One thing can be said about going through a traumatic experience with someone, and that is it really does bring you closer together. Or at least that’s how I feel after going through everything with him.
Hearing my cell ring from inside my bag, I glance at the clock on the microwave. “That’s probably Harris checking to see if I’m on my way.” I press up on my tiptoes and kiss him quickly, then duck under his arm before he can distract me with his hands or his mouth.
I start to pick up the brown paper grocery bag I’m taking with me off the counter, but he snatches it up before me, so I just grab my purse that I already packed and my shoes off the floor. With him behind me, I head for the stairway, then down to the entryway. I don’t know who he found to clean, but whoever it was did such a good job that I doubt even CSI could find evidence of blood with their fancy tools of the trade.
Before I reach the door, I stop to put on my heels, and as soon as I have them on, his hand shoots out, wrapping around the back of my neck, stopping me before I can turn for the door to open it. Then his mouth lands on mine, and he kisses me, making my belly dance. When he lets me go, it takes me a second to find the strength to open my eyes. “Be good today.”
“I’m going to work,” I remind him, sounding a little breathless.
“I know.” He opens the door, then walks me out to my car, leaving me near my door as he goes to the trunk placing the grocery sack there and I notice a dark SUV parked in one of the spaces across from my place, backed in so that the driver has a clear view of my front door. When I meet Gene’s gaze through the windshield I wave at him and he lifts his chin.
“You know he is more than welcome to come inside,” I tell Maxim as he opens my door for me.
“He won’t, he’s not really a people person,” he says and my nose scrunches.
“He has to be bored out of his mind.”
“He likes his own company.” He kisses my nose then lips. “Get in and buckle up.”
“Annoying,” I grumble, sliding into my seat then roll my eyes when he laughs.
“I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“See you when I get home.” I lean up as he ducks his head into my car to kiss me once more, this time hard and fast, then he lets me go and shuts the door. After putting on my seatbelt, I grab my cell from my bag, then back out of the driveway, waving at him, and he lifts his chin. As I drive out of my neighborhood, I press Harris’s number, and it rings on my car speaker.
“Are you on your way?” he answers, his voice sounding scratchy like he has a cold, then he sniffs.
“Are you sick?”
“I got a col-d.” He sounds totally put out, and I smile.
“You should be in bed.”
“I’ll be okay.” He starts to cough, and I shake my head.
“Go to bed; you need to rest.”
“I d-on’t need rest,” he says while Molly in the background shouts that she told him the same thing.
“Let Molly take care of you, and if you’re feeling better by Friday, you can go with me to Maxim’s closing, and we can all get lunch afterward. I know he wants to meet you guys.”
“Fine,” he groans, and I bite back the urge to laugh, knowing for sure that he will not appreciate me finding him being sick and missing work funny.
“Tell Molly about lunch Friday, and also remember my parents’ get-together Saturday evening.”
“I’ll tell her, and I haven’t forgotten-n.”
“Good, feel better, and make sure you rest.”
“I’ll try.” He hangs up.
As I drive, a knot forms in the pit of my stomach. With Harris out, I’m on my own today. I’ve never had any issues running an open house alone before, but given that they still haven’t caught the person who killed Meghan or Charlotte and that I will be there by myself at least for a couple of hours, it worries me. I think about calling Maxim, knowing he wouldn’t mind coming to hang out with me, but I don’t want to bother him since he’s working. After debating with myself for a few minutes, I call Matt to see if he can meet me at the house and stay there with me at least until realtors start to arrive, so I won’t feel so vulnerable. Thankfully, he agrees immediately.
I get to the house a few minutes before him, and when he pulls into the driveway to park, I get out with my purse and walk around to my trunk to get the grocery bag there.