Chapter 13 Have To Go Back
HAVE TO GO BACK
Meredith let out a shout once she was on the road.
She was afraid if she’d done it in the parking lot, or even driving off the property, Clay would hear and have to come rescue her from her own frustration.
What was wrong with her?
Did she always have a tiny crush on Clay when she was younger?
Yeah, but she never thought much of it.
But the minute she saw him again, her body told her what her brain could never push aside.
That phantom weight.
For her, it wasn’t so heavy of a load that she needed it gone. It was more of a comfort to let her know she could still feel something.
That there was hope for her to find what she’d been looking for.
The thing with Fredrick. She’d held on way too long hoping to find her person.
Watching the happy couple today told her she couldn’t give up.
Maybe it pushed her more than it should have with Clay.
No maybe about it.
She was an idiot to bait him.
And she got to him. Which she didn’t think was possible.
“He’s my boss! I can’t believe I did that!”
She let out another scream, then cranked up the music.
Talk about embarrassing herself.
She all but threw herself at him. He made himself clear he wasn’t interested.
No, no, no.
He was interested. He just didn’t want to admit it. That was the difference.
She knew what she saw.
The flicker of arousal in his dark eyes when he held her.
The way his calloused fingers almost caressed her arms rather than gripped her.
The amount of time he kept her in his arms after he caught her. Yep, he could have set her down and hadn’t.
It was as if he wanted the contact to test himself as much as she had.
But she didn’t want to be a test. She wanted him to look at her as she did him.
To feel for her what she was feeling for him.
You couldn’t force that stuff though.
She knew. She’d tried it enough in her dating life.
The music soothed her nerves as she drove into town and pulled into her driveway.
The minute she shut off the car, she remembered she’d left her clothes at Clay’s. The jeans and shirt she’d arrived in.
That was another thing. He was considerate enough to let her go to his house and shower and change.
Did she want to look around some? Sure, she did.
But she’d never do that. Never invade his privacy like that.
She’d climbed into his shower after stripping, the water hitting her body and cooling her down.
She didn’t wash her hair. She had nothing to dry it or the products she’d put in it.
It’d been in a ponytail while she helped set up, but she’d pulled it out when she was done and tousled it some with damp fingers and it was good enough.
She’d been in such a rush to get back, that she’d left her bag on the bathroom floor where she’d stuffed her jeans, shirt, and sneakers.
Her head hit the back of the seat in her SUV. Now she’d have to go back for it.
Or it could be an excuse to do it and see Clay again.
Once she calmed down.
She’d have to apologize too. She knew that.
This was her dream job to have over the summer, and she couldn’t jeopardize it.
She got out of her car, grabbed her purse, and walked to the mailboxes at the end of the shared driveway.
There were three townhouses grouped together, four buildings.
She was on the end, Karl next to her in the middle.
The person next to Karl hadn’t been there that long.
She’d only seen her coming and going a few times.
Normally she’d introduce herself, but the embarrassment over her situation with Fredrick kept her holding back.
Her heels were clicking on the asphalt as she made her way to her front door.
“Hi, Meredith.”
“Hi, Karl. How are you doing today?”
He was coming out of his front door and down the stairs.
“Good,” Karl said. “I’ve been watching for you.”
“You have?” she asked. It always made her shiver when he said those things and she didn’t understand why he was watching out for her. Maybe he just needed to find a hobby or something. “How come?”
“I heard you were inquiring about any cars that had been broken into or damaged here.”
She’d done that after she’d talked to Cassidy about it. Guess he had a reason to seek her out. Thinking back, he always did.
“I did. Did you hear anything? I haven’t seen you to ask.”
“You could have texted me,” Karl said, frowning. “I’m here all the time.”
She knew he had some hybrid remote job. He came and went some days, but not enough for her to pay attention to other than he could be more dressed up than jeans.
“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking. Did you hear anything? Or do you know if anyone else had something happen to them?”
“I had heard several weeks ago someone said kids were in the area going through cars that were unlocked and looking for loose change or anything they could steal. Did you get something stolen?”
“Not that I know of,” she said. “But I don’t keep anything in my vehicle. I’ve got some damage. A long scratch and a dent.”
No reason to add that Clay thought it was from a knife. That was too much in her mind.
