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Rocco arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Do what?”
“Have a shitty day, and get drunk while we eat Mexican food,” I replied, a wry smile playing at the corners of my lips. “Though she doesn’t drink since she’s got a bun cooking in the oven.”
Rocco chuckled, reaching for his drink. “Guess it’s a good thing I came over tonight, huh?”
I nodded, raising my glass in a silent toast. “To shitty days and good company.”
Rocco raised his glass in return, his smile warm. “To shitty days and good company.”
Rocco
I woke up; my eyes fluttered open as the light from the TV flickered around the darkened room. I blinked slowly and became aware of the warmth beside me. Dorothy was tangled up with me on the couch, her soft breaths rhythmic and soothing. For a moment, I simply laid there, enjoying her being in my arms.
I watched her sleep and just soaked in her beauty. I enjoyed being this close to her, feeling her presence beside me, her warmth seeping into my skin. But the realization of our situation crept in. I was her boss, and despite my growing fondness for her, I couldn’t ignore the boundaries that should exist between them.
Debating my options, I weighed the pros and cons of staying here. Should I stay and revel in this intimate moment, or should I leave to maintain professionalism?
With a heavy sigh, I made my decision. Slowly and carefully, I extricated myself from Dorothy’s embrace, careful not to disturb her peaceful slumber. I rose from the couch, and he looked down at her sleeping form, a pang of regret telling me to stay.
Quietly, I tiptoed across the room, my steps muffled by the carpet beneath my feet. As I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob. With a final resolve, I turned the knob and stepped outside, gently pulling the door shut behind me.
The very early morning air was cool as I stepped onto the porch. My breath formed wispy clouds in the chilly air. I took a step forward after locking the door but jumped back when I stepped on something - a dead squirrel laid at my feet, its lifeless eyes staring up at him accusingly.
I frowned and knelt down to examine the small creature. It was odd that the squirrel had died on Dorothy’s porch, and I couldn’t help but wonder how it had ended up here. Death seemed to be following us. “Lord, if this happened because of the Q word, Dorothy is going to make me the next dead body.”
This had to be just a coincidence. Just nature being nature.
I spotted Dorothy’s garbage can next to her garage and grabbed the poor squirrel. I removed the lid and flung the squirrel into it. It landed with a thud that echoed around him. Yeah, maybe I should have stayed with Dorothy instead of dealing with dead squirrels in the early morning.
I made my way to my car and headed home.
The short drive home, I regretted leaving, and almost turned around, but realized I wouldn’t be able to get back in since I had locked the door behind me.
Dammit.
Well, hopefully, there will be a next time with Dorothy.
Chapter Fourteen
Dorothy
I woke up with a stiff neck and my muscles protesting the uncomfortable position I had slept in on the couch. I rubbed my neck tenderly and cringed. “Getting old, Dorothy,” I muttered to myself with a smile tugging at my lips.
I glanced around the living room and realized I was alone. Rocco must have left while I was asleep. The last memory I had was of watching Kill Bill together, but the details of how and when I had drifted off were gone. Sighing softly, I wished he had woken me before leaving so I wouldn’t be feeling so sore from sleeping in an awkward position. And also because I would have wanted to thank him for coming over last night.
It was nice that he had thought of me last night, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that meant something more. Sure, Imogen checked up on me after rough days at the funeral home, but she was my best friend. That was what she was supposed to do.
Rocco was my boss. My very new boss.
With a resigned sigh, I pushed myself up from the couch and began my morning routine. Today was Mrs. Ked’s funeral, and I needed to get my butt into gear.
First, a quick stretch to ease the stiffness in my muscles because, god damn, I was not as young as I used to be.
I jumped into a hot shower and lingered under the warm spray, letting the water wash away the remnants of sleep and soothe my aching muscles.
Drying off, I moved to the bedroom and selected my outfit for the day. On funeral days, I always took care about what to wear. A black pencil skirt paired with a black and white polka dot top seemed appropriate for Mrs. Ked’s send-off. I slipped into the outfit with practiced ease, the familiar routine helping me to prepare for the day ahead. A glance in the mirror confirmed that I looked presentable enough despite the slight bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.
Uh, yeah, I was going to need to do some makeup today.
