Would he have suffered repercussions? Unlikely, given the way they’d pampered him, but they probably would have lectured him and Dylan had hated that, too.
The problem, Marlow decided, was that Dylan hadn’t been wrong. “Knowing them, I don’t disagree that they could be trouble. It’s not that they’d hurt Andy.” At least, she didn’t think so, but she understood that there were all types of hurt. “They might try to make your life more difficult—like blackballing you, which they’ve already done.”
“Would they try to take Andy from me?”
Seeing the horror in Pixie’s eyes, Marlow decided to deflect. “I don’t think we should put too much stock in anything Dylan said.”
Back to being wary, Pixie whispered, “So you plan to tell them?”
“No. It will be your decision, but I’d like you to consider it. We can talk about it if you’d like, go over the pros and cons—what is easiest for you versus what is morally right.” Again, she covered Pixie’s hand. “Who can know for certain how they’d react at seeing such a beautiful baby?”
Pixie’s expression brightened. “He really is beautiful, isn’t he?”
Marlow grinned. “I imagine all mothers think the same of their children, but I happen to agree. He’s adorable.” There was one important point she needed to stress. “If you do decide to tell them, you won’t have to face them alone.”
Pixie covered her mouth. “That means so much to me.”
Smiling, Marlow moved on. “Nothing has to be decided right now. I’d like you to have at least a week of rest before we tackle any weighty decisions. You and Andy both could use a little peace and quiet. Now, would you mind if I see the rest of the house?”
Again blushing, Pixie shot to her feet. “Of course not.” She looked around and frowned. “I didn’t even think to offer you a drink. I’m hopeless.”
Hooking her arm through Pixie’s made Marlow feel large in comparison. Where she was of average height and on the sturdy side, Pixie was petite and currently so thin that she seemed delicate. She could have passed for a sixteen-year-old. “We’ll work on that, too, if you want, as long as you don’t feel pressured.”
“I’d love to learn . . . well, anything you want to teach me, really.”
Together they went through the house. Marlow tried to see it through Pixie’s eyes, and that made her absolutely love it—just as Pixie did. It was tiny, no way around that, but the small size just meant it’d be easier to keep tidy. Although it lacked upscale finishes, it had a lot of charm. Like the wood-burning stove in the sitting area adjacent to the kitchen. And the curved shower rod in the minuscule bathroom.
Personally, she enjoyed a long soak in a deep tub, but the lake house didn’t have a tub, and Pixie said she didn’t have time for long soaks anyway.
The bathroom consisted of a pedestal sink right next to a toilet and a narrow, tiled shower. At least there was a linen closet to store towels and toiletries.
The bedroom was only large enough for a single full-size bed, one nightstand, and a narrow dresser.
There was no crib or bassinet. Instead, Andy was in a sturdy laundry basket on the floor. Marlow blinked several times at seeing him. He looked cozy enough with a quilted pad under him, his little rosebud mouth pursed and his pudgy fists resting beside his face.
As she watched him, he made a few soft sounds in his sleep. Today’s outfit was a little one-piece footed garment similar to what he’d had on yesterday. Pixie knelt down to smooth the back of one finger over his cheek. Pride glowed on her face as she looked up with a smile.
This time, it was Marlow’s eyes that smarted with tears, and she knew why. Right there before her was the evidence of Pixie’s love, and seeing the depth of her caring made it that much harder to acknowledge what the girl had been through. Marlow smiled back, then offered a hand to help Pixie stand again.
Silently, they left the room.
Pixie didn’t wait for her to ask before she explained. “I couldn’t fit a crib in my car. With the car seat and a few of our belongings, the laundry basket was the best I could do. He’s small enough right now that he doesn’t mind, but once he gets the hang of rolling over, it’ll be another story. I thought when that happens, we might both sleep on the floor or something. That’d be safer for him, especially if I put some pillows around him so he can’t roll too far.”
“Yes, that could work.” But in her head, Marlow was making a list of everything this incredible young mother might need for the immediate future. It was a long list, and she didn’t want to overwhelm Pixie with everything at once.
She’d start small and just gradually, subtly, add things. Perhaps she could claim it as partial payment once Pixie began to work for her. And thinking of that, she led Pixie back to the kitchen so they could set a doctor’s appointment.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t be seen for a week, but the Monday appointment was early enough that it wouldn’t interfere with Marlow’s schedule at the tavern.
They’d just finished adding the date and time to both their phones when a knock sounded on the front door.
Immediately worried, Pixie locked eyes with Marlow. “Who could it be?” she whispered.
Marlow gave a negligent shrug. “Possibly Cort?” Although he hadn’t yet called as they’d agreed. Before either of them could stand, Andy cried out to let them know he was awake. It was almost amusing how quickly Pixie shot out of her seat. As she rushed past, Marlow teasingly said, “Fine, you get the baby and I’ll get the door.”
“Thank you,” Pixie called back without stopping.
Definitely an attentive mother. Overall, Marlow liked her. Pixie was unpretentious, earnest, and determined. She was also a survivor, but then, she’d had no choice in that.
The cries stopped just as Marlow reached the door.