Karl moved toward her car and looked. “Are you sure it didn’t happen in a parking lot?”
“It probably did,” she said.
“Or maybe Fredrick did it. I wouldn’t put anything past him. I never did like him.”
She smiled and patted Karl’s arm. His face softened and his crooked grin almost lit up the area. “I know you didn’t. I appreciate everything you did or have helped me with.”
Karl’s smile grew with the praise, his eyes almost misting. Poor guy probably had no interaction with anyone.
“He should have done more for you rather than take advantage of your kindness.”
“Well, he’s a thing of the past. And this wasn’t him. I called and asked and he insisted it wasn’t. I believe it.”
“I wouldn’t believe anything he said.” Karl was nodding his head and crossed his arms. “He couldn’t even pull in a trash can but always told you he did.”
“What?”
Karl hesitated. “I’ve heard you talking about it before. He’d say he did it, but it was me who did it before you got home.”
“You shouldn’t have covered for him,” she said. “And I’m sorry that he lied. But again, he’s gone out of my life.”
She walked toward her door, Karl following next to her. She hoped he didn’t want to come in and visit. “You look pretty. Did you have a date tonight?”
“No,” she said. “I was working.”
“Working? Did you get a second job?”
Maybe she should take a page from Clay’s book and be a little short.
But Karl was standing there hopeful for the attention and it made her think of the kids in her class that few paid attention to. Everyone needed a friend now and again.
“I thought I told you. I’ve been a part-time wedding planner for almost two years. I actually got hired to do them solely at Ridgeway Orchards.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Karl said. “You told me you did that. I guess I forgot.”
“I haven’t done much in a while. Or nothing like I’m doing now. It was great. Anyway, this was the first wedding even though I had little to do with the planning of it, but I wanted to get a feel for how they did things.”
“That’s great,” Karl said. “I bet you’re just as good at that as you are with your students.”
“I hope so,” she said. “I guess I’m lucky that I’ve got two things I love to do and get to be paid for them both. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get off my feet and get something to eat.”
“I’ve got some stew I made earlier if you want,” Karl said. “I made plenty.”
She’d had his stew before. Something his mother used to make. It wasn’t horrible, but not her thing either. He liked to try new recipes and share the extras with her. Since she did the same, she just thought he was paying her back.
“That’s sweet of you,” she said. “How about a rain check? I really need to decompress.”
He hesitated as if he didn’t want to leave, but finally said, “Anytime,” then went into his house.
She unlocked her front door, kicked her shoes off right by the entryway and was thrilled when her feet touched the floor.
At least one person didn’t mind talking to her.
She dropped her mail on the counter with her purse, then went to the stairs and up to her room, reaching around her back for the zipper.
After she gripped a fistful of the material at the top and could start the descent of the zipper, she was flexible enough to get the rest and pull it down. Her dress dropping to the floor, she kicked it away in her room.
She stretched her arms over her head, grabbed a change of undergarments and went into the hall bath for another shower.
Her belly was rumbling when she returned to her kitchen in leggings and a baggy T-shirt. It seemed off in here. Felt odd too. Almost eerie. Which was odd since she’d never felt that in this house before.
She sniffed the air some, her lips curling, her nose twitching, then it hit her. It smelled like Karl’s stew. It must have gone through the walls or something in here.
Or maybe it was lingering on him outside and she still caught it. She thought she smelled it close to him on the porch once he mentioned it. The strong scent of onions and garlic as if it was following him around.
She opened the fridge, saw half the steak she cooked to put on her salad yesterday and pulled that out, then snagged the container of potato salad she’d made a few days ago.
She dumped both on a plate, grabbed a fork and knife and ate it all cold. Food was food.
There was a time she enjoyed romantic dinners for two.
She wouldn’t let herself be jaded over her failed relationship with Fredrick or the rejection from Clay.
Better to pick herself back up and try again.
Or keep poking the bear.
She let out a giggle. Poking the bear sounded much more fun.
Once her plate was empty and in the dishwasher, she grabbed her purse, and pulled out the cash she’d stuffed in there, stunned at the few hundred dollars. She hadn’t expected that and should have protested more.
But she knew by the look on Clay’s face it would have just been another argument and one she wouldn’t win.