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“And that’s the problem.”
“You can’t solve this for her.” Rowdy eyes me as if I don’t understand.
“I can’t take away her pain, but I can hold her hand through it.”
Rowdy smiles, his gold tooth in the back gleaming. “Good luck. That shell is thick and strong from years of keepin’ her pain hidden.” He pats me on the back. “I have to get ready for my next one, and don’t worry, the fish costume ain’t that bad.”
He steps off my boat and walks over to his more modest fishing boat. I’m not even sure he offers snacks. But the man knows his clientele well. They’d probably just chuck snacks overboard.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and type out all the supplies I need to give Chevelle the payback she deserves after ruining my best charter of the month.
* * *
Later that night, I’m sitting at the kitchen table in the dark, trying unsuccessfully to work on my laptop. Anything to distract me from my feelings for Chevelle. It was so much easier when we didn’t live together. When I didn’t have to witness the small moments in her life. When I didn’t know what she looks like when she gets up in the morning, or what TV shows she likes to unwind with at the end of a long day, or how she takes her coffee.
“Damn it!” I hear, then bang, bang, bang and a plate crashing and breaking on the floor. “Shit.”
I jump out of the chair and rush out of the room, flicking on the light in the foyer.
“Turn it off!” Chevelle yells, so I quickly turn the light back off. “I’m naked.”
You have to be fucking kidding me.
“Do you have someone over? I thought we said no guests.” My hands fist at my sides.
“No.” She huffs. “I sleep naked.”
“Oh hell, why’d you just tell me that?” I whine. Now I’ll be imagining her in bed every night not wearing a stitch of clothes.
“A lot of people sleep naked.”
“I know that, it’s just…” I huff. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I was just bringing a plate down. I didn’t think you were still awake! I slipped on the stairs, and when I went to catch myself, the plate fell and broke. I don’t want to step on any of the pieces. Can you get me a shirt and shorts to put on?”
“In order to do that, I have to go up the stairs.”
“Shit,” she says.
“I’ll cover my eyes. Let me just turn on the light.”
“No! You’ll see me naked.”
“Well, the only piece of clothing I have on is my track shorts.”
“Perfect, give them to me.”
I roll my eyes. “Then I’ll be naked.”
She’s silent for a moment. “Well, be the gentleman anyway.”
I laugh. “I’ve seen naked women before.”
“And I’ve seen naked guys.”
“In fact, I saw you naked for a split second in Hawaii… remember?” My blood heats from thinking about that flash of bare skin I saw when we had to share a room and ran into each other when she was coming out of the shower wearing just a towel.
“Well then, it’s time for me to see you naked. Give me the shorts.”
