The screen door on the porch of the Wayward Sun opens with a wailing creak and we both look up. George and Dexter are walking from their home to the shop. George notices us first and nudges Dexter. They both stop.
“What are they looking at?”
“Nothing.” I sense Jake tensing next to me. He’d carried the book this whole way but in a quick move he passes it over, like he didn’t want to be seen with it. Or me. This is only confirmed by the faint spread of pink over his cheeks.
He’s embarrassed to be seen with me.
George lifts his hand to wave. Dexter…well, Dexter does nothing, as expected. After our fight last night, I doubt we’ll ever speak again. Which is fine by me.
“Bye, Starlee,” Jake says, stalking off to the shop.
Without another word I turn and quickly walk back to Leelee’s house, wondering if I’ll ever get anything right.
I have a pretty big homework assignment, so Leelee gives me the day off work to complete it. By the time I’m finished it’s late afternoon. I walk to the office to make sure everything’s okay and realize what a beautiful day it turned out to be. Summer finally hit this part of the mountains and it’s warm enough to shrug off my hoodie. I’m wearing a tank-top and the sun instantly warms my pale arms.
“Starlee,” my grandmother says the instant I enter the office, “I’m glad you’re here. Can you take this extra key to the big cottage?”
“Sure,” I say, happy to head back outside.
“If you see Charlie, tell him thank you for checking on the cable box in cottage eight.”
“Yeah, sure.”
I’m walking down the path and see the front door of cottage eight open. Charlie must be inside now.
I keep going until the big cottage comes into view. I climb the steps and take in the wet clothes hanging off the bannister and a pair of soaked boots by the mat. I knock on the door. It takes a moment, but I hear movement behind the door and Jordan answers. Shirtless.
“Hey,” he says, a slow smile spreading across his lips when he sees me.
“Hi, uh, here’s the extra key.” I hold it out and he takes it with his right hand. In his left is a clean shirt.
“Thanks, the others wanted to hike a bit longer. I think that’s because they didn’t fall in the river and get drenched.”
“Ah, sounds legit.” I try to keep my eyes off his overly-defined chest. He’s only the second male I’ve seen shirtless in person—the other being George,. who’s fit, but Jordan is older. Bigger. Not particularly better looking, although I’ve seen enough romance covers to know this kind of guy is supposed to be appealing. I just find him…intimidating. “Well, let us know if you need anything else.”
“Will do.” He pulls his shirt over his head. The cuffs strain against his large muscles. I take a step back toward the porch steps. “Hey, I have an idea.”
“You do?”
“Since I have nothing to do this afternoon, maybe you could show me around?”
Panic bubbles in my chest. “Uh, I don’t think I can.”
He pouts. “Why not? You’re a local—don’t you know your way around?”
“I’m not really local.” My eyes dart behind my shoulder, looking for an excuse. “I just moved here.”
“Oh, then we can sightsee together.”
“I, uh.” My cheeks are on fire. I’ve never had someone—a man—approach me like this. It’s flattering—sort of—and scary and I’m completely, totally out of my wheelhouse. I want to say that there’s something about him I find intimidating but I’ve spent my whole life being afraid of men. It makes it hard to know what’s valid and what isn’t.
“Starlee?”
I turn at the sound of my name. Charlie. He stands on the path with a coil of black wire in his hand.
“Oh good.” I fumble down the steps. “Leelee wanted me to find you.”
“Ugh, not another cable box? I think the last one had a wire eaten through it by a squirrel or something.”