Chapter Sixteen #2
Matty melted at the hopefulness in the last sentence. There was no way she’d deny it now. “Well, after our ice cream debate, I thought you’d like a butter pecan cheesecake.”
Reese looked between the dessert and Matty, and for a split second, Matty saw vulnerability flash across her face. “You remembered.”
“Of course. I hope it tastes good. I haven’t made that flavor before.”
“I’m sure it does. It looks like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine.”
Matty shrugged, turning her back to Reese to grab a knife and wish away the blush Reese’s compliment created. “I guess we’ll see. Let me cut up this bread, and we’ll get to eating.”
Matty wasn’t the bragging sort, but even she had to admit she blew the dinner right out of the water.
The meat sauce turned out just right, as did the garlic bread.
Reese couldn’t stop complimenting the meal.
Matty got the feeling it had been a long time since someone did something nice for Reese, like make dinner for her.
That made Matty sad. Reese seemed like such a cool person, but she didn’t seem to have many people close to her. Was that her own doing?
So many thoughts swirled in her head. She had to get focused on what they were really there for.
Matty rinsed water over their plates to get the sauce off. She would wash them later. The little apartment didn’t have a dishwasher.
“What do you think about making some coffee to go with the cheesecake? We can have that while we get started.”
Matty nodded. “That sounds good to me.”
“I’ll make it.”
“You don’t have—”
“Nonsense.”
Reese seemed to have no issue making herself at home, which would have normally peeved Matty, but she didn’t mind.
There was something about the domestic actions that made it feel almost intimate.
Her apartment was her safe space. A place that didn’t have triggers or stressors.
It was a completely controlled environment.
Having someone other than Hester in it was supposed to be difficult for her. Anxiety-inducing. But it wasn’t.
They decided the best place to work was the kitchen table. Reese put two plates with slices of cheesecake on the table, then did the same with the coffee, while Matty grabbed her laptop and the folder Elsie had given her.
She bent over to plug in the laptop, and as she was popping back up, she turned her head in time to catch Reese’s eyes glued to her ass.
A thrill shot through her as her eyes locked on Reese’s.
She couldn’t stop the smirk that tugged at her lips as Reese ducked her head and squirmed in her seat.
Caught you was on the tip of her tongue, but she refrained from saying it.
The deep blush on Reese’s cheeks said enough.
Clearly, the attraction went both ways. And she loved that.
“So, Elsie has a whole packet for this, plus websites to look at.” She took the chair beside Reese.
“She’s on top of it.”
Matty nodded, taking a sip of coffee. “She is. She’s been doing this for years.”
“Okay, so how is the test set up? I’m sorry I didn’t look before now. I had planned to, but then I got sidetracked.”
“No problem. It’s pretty straightforward, I think.”
Reese picked up her fork, getting a bite of cheesecake and a little of the sauce and pecans. She closed her eyes as she moaned and cleaned the fork with her tongue. A pink tongue that looked like it could be good at licking other things. “This is so good.”
It was Matty’s turn to be caught as Reese had opened her eyes and was watching Matty watch her mouth.
The raised eyebrow aimed at Matty had her quickly turning her attention back to the laptop.
“Uh, I’m glad you like it. Anyway, the test is made up of four parts: math, social studies, science, and language arts. ”
Reese began flipping through the folder as she chewed another bite before swallowing.
“It looks like Elsie has websites for practice tests and study tutorials. There are three packets of practice questions here with a free YouTube video that explains how to get the answers. What subject do you want to start with?”
“I’m not sure. Should I start with the one I’m most worried about or the one I think I’ll be the best at?”
Taking a sip of coffee, Reese flipped through a few more pages. “How about the one you’re most worried about?”
“That would be math,” she sighed. She dreaded it.
“Do you not use math at work? I would imagine you have to calculate sums or find square footage or whatever.”
Matty shrugged. She took a bite of cheesecake, the creaminess and butteriness mingling together beautifully. “Damn, that is good.”
“Ridiculously good. I don’t suppose you’d mind me taking a slice home?”
“You can take the whole thing. Well, not the whole thing. I promised Bette a slice.”
