Chapter 14 Surprise!
SURPRISE!
MOLLY
Beyond my kitchen window, the sun sinks toward the horizon, casting golden orange light across Grey.
He's intent on his task, his dark brows flexed just enough to make a little crease between them instead of the brackets that are there so often.
The sound of the drill buzzing has been our companion as we've gone around and checked all the cabinet doors.
Most of them were loose or partially busted in some way or another, so we've been replacing hardware and whatnot.
By we, I mean mostly me, until my arms got tired.
Currently, I am being extremely helpful by holding the door still from my perch on the counter.
Grey takes it from me to test his work, and pleased, he steps back and takes a look around.
He's been here since this morning, and we've done everything on the list, even crawled around under the house.
Thankfully, there were no possums, but there were so many spiderwebs and definitely some little bones.
The worst part was when a mouse ran over my leg.
Grey speculated it was something else, but I cut him off.
It was a mouse. And if it wasn't, yes it was.
When we crawled out, I was so heebed out, I danced around the yard trying to get the spiderwebs off me.
The shudder I shuddered lasted at least one solid minute.
It just kept running up and down my spine until Grey promised they were all gone.
I'd have been mad he looked amused if I didn't enjoy that amusement so much.
I'd even crawl back under the house if it would make him belly laugh. Probably.
All day, I've been begging him to tell me what the surprise is, but he's made me wait and wait and wait. As he inspects the kitchen one last time, I am so excited, I'm crawling out of my skin, my lips pursed to keep me from grinning or busting out--
"Oh my god, is it time yet?" I clap a hand over my mouth and laugh. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I was really trying to be cool, Grey, I swear, but I am so tragically uncool that I couldn't stand it anymore."
But again, he's amused, and the sound and sight of him fills my chest up with something warm and glittery.
"It's time."
I'm celebrating, and he's coming closer, his hand diving into his pocket. I watch him, sobering as the image of him spreading my thighs so he can stand between them flies into my brain.
He looks like he's done something wicked, with a sly, tilted smile. With the flick of his wrist, he unrolls a little plastic baggy, and inside are a handful of gummy treats.
"We're ordering Chinese," he says.
My mouth and eyes must be big ol' zeros as I gape at the baggy. "Is that weed?" I breathe. "Are we gonna do the weed?"
A chuckle. "If you want to."
I snatch it from him and tear open the bag, putting one of the sacred candies in my palm. "This smells terrible," I say with a grin.
"Doesn't taste too bad."
"I've never done anything illegal before."
"You won't after tonight either--. This is legal in Tennessee."
My brows gather. "No. Weed's not legal here."
"This strain is, and it will definitely get you high. Got it legit at a head shop and everything."
I hold it up to the light. "Huh. And you're doing it too, right?"
"If you want."
"I want! Cheers!" I toss the innocuous little gummy in my mouth as Grey's face shoots open and he says, Wait!
It's too late--I've already swallowed. In my excitement, the gummy is down my gullet. "Wait? Wait what? Wait why?!"
He runs his big hand through his hair. "Jesus Christ, I was going to give you a quarter of one.
" Unceremoniously, he picks me up, and I squeak.
He deposits me on my feet to a squeak from me.
"I'm ordering dinner, and you need to get your ass in the shower.
Now. You're about to be too fucked up to do anything, and I think there are still some spiderwebs in your hair. "
I slap his arm. "You said there weren't anymore!"
But he's already steering me toward the bathroom. "Peaches, we'd have been out there all day if we tried to pick them out. What do you want from Hunan Palace? We've gotta get food in your belly. Now."
"Beef and broccoli! Egg rolls! Dumplings!!"
"On it." He shoves me into the bathroom and slams the door on his way out.
"Gee whiz," I mutter, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
I'm a mess, with dirt smudged on my cheek and chin and neck and, well, everywhere.
When I see some cobwebs, I strip immediately and get the water going.
My stomach is all bubbly with excitement and nerves.
I'm getting high! And I took like four times what I should.
Whoops. I'm sure it'll be fine. And if it isn't, Grey's here, which means everything will be all right.
I'm glad he's getting high with me. I didn't want to do it alone. Plus, I've never seen him cut loose. It's beyond my imagination.
I can't freaking wait.
One very rushed shower later, I'm scrunching my hair and exiting the bathroom in my big fluffy robe. Knowing we'd be under the house with the possums, we agreed he'd bring stuff so he could get cleaned up before we ate.
