Page 38 of Truck Me
We just finished eating dinner, and my parents and Rayne have settled in front of the TV to watch a movie. Just like with the lasagna, I made two pans of enchiladas, so I’d have extra to take to Garret. I’m not hesitating tonight. As soon as the kitchen is clean, I put on my coat and gloves and head out the back door.
The sun hasn’t completely set behind the hills, so there’s still plenty of light to guide me across the yard and through the woods. When I reach Garret’s house, his door is cracked.
I give it a light knock. “Hello? Are you in here?”
I wait. When he doesn’t answer, I knock again, only this time louder. He still doesn’t answer. After a quick scan of his yard, I don’t see him or Bullet. His truck is parked in the driveway, so I know he’s home.
Not wanting to carry the dishes back to the house, I slowly push open the door. His light is on, but I don’t see him.
“Garret!” I call out, but I’m greeted with silence.
After waiting a few more seconds, I step inside. I’ll just leave this on the counter for him with a note. Once I’ve set the food on the counter, I slip off my gloves and stuff them in my coat pocket.
Glancing around, I don’t see a desk or anything that suggests it’d hold pen and paper. The few drawers he has in his kitchen contain a limited selection of utensils and flatware. The cabinets are stocked with food and even less cookware. He has one pot and one skillet. Nothing more.
He might have a desk in the loft, but there’s no way I’m climbing up there. I don’t want to be caught anywhere near his bed. Instead, I walk down the narrow hallway where all I find is a laundry room with a stacked washer and dryer, a walk-in closet, and a full-sized bathroom.
I half expected to find a tiny bathroom like the ones I’ve seen in RVs with barely enough leg room to sit on the toilet, but his bathroom is nice—like luxury nice. He has a tub and everything. And not one of those prefab fiberglass tubs, either. It’s a free-standing soaker tub with a waterfall faucet and shower head. He even has frameless glass doors blocking off the shower and tub from the rest of the bathroom.
The flooring throughout is a mix of light and dark brown pebbles, and the walls of the shower are some kind of light-colored rough stone. The rest of the walls are painted a pale blue. The vanity is a dark wood that looks more like a converted antique piece with a marble countertop and blue glass bowl-style sink. There isn’t any decor on the walls, but this bathroom doesn’t need it. The features speak for themselves.
Color me impressed. Garret Mutter has style. The rest of his tiny house is nice, but this bathroom is a dream.
I step out of the bathroom, head back down the short hallway, and freeze when I come face-to-face with a very angry Garret. When our eyes lock, his expression softens, but only slightly. Then he crosses his arms over his chest and forces his scowl back into submission.
Bullet rushes toward me, wagging her little stump.
“Hey, girl.” I kneel next to her and rub her neck.
“Bullet!” Garret barks. “Go lay down.” She immediately stands, drops her head, and makes her way to her doggy bed in the corner. When I look back at Garret, he’s frowning. “You shouldn’t enter someone else’s home when they’re not here.”
“Sorry.” I wince. “Your door was open.”
“That doesn’t mean you have the right to enter.”
“I know. I brought you more food, and I didn’t want to carry it back to the house. I was looking for something to write on so I could leave a note.”
The scowl on his face melts away, and he drops his arms to his side. “You brought more food?”
I can’t stop the smile that lifts my lips. He sounds almost hopeful, and that pleases me way more than it probably should. “I did.”
He nods toward the dishes I sat on the counter. “What did you bring me this time?”
He doesn’t sound put out anymore. Now, he sounds almost excited about what it might be.
“Chicken enchiladas and brownies.”
His head drops back, and a low groan rumbles out of his chest, making me laugh.
“Have you eaten yet?” I manage through my laughter. “I can warm some of this up for you, if you’d like?”
“Yes.” His one-word response comes out all deep and throaty, and it causes my laugh to instantly drop. A tingling sensation starts in my chest and quickly runs through my entire body.
I shake my hands at my sides, trying like hell to hide how his response affects me. I find his plates quickly and dish up a couple of enchiladas before I pop them in the microwave. They don’t need long since the pan was still warm when I left the house.
When I turn around, Garret is standing right next to me. He’s so close I can feel the rise and fall of his chest against my arm. His eyes flicker back and forth between me and the plate of food in my hands. The heat in his gaze is intense, and I’m not sure if it’s for me or the food. It could be either.
“You really shouldn’t be here.” The low tone of his voice reverberates in my chest.