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I wasn’t careful enough moving my cart forward, and the bucket clanked as it scraped the wall.
Boone turned. “What are you doing?”
The scowl he shot my direction froze me in place. “My job.”
“Sneaking up on me?”
I took in a fortifying breath. Maybe I had been extra quiet, but I hadn’t tried to sneak up on him. “You told me the guests appreciated quiet.”
He huffed, turned, and left.
Jerkwad.He might have become more normal, but he still hated me.
A minute later, Irene appeared and invited me to clean alongside her to make the rooms go faster.
In talking with her as we worked through our sheets, it struck me how similar we’d been in high school. I’d taken an extra year to graduate after Dad had yanked me out of Peterville High in the middle of my senior year and taken us to Massachusetts. I’d used that time to take AP classes and gotten into a four-year college. Irene hadn’t. But look where we were now. Currently the same place, but this was just a temporary stop for me.
Maybe Boone hadn’t been the worst thing that ever happened to me. If I hadn’t complained to Mom and Dad that I couldn’t survive the last part of that school year after the humiliation, maybe we would have stayed. And maybe my path in life would have looked a lot like Irene’s—a daily dose of toilets and vacuum cleaners instead of computer keyboards.
* * *
When I got backto the house after work, I was relieved to find Boone’s car wasn’t there. Bumping into him again after the growl he’d given me this afternoon wasn’t high on my list.
Inside, I was greeted by the ever-cheerful Marge. “How was your day, dear?”
I thought about offering what I’d learned about Boone this afternoon, but I settled on a nondescript answer. “It was long. I think I’m gonna head to the cottage and relax with the dogs."
“I’m cooking my special pasta carbonara tonight,” Marge said, trying to tempt me. “It’s simmering on the stove right now.”
Even from this distance, the aroma was enticing, and my hunger prevented a quick escape. “Mind if I take it with me? I don’t feel very sociable tonight.” I lifted the ends of my hair. “And I smell like toilet cleaner.”
A concerned look crossed her face. “Is that nephew of mine working you too hard?”
I shrugged. “No. It’s just a different job than I’m used to, and I’m still acclimating to working with my arms instead of my fingers.”
“Sometime you have to explain to me exactly what your old job entailed. All that computer jargon is way beyond this old lady. But if you go real slow, I’m sure I can get it…in time.”
I laughed and followed her into the kitchen. “Marge, you don’t fool me with that poor-old-lady act.”
She served up a heaping portion of dinner, and it looked as delicious as it smelled. As she offered me the plate she said, “And one other thing—I need you to explain to this old lady exactly what has you and Boone rubbing each other the wrong way.”
Tonight was not the time to go through that. First Pris and now her. “Another day,” I lamented. “I really am tired tonight.”
She handed me the plate. “Another day.” Before I escaped to the cabin, she added a baggie. “Take this as well. I had chicken at lunch and saved some pieces for the dogs. Just don’t tell Grace. She thinks dogs shouldn’t be spoiled. Personally, I think everybody needs a little spoiling now and then.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” I assured her.
As soon as I opened the door to the cottage, all three dogs were on me. They almost made me drop the plate. Even King was off his bed and nosing me to get to the plastic bag of chicken. Evidently, this wasn’t the first time Marge had given them a side treat.
But I kept the food high enough to be out of their reach. “Hey, guys, we’re going outside first,” I said, shooing them outdoors.
Walking them around the grass and picking up after, I thought about what Marge had asked about me and Boone. For the life of me, I could only answer half that question. Outside of him being a jerkwad, why had we gone from kissing under the bleachers to him hating me?
That question wouldn’t go away. Sometimes my mouth had a way of spouting words I didn’t intend to let loose, and I was liable to yell that question at him the next time we crossed paths.
Shuddering, I realized I’d have to face him tomorrow and keep my mouth zipped. Maybe I could put it off until the day after or the day after that and this urge would go away.
My quick mouth had gotten me into plenty of trouble before, and blurting out that I thought he was an asshole certainly wouldn’t help my situation. Avoidance was the only safe alternative. I needed this job. I’d thought escaping from hell on earth with Kevin would improve my life immediately, but everything around me seemed intent on keeping me down. It was a long process, but I was determined to get there. Izzy tugged on my shoelaces.
