Page 63 of Seale the Deal

The question catches me off guard a little. The honest answer is I wanted to see you. I can’t say that, though, because I’m not supposed to feel that way, at least not to the intensity that I am.

Instead, I shrug casually and say, Just worked out.

Well, thank you, she says, and then she smiles.

I smile back as I close her door and head toward the driver’s side, reminding myself to keep things in perspective. I climb into the driver’s seat and start the engine.

So what are we going to do when we get to your house? she asks. It’s a little early for you.

A good question with an answer I don’t have. I’d been so focused on picking her up to spend time with her that I hadn’t thought about that, so I say the first thing that comes to mind. I have a pressure valve that needs changing.

She quirks a brow. You want to do plumbing repairs together?

Don’t knock the power of knowing a few basic plumbing things. Even in a big city, it can be vital knowledge. The last sentence doesn’t feel great to say and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

I know it shouldn’t, considering why we’re doing this, but it does. I’m reluctant to examine that too closely, worried that the second I let emotion into the equation, logic won’t stand a chance, the very thing this arrangement was built on.

She lets out a laugh. Well, as fun as spending my afternoon plumbing sounds, I’ll pass.

You don’t know the excitement you’re missing out on, I tease as I pull to a stop at one of the two stoplights in town.

I look over at her, and the corner of her mouth turns upward, though her eyes stay fixed on the windshield. Maybe one day, I’ll let you teach me.

My heart gives an unexpected kick as I turn my attention back to the road. The thing is, I don’t even care whether we ever touch a wrench. I just want time with her.

Yeah? I say.

Yeah, she responds. One day.

Even if it’s only for a little while, I find myself hoping for as many one days as possible before this is over.

We drive in silence for another moment, and then Wrenley asks, Have you always lived in Alpine Harbor?

The question feels a little out of nowhere, but not in a bad way. Actually, I kind of like that she wants to know a little more about me.

I shrug one shoulder. More or less. I did a stint in Anchorage for college, but even then, I spent most of my time out of town, working on a reindeer farm.

For Santa?

I laugh. Something like that.

What brought you back? she asks, sounding genuinely curious.

Ended a relationship, I say. And my family too. I missed them. I’m glad I moved back, though. Those last few years with my parents were special to me.

She nods, and just like the first time we talked about my parents, I like that she doesn’t say things like I’m sorry for your loss. Like I put my parents down and couldn’t find them again instead of them being ripped from me before I was ready to say goodbye. And in the case of my mom, before I even had a chance to.

What about you? I ask, wanting to think of anything else. Did you ever imagine you’d end up here?

She snort-laughs, and it’s adorable. I like that she doesn’t look embarrassed to have made the sound in front of me.

I didn’t even know Alpine Harbor existed until I met Remi, she says, then shakes her head. No. I think if you’d asked the version of me that existed before my ex came along, I’d have told you I saw myself designing costumes for indie films. I’d still be hoping, somehow, to work my way onto big blockbuster projects. Historical pieces, mostly. I love the little details in those costumes, the touches you just don’t see in modern clothes.

It’s hard not to smile when Wrenley talks about sewing. I can hear the passion in her voice and see how much it means to her. She glows in a way that’s impossible to ignore.

What changed when you met him?

Well, he was the owner and CEO of a huge fashion house, she says. He did this seminar when I was in the final year of my master’s, and afterward, a bunch of us went out for drinks. She shrugs one shoulder. One thing led to another.