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Now I'm the one who has a wide-eyed look.
"Okay..." I say hesitantly. "Whatever you want..."
I shovel a giant forkful of duck confit into my mouth, trying to figure out just what I have gotten myself into this time.
Sixteen
Pearl
The trees thicken once I turn off the highway, and I swear that I can breathe a little better than before. Today was a really challenging day at work and I desperately need to turn my brain off.
My old car doesn't have autopilot. But I have driven this bumpy back road so many times that I steer by muscle memory alone. When I turn the final corner to my Airstream, and more importantly my bed, I see a huge box truck parked beside my trailer. It has the words Red Carpet White Glove Moving Service emblazoned on the side.
What the hell is this truck doing here?
River stands up from one of my patio chairs and waves me over. "Hey. I was expecting you earlier."
"Well hello to you too," I reply tartly. "We were slammed at the diner and I had to stay late. Apparently, it's a school holiday today. Your brother Cole and his mini-me stopped by."
He shoves his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans. He's not wearing his usual black leather jacket, and his biceps in that soft-looking gray T-shirt make him look like a model. I'm not sure what River is selling, exactly, but I want to buy it.
I giggle, feeling loopy after a long day of work. River smiles, but his eyes are concerned. "Are you okay?"
I wave his apprehension away. "Fine. Just tired." I turn around to jerk my thumb at the truck. "What's up with the truck?"
"They're here to move your stuff. I think the crew got bored and went to check out the rest of the property. But as soon as they get back, they're ready to work."
I look at River like he's grown a second head.
"I'm sorry. Did we decide that I would be moving into your house? I must have missed the memo."
Digging my keys out of my purse, I open the Airstream's front door and head inside. I leave the door open for River and hear him enter behind me a second later.
Heading down the hallway, I throw my purse on the kitchen counter and make a beeline for my bed. I collapse on it with a groan. The king-sized bed was the main selling point of this place; if I hadn't moved in here after college, I'd probably still be at my mom's house in South Shore. My bedroom there is cramped and certainly wouldn't fit a bed this big.
Then again, considering that the whole room is taken up by the bed, maybe the Airstream isn't much better. But at least it's private.
"We need to talk about you moving," River says. He's right behind me, and the unexpected closeness of his body causes goosebumps to break out over the back of my neck.
I groan again and roll over, patting the bed beside me. "Sit down."
He does, his big frame eating up more space than I thought he would. He glances back to the headboard, his eyes sparkling with amusement when he sees the felted little green men that I placed there. He picks one up and turns it this way and that.
"Where did you get this?" he asks.
"I made it." I tease the doll from his fingers and place it back against the pillow. "It's one of the first UFO-themed crafts I ever made."
"Oh." River pauses, squinting. "That's... cool."
I harrumph. "Did you just come here to insult my felting abilities?"
He shakes his head. "No. I came here to move you to my house, like I said."
I sit up and give him a frank look. "Moving to your place in the Cape would mean I would be driving back and forth between here and your place a lot. It would double or triple my drive time."
River looks at me, confusion written plain across his face. "I just assumed that you would jump at the chance to get out of here. It's so cramped."
"It's not cramped," I snap back. "I'm economical with how I use my space. Besides, after your little announcement at dinner the other night, Aunt Delta has been muttering about renting my trailer out if I move. When the fake fiancée facade is over, I would have to find a new place to live. Do you have any idea how expensive rent is these days?"