“That’s surprising. Kerrie said she had the whole house on a diet of limited sugar and fats.”
Matty snorted. “Not a single one of them is following those rules fully. In fact, Kerrie’s been stopping at the country store for a biscuit every other morning.
Kenny has me sneaking him cans of SunDrop when no one is looking.
I just can’t say no to those big pleading eyes.
And Bette has me put a box of cookies in my grocery bags and hide them in our shared laundry space so no one knows she’s munching on them when she’s supposedly doing laundry. ”
Reese burst out laughing, and Matty joined her. The whole family was trying to be sneaky and had her in the middle of it. “That’s hilarious! Do any of them realize the others are doing it?”
“I’m not sure. Probably Kenny. He has a hard time lying, but no one has called me out since I’m hiding their secrets too.”
“That’s too funny. Well, I’ll definitely leave her a slice. Now, back to math.”
They started looking up the test itself.
It would be around forty-six questions and in two parts.
The first part would be around five questions only, and she wouldn’t be able to use a calculator.
The second part was the rest of the questions, and she would have access to an online calculator if she took it online and a sheet explaining how to use it.
After that, they began trying out the practice questions.
Matty would try to work out the problem first with Reese helping, and then they would check the answer with the YouTube video. They were doing pretty good.
“Okay. Lowest common denominator between six and twelve is...”
“Two.”
“And the highest?”
“Six.”
“Yep!”
“Damn, I can’t believe I even remember what common denominators are. What’s next?” She leaned in close, her shoulder brushing Reese’s.
Reese turned her head slowly, the body heat between them making itself known.
Her eyes met Matty’s before dropping briefly to Matty’s lips.
For a split second, Matty thought Reese wanted her to kiss her, but then Reese tore her eyes away, whipping her head back around to the paper in front of her.
“Uh, after this, it looks like more stuff with fractions.”
“Oh joy.”
All in all, Reese stayed for four hours.
Matty felt better about the GED testing.
She didn’t even feel that self-conscious once she realized that Reese wasn’t as good at doing the problems as Matty.
The further they got, the more complicated it became and the slower they went.
It was a good foundation to start with, though.
She would work on it on her own time as well as with Reese.
“Well, thank you for the lovely dinner,” Reese said, with not only a container of cheesecake but another with some spaghetti in it. They had arrived at her car. Matty had insisted on walking her out.
“It was the least I could do for helping me. Just getting started felt so overwhelming, but with you there, it really wasn’t.”
“I just wanted to help. You’ve done so much for me already with the house.”
Matty shrugged. “It’s nothing. I like helping. But thank you again for coming over. I feel really good about this. I might actually be able to pass.”
“I know you’ll pass.”
“Well, I hope you’re right. Uh, anyway, thanks again.”
“No problem.”
They stood awkwardly, Matty scuffing her shoe in the gravel and Reese juggling the containers from arm to arm. It was that weird spot when things were new territory.
“Okay, well, will you text me when you get home so I know you made it, okay? It’s already dark out.”
Reese smiled, her face showing in the lamplight glow above. “I will.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Good. I’ll see you at work.” She turned just a little to go, but then a warm hand grabbed her.
Reese tugged on her arm, and Matty immediately knew what she wanted.
With gentle movements, Matty pulled Reese into a hug, careful not to knock the containers as her arms went around her.
She felt Reese’s free arm tighten around her waist. She could smell the floral perfume even better now, its scent tingling her nose.
The body against her was soft and so inviting, but she knew she couldn’t linger. It was too soon for anything more.
She savored a few more seconds of closeness, not missing the fact that Reese didn’t make a move to pull away, then she did that very thing. It was best to move slowly.
They parted, the warmth of Reese’s body leaving her cold.
“Goodnight, Matty.”
“Goodnight, Reese.”
She watched as Reese got settled into her car, then backed out of the parking spot, the red glow of the reverse lights casting off the fence separating the houses.
As she walked back to her apartment, she noticed the curtains in the back of the upper part of the house sway. Kenny’s sweet, pinched-nose face came into view. She waved at him with a smile. He returned it.
She went back inside to wash dishes and wait for Reese’s text.