Chapter 19
Piper
I’m going through the grocery bags that Holt has deposited on my small kitchen table, trying to wrap my mind around our shopping trip.
Holt is full of surprises. His take charge attitude is too attractive.
I wasn’t going to cook for him. He decided he was going to crash my party, he could eat what I planned on getting.
Imagine my surprise when he came up with the meal all on his own.
I still plan on having my charcuterie board—no self-respecting, millennial woman would skip out on that tradition—but maybe some chicken and broccoli wouldn’t be a bad idea.
And he even thought about breakfast— and despite my protests at the cash register, he paid for all of it.
Shaking my head, I listen and hear a drill going outside. Holt seems to love power tools. After he brought in the bags, he told me he was going to install the cameras before it got dark. I look at my watch and see he has about an hour.
That means I can hop in the shower and then arrange my fancy adult lunchable. Before I do that, I open one of the bottles of wine I chose. If I had known he was going to pay for it, I might have chosen a cheaper bottle. I pour the red liquid into one of my wine glasses and pad to my bedroom.
I pull out a pair of my favorite high waisted leggings, an old cropped t-shirt, and an oversized hoodie. It is getting chilly out and I plan on being as comfortable as possible. Of course, I also look homeless—but whatever. I’m not trying to impress anyone. I snort at the lie I keep telling myself.
I pull the door to the bathroom shut and lock it. I don’t want Holt to accidentally come in here while I’m showering. My mind wanders to how that could play out, but I squash it. I turn the temperature control lever to barely boiling and start to strip out of my work clothes.
I avoid looking at my pudgy body in the mirror as I pull back the shower curtain and step inside. I have struggled with my weight ever since I can remember. I’m in my ‘trying to accept that I will never be a model’ era but it is slow going.
Sticking my head under the spray I let the hot water beat down on my shoulders. I find myself wondering what Holt would think of my body. Would he be repulsed? Next to him, I am small—but next to one of his bed buddies I am two times their size. On a good day.
I have resigned myself to the fact that I am probably not going to have the epic romance that I read about in books. Maybe I’ll get a dog. I feel the water temperature start to wane, so I hurry along the rest of my routine.
I quickly wash my hair and shave. I finish just in time because the water starts to get cold. I’m sure my water heater is about to die, I just need it to hold on for a little while longer. I towel off and pull on my clothes.
Pulling my brush out from under the sink, I run it through my wet shoulder length hair quickly. I hear someone rattling around in my kitchen. Holt must have finished up outside. I look at my phone on the sink and see that it is after 5:30. I had been in the shower longer than I thought.
I unlock the door and step out. Holt turns around to look at me and he pauses. I can’t read the look on his face.
“I just put the chicken in the oven to warm up and the broccoli and potatoes are roasting in there as well,” he explains. He is still giving me a look. I walk over to where I forgot my wine glass on the counter and grab it. Taking a big gulp. I’m going to need this alcohol to get through tonight.
“I installed the cameras and will work on your locks tomorrow,” he offers. I nod quietly, and then start to pull out the items for my charcuterie board. Holt comes up behind me and reaches around for something— his beer. If I didn’t know any better I would say he did it on purpose.
Taking my knife I start to slice the cheese. All of a sudden the knife is taken away from me. “What the hell,” spills from my lips.
“Piper, I got this. Go take a seat,” Holt says.
It sounds like he is right in my ear. I spin around right into his firm chest. His left arm goes around my waist automatically.
For a second I freeze. Being this close to him, I can see the gold flecks in his eyes.
Realizing how close we are I start to push off of him. He gives me space and hands me my wine.
“Thanks,” I mutter and head over to the couch. My cheeks feel hot—AGAIN.