I creep up the stairs making sure to skip the third step. It squeaks and always got me in trouble when I tried to sneak out of the house. That was before I learned to climb out of my window onto the tree in the backyard.
I reach the landing and pause to listen. Dang it. There is definitely water running in the bathroom.
Did Grandma leave the bath on? I nearly snort. What am I thinking? The people of Winter Falls would notice if an empty house was using extra water. Unnecessary water usage is a sin in this town. Think I’m kidding? Ask me why I have a scar on my chin sometime.
Which means someone is in Grandma’s house. How dare they? Who thinks they can use my grandma’s house when she hasn’t been gone a week?
I march to the bathroom and burst through the door. Steam fills the air preventing me from seeing much of anything, but I can make out an outline of a person on the other side of the shower curtain.
Someone’s using Grandma’s shower without her permission? Not on my watch.
I yank the shower curtain open. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The man whirls around. His eyes widen when he sees me. As do mine.
This can’t be happening. I must have fallen asleep on the plane from San Diego to Denver. No way ishein my grandma’s bathroom. Cash Evans. The rockstar sensation ofCash & the Sinners. And my high school sweetheart who dumped me on graduation day.
I pinch myself and yelp. Darn it. I’m awake. This is really happening. My life sucks.
Cash Evans is in my grandma’s shower. I can’t help but notice he’s no longer the boy I fell in love with. He’s a man. Those gray eyes that used to sparkle when he looked at me are now bracketed by laugh lines. And the bump on his nose from a brawl he had after a concert is new.
The boy I knew couldn’t grow a beard, but this man standing before me has several days of growth on his chin and cheeks. The look suits him.
My gaze travels further down to his chest. Oh my. The skinny boy I gave my virginity to no longer exists. This man is all muscle. My fingers tingle with the need to touch him. To feel every single inch of his skin. To test how strong those muscles are.
My heart speeds up and warmth spreads throughout my body at the memory of nights spent in this man’s arms.
What are you thinking, Indigo?
This is not the boy I fell in love with. He’s now a man. A man I don’t know. The boy I knew no longer exists. He hasn’t for a long time.
I growl at Cash. “What are you doing here?”
Katy Purry snarls at him.
Cash points to my kitty. “What the hell is that thing?”
I cuddle her close. “This is Katy Purry.”
“Katy Purry?” he spits out. “You named your cat after a pop star? A pop star?”
“Do not start with me. My musical taste is not up for discussion.”
He snorts. “Taste?”
I stomp my foot. “We are not discussing what music I listen to. We are never discussing what music I listen to. The question here is: what are you doing in my shower?”
He gulps. “Your shower?”
“Have all those concerts caused hearing loss?” I tap my chest. “Myshower.”
“But I’m renting this house.”
“You can’t be renting this house. My grandma owns it.”
“Grandma Saffron?” He smiles. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
My breath hitches and tears well in my eyes. “You can’t meet her. You can never meet her. She’s gone.”