The Imperfections

She nods, walking over and running her hand along the countertop. “It’s like a little apartment.”

“But with a yard,” I offer. “Now, the inconvenient part is there’s no heat run to this thing, so you have to heat it with a woodburning stove. I have a couple of those and a fireplace in the house. I don’t use ’em much, but I keep a bunch of wood chopped outside the shed, anyway.”

Alyssa smiles. “I want to see you chop wood. Do you do it shirtless? Wait! Don’t answer. I’m just going to pretend you do, because I like that mental image.”

I shake my head at her. “Focus on the task at hand, would ya?”

“It’s a very nice cabin,” she states obediently, thinking that’s what I mean.

I hesitate, looking around at the place. In my head, it didn’t look so damn old, but I guess it’s been so long since anyone has stayed in here, there’s no reason it’d look updated.

Pointing at the kitchen table, I tell her, “Obviously any of the furniture can be changed. I’d make you a better table than that one, and I’d probably even install a center island over here to give you more counter space since it doesn’t have much to work with now. Move the table back by the window over there, use the space you have a little better. Over here would make a nice play area,” I tell her, pointing behind the table, across from the living room. “I could make a small bookshelf to put against the wall there for books and toys to keep everything neat and tidy. I’m not saying the place doesn’t need some work, but it’s mostly cosmetic stuff, and it wouldn’t take too long to fix up.”

When I look back at her, she’s frowning in confusion. “What are you talking about? You want to fix it up?”

“I was thinking, if you don’t want to live at your house since it’s already so cramped but you’re not sure you can afford to leave, maybe you and the baby could live here.”

Her jaw falls open, so I hurry up and keep talking.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with—” I gesture back at the house, lost for words to say what I mean. “I’ve got a lot of property here, and this isn’t even being used. It’s a waste. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, and I just thought maybe it could help you out a little. I wouldn’t charge you anything to live here. Maybe you could let Scout out once in a while when I’m at work, maybe pop in and cook me a meal every now and then if you want to, but my company isn’t a catch. There are no strings to this offer. I don’t want you to think you’d have to keep sleeping with me in order to live here. It’s nothing like that—you don’t have to do anything to live here. I just don’t want you to feel like you don’t have anywhere to go, and this way the baby would have a big yard to play in, and if you did want—”

Before I can finish rambling at her, Alyssa comes back toward me, throws her arms around my neck, and hugs me.

“Oh,” I say, a little surprised. I wrap my arms around her tiny waist snugly.

“You’re such a good man, Brant,” she murmurs against my skin. “The best I ever met, hands down.”

I wasn’t sure how receptive she’d be, but I’m relieved at the way she’s reacting. Holding her a bit tighter, I tell her, “I’m glad you think so.”

“You don’t have to do all this for me, but it’s so sweet of you to offer.”

I pull back enough to look down at her. “Well, think about it before you say no. I really wouldn’t mind, and like I said, you wouldn’t have to worry about being put into an uncomfortable situation. There’s not a single string attached. You can do whatever you want out here. The cabin would be yours. I’d just be your neighbor, more or less.”

“You don’t make me uncomfortable,” she tells me, tilting her head and kissing my neck. “I don’t know why you’re so worried I’ll feel like I have to sleep with you for whatever reason. I don’t feel that way.”

“That first night—”

Pressing her finger to my lips to shut me up, she says more firmly, “I don’t feel that way.”

Slowly, I nod my head, then that finger pressed against my lips proves too tempting and I have to kiss it. Her pretty blue-green eyes remain on mine as I do, so I get to watch them soften with a sudden swell of desire. I saw it in her eyes a little bit ago, but then she started crying. Hopefully we don’t follow the same routine this time.