She pulled it open and found Gloria and Bobbi standing there with smiles, baked goods, and a load of curiosity.
* * *
Cort was a soaked mess by the time he got Bren’s plumbing under control. The pipe had been spraying water and Bren, who was eighty and cranky, couldn’t hear, and didn’t have great eyesight, hadn’t been able to do a thing about it.
The valve was in his basement, the floor quickly flooding, and it would have been dangerous for Bren to attempt the repair on his own.
At least the seat of his jeans was dry, Cort thought, as he slid into his truck to head home. He started the engine, pulled out of Bren’s driveway, and then gave Marlow a call.
When she answered with a perky, “Hey, Cort,” he heard laughter in the background.
He was curious but didn’t ask. Yet. “Sorry that took so long. I had to run into town to get a few parts before I could fix the pipe.”
“It’s okay now?”
“Yeah. Basement was a mess. I stayed to clear out as much of the water as I could. Luckily, it’s just concrete, not a finished space.”
“You must be beat.”
He was something all right, but tired wasn’t in the equation. He wanted to see Marlow, to continue what they’d started last night, but it was now past lunchtime and she had to be hungry. “I’m fine. How about you?”
“I’m with Pixie. Gloria and Bobbi came by, and of course they love the baby.” She lowered her voice. “Want to stop by and get me, then I can politely suggest that Pixie take another nap?”
“Politely, huh?” If she thought it’d be that easy, she didn’t yet know Gloria and Bobbi well enough. “Yeah, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
She disconnected with the promise that she’d be waiting.
He knew the right thing to do was to get a shower, clean clothes, and take Marlow out to eat. They’d have the rest of the day together. Not sure he could do that, though. The entire time he’d been dealing with rusty pipes and broken fittings, she’d been on his mind.
He wasn’t a man to obsess over a woman—never had before, didn’t want to start now—so he’d fought the inclination to dwell on her. It happened anyway. By the time he had Bren squared away, he’d readjusted his attitude.
As a Marine, he didn’t indulge weaknesses. He used them to his advantage. Marlow didn’t make him feel weak, though. Just the opposite. She had a way of pointing out the obvious pleasures that, far too often, people took for granted.
He smiled as he thought about the fireflies.
By the time he pulled up to the lake house, he was more than ready to grab Marlow for some private time. She met him at the door with a kiss, then asked him in.
Gesturing to his soggy jeans and boots, he said, “Better not. It was a dirty job.”
“Give me just one minute, then.” Leaving the door open, she went back into the kitchen and said, “Bobbie and Gloria, thank you both so much for stopping by. I need to get going now, but I want to make sure Pixie is settled first. I’m sure you understand.”
Grinning, Cort propped a shoulder on the door frame and waited for Marlow to realize that subtle hints wouldn’t work with the siblings.
Bobbie said, “We can get her settled.”
To which Gloria said, “Look at her, poor thing. She’s all faded out.”
“We could stay and take care of the baby while she naps.”
Pixie piped in with, “Oh, no, that’s okay. I need to nurse him first anyway.”
Gloria said, “Go on ahead. Nothing we haven’t seen before. We won’t bother you.”
Silence. He could imagine the wheels turning in Marlow’s head as she tried to find the right enticement to get the sisters moving.
To help, he called in, “Hello, Gloria, Bobbi.”
Immediately, they came to the door to greet him. “Cort! What are you doing here?”
Bobbi swatted at her sister. “Clearly, he’s here for Marlow. You’ve seen the two of them together.”
“I wanted to hear him say it, thank you very much.”
No problem. Lazily, he stated, “I’m here for Marlow.” There, that’d give them something to focus on other than Pixie and Andy.
The sisters elbowed each other.
“Come on, you two. Marlow is watching over Pixie, and she needs us out of the way.”
Bobbi stepped out first. “What happened to you? Take a dip in the lake?”
Not to be left out, Gloria followed. “His shirt is dry.” She leaned around Cort. “So is his backside.”
He shifted to deny Gloria her view. “Behave.” Then he thought to ask, “Why are you two here?”
“We heard all about it,” Bobbi rushed to explain. “How this girl claimed to be Marlow’s sister, and then Herman said she didn’t have a sister, and she—”
“—had a baby with her. We found that out from Jenny, who was at the clinic when you all came in. You know Bobbi used to be a nurse, and I was a preschool teacher, so—”
“—we wanted to see for ourselves what was what.”
A man could get whiplash trying to keep up with the sisters. No wonder Wade, their brother, bickered with them so often. “And now you saw. Satisfied?”
Gloria leaned in close. “She doesn’t have a crib for that little angel, but I’m sure someone around here must have one they’re ready to part with.”
Nodding, Bobbi said, “I’m glad she’ll be under a doctor’s care soon. Marlow made sure she got an appointment a week from Monday. Until then, I’m going to keep an eye on Pixie.”
Cort managed to maintain his enigmatic expression instead of showing his alarm. “How so?”
“We brought her a casserole and a dish of brownies. Good Lord, you’d have thought we gave her the moon. Poor girl got weepy about it.”
“I remember your mother was like that,” Gloria said.
Bobbi hushed her. “We loved your ma. Everyone did.”