"Your turn," I call on my way to my room, and we smile at each other as we pass in the hallway.
Ugh, he's so hot, all covered in dirt after being competent as fuck all day.
It's enough to give a girl the vapors, have me swooning onto my fainting sofa.
I giggle at the thought, listening to the sounds of him showering while I change.
I don't know how, but by the sloughs and slaps of water, I can tell what he's washing, and the image leaves me sweating.
Once I've pulled on Cass's cut off sweat shorts and a big tee, I head into the living room to sit on the couch. Scout hops into my lap as the water shuts off.
"I think I freaked him out," I whisper to Scout, scratching her neck with both hands. "I wonder what's gonna happen? Think I should be worried?" She meows. I sigh. "Yeah, probably."
Grey all but shoots out of the bathroom, his shirt stuck to his abdomen, like he pulled it on when he was still a little wet.
"You okay?" he asks calmly, but I can tell by his eyes he's not so calm.
I smile. "Yup. You okay?"
He ruffles his hair as he walks in. "Yeah."
"Did you take yours?"
Grey nods and sits on the other end of the couch, careful not to touch me. "Yeah, and dinner's ordered." He shakes his head. "Damn, girl. I did not expect you to house it like that. You usually have a million questions."
"I'm gonna be okay, right?"
A chuckle. Man he smells good in my soap. Why does it smell like that on him? I want to grab him by the shirt front and sniff up his neck like on TV when they snort cocaine. I bet I'd get high just off the contact to his skin.
"You'll be all right. Just remember it can't kill you, and I'll take care of you. You might just fall asleep."
"Oh my God--gif you let me pass out in the next four hours, I am gonna be so mad at you."
His lips are wide, his body relaxed and turned a little bit toward me.
My phone rings. It's my parents. My eyes fly wide as I reach for it. "Oh no."
"What?"
I stare at the screen, panicking. "It's my parents."
"You're not gonna--"
"I have to. They'll freak out if I don't and keep calling. Just…okay, be real quiet. I'll get rid of them."
He opens his mouth to argue. I answer the phone so he can't, turning to put my back against the arm of the couch.
"Hey!" I say with a top shelf fake smile, if I do say so.
My mom smiles back. Dad looks a little sullen. "Hey chicken," she says. "Haven't heard from you all day. What are you doing? Where have you been?"
"Oh, just working on the house with my friend."
"Who is this friend again?" Dad asks a suspiciously, his eyes narrowed.
Grey is frozen stiff at the other end of the couch, well out of frame. I swear I can feel his heart pounding through the couch.
"Just a very knowledgeable friend. I'm lucky, honestly. There's way more stuff to fix than I realized. He's saving my bacon, big time." I can't risk looking at him, but I nudge his thigh with my foot. "What are y’all doing?"
"Oh, not much," Mom says. "Just a lot of--"
"What all did your mystery guy fix? Who is he?" Dad asks. Mom cuts him a look.
"Just a friend, Dad," I soothe, smiling. "Don't worry."
"I don't know how we're not supposed to worry, Molly," he says, and I feel scolded as he continues. "You're living in that broken down house, strange men coming over to work on it--"
Now I'm scowling. "He's not a strange man. He's my friend. Wouldn't you rather a seasoned pro come help me than me cracking my skull on the bottom of my sink? Can't have it all, Daddy!"
"I could if you'd come home."
I sigh, sadness curling around my happy heart. "You know, I'm so tired after working hard on the house all day. Why don't we talk tomorrow?"
Mom's face falls. "Honey, wait, don't go--"
"I really need to. But I love y'all! Okay?"
"Just give us a minute--" she tries to say, but Dad interrupts.
"I don't think we're finished talking young lady--"
"Okay! Love y'all! Gotta go! Kisses!" I hang up on them.
Then I put my phone on silent and put it face down on the end table, feeling as exhausted as I pretended to be with them.
Grey's big hand cups the top of my foot, still pressed against his thigh. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I answer with a sad smile. "Sometimes they feel like a full-time job."
"Are they always so…"
"Demanding? Pushy? Condescending?" I sigh again. "Yes, but Dad was in rare form. I don't think he likes the idea of a man hanging around," I half joke.
Grey snorts a laugh. "You think?"
"I mean, what do they expect me to do? Wouldn't it be worse if I hired a handyman I don't know to come fix things? At least I know you."
"Didn't sound like he'd be happy with any solution but the one."