In a whisper, Gloria confided, “Pixie’s emotional from being so ill, that’s what Marlow said. Personally, I think it’s new motherhood. I saw it often. It gets the hormones in a dither and sends women on a wild ride.”
“I’m glad she’s here now.”
Yeah, Cort was glad about that, too.
“She enjoyed the brownies so much, we told her we’d bring her another dessert in a few days.”
“Marlow wants us to text first, in case the baby is sleeping.”
Marlow had certainly taken control of things, at least as much as she could. Just then she appeared in the doorway, her arms loaded with two now-empty dishes and the sisters’ purses. Awkwardly, she tried to get the door closed.
Taking a few big steps, Cort reached her and relieved her of the dishes.
“Thank you.” She pulled the door closed behind her. “Here you go, Gloria and Bobbi. I got these for you, since Pixie was ready to nod off and she still needs to feed Andy. She asked me to thank you both.”
“You washed our casserole dishes,” Gloria said, bemused.
“I put the rest of the food in microwave-safe dishes so Pixie would be able to heat it up when she’s hungry.”
Bobbi frowned. “But now we can’t come back for them.”
Conniving, that’s what they were, Cort thought. But also considerate. “I’m sure you’ll come up with another excuse to visit.”
“We promised her more desserts,” Gloria reminded her sister.
“But,” Marlow said, smiling, “you’re going to text first, right? Pixie is still trying to get settled in.”
Both sisters turned their laser-like focus on him. “Settled in?”
“For a bit,” he hedged, because no one in Bramble wanted anyone staying on. Four hundred and one was still one too many.
“We’ll text,” Gloria promised, her gaze lingering on Cort as if she thought he might suddenly drop a clue as to what was really going on.
He kept his expression inscrutable.
Bobbi said, “Hmm. Well, I hope she’ll be around long enough to get the rest she needs.”
“That’s the plan,” Marlow said. “A summer of fireflies and sunrises and friendship. Bramble is the perfect place for a vacation.”
She was convincing enough that the sisters immediately agreed. They also announced a campaign to “assist” her in any way possible. Cort knew what that meant.
Did Marlow?
Doubtful. If she did, she wouldn’t still be smiling as the sisters drove away.
“Come on.” With his hand at the small of her back, he started her toward his truck. “My feet are drowning in my boots.”
She laughed. “Sounds like it was quite the mess. Thank goodness Bren had you to rescue him.”
“Not a rescue,” he pointed out again, then relented. “But yeah, if that leak had gone on much longer, it could’ve caused real problems.” He held her door for her while she hopped up into her seat. It still amused him, the difficulty she had getting into his truck. Her car, a silver Lexus SUV, wasn’t small by anyone’s standards, but it was closer to the ground.
As he got behind the wheel, she asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Getting there. You?”
“I had a little of the casserole the sisters brought to Pixie, but since she seemed to like it so much, I wanted to make sure I left her plenty. I don’t think she’s had any home-cooked food for a while.”
“Maybe when we fix meals, we could put together a plate for her.”
Marlow’s smile brightened another few watts. “So we’ll be having some meals together, will we?”
“I hope so.” He pulled into his own driveway, turned off the truck, then looked at her. “Not right now, though.” Catching the back of her neck, he drew her close to take her mouth in a firm kiss. “Right now, I want a shower—and then I want you.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” She hopped out of the truck before he could come around to her side.
Cort grinned as she rushed to the house, which made him take longer than usual strides to keep up. He unlocked the front door for her, but as she peeked in, he sat on the porch chair and unlaced his sodden boots, setting them aside with his dripping socks.
“Jeans are wet, too,” she pointed out, looking at him expectantly as if she thought he might strip those off outside as well.
Taking her hand, he drew her inside, locked the door behind them, and then headed to the laundry. Along the way, he labeled the rooms they passed. “Living room, dining, kitchen.” He stepped into the laundry and, with her fascinated gaze on him, stripped off his shirt and then his jeans, dropping both into the washtub.
She sauntered forward with a smile, reached out, and slid her open palm over the back of his boxers. “Well darn, these are dry.”
Grinning at her antics, he stripped them off, too. “Want to shower with me?”
“Will it be like the shower we took in the cottage?”
“Times two.”
Her eyes widened. “Then yes, I want to shower with you.” She looked around. “Which way do we go?”
“We could go up the stairs to my room, but the bathroom down here is bigger.”
“Will we remain down here?”
“If you don’t mind making use of the kitchen table. Otherwise, my bed is upstairs.”
“Small bathroom it is.” She led the way, tugging him along in her haste. “At my age, tabletops don’t sound fun, only uncomfortable.”
He could, and would, prove her wrong on that—someday. Not just a table, but the wall, couch . . . Hell, the floor would do. He had a feeling that with Marlow, any place would be perfect for him, and since he cared, he’d make sure it was perfect for her, too.
But for now, this thing with her was still new, and she was coming off a rollercoaster of disappointments, big decisions, and determination. Her ex had done a number on her, whether she acknowledged it yet or not.
So he’d show consideration and let her call the shots. He could be generous because regardless of the where or how, he was still with Marlow. And that made it more than worthwhile.