Page 97 of Fight
“That’s what I thought. Pack a bag. We’ll come back for the rest of your stuff tomorrow.”
She nods, still backing away from the unwelcome rodent. “Okay… Okay, yup.” Keeping it in her sights, she picks up her backpack, the one I’m all too familiar with. She stuffs it with a few necessary things like her phone charger, some toiletries, a sweatshirt, socks, underwear, and her EMT uniform. “Wait, I work tomorrow. I can follow you in my car to your house.”
“I’ll take care of it. We can pick up your car in the morning.” I’m done spending any more time here. We already know we can get along in close quarters.Mostly.It doesn't have to be forever, but I like the idea of her at my place where I know she’ll be safe.
My skin feels like it’s crawling after seeing that thing. Rats give me the heebs. Only a few hours earlier I was sleeping on the mattress while it was tiptoeing around my apartment. It was an easy decision.
“I don’t even know where you live.” The man owns my heart, and I have no idea what his home is like. I shake off the feeling. It’s not like our situation is conventional. Not by a long shot. There’s already a chasm of loss forming in my chest, but for now, I’ll pretend and enjoy what few weeks I have left with Callahan. There’s no use in moping through them.
“It’s not far. But you should know the living room is currently under construction.”
“Rats?” I ask.
“Happy to say my place is rat free.”
“Marvelous.”
He turns onto Spencer Avenue, and I squirm in my seat. This is the street my house is on. My lips part slightly as we approach the modest Victorian. I hope we drive far enough down so I can point it out to him. When it comes into view, a smile spreads across myface.
“There’s a house I wanna show you,” I tell him, straightening my spine and leaning forward.
“Okay.” He chuckles. “Where?”
Just as I’m about to point it out, he flips on his blinker and slows, turning into the driveway that runs parallel to the house.Myhouse. My jaw drops.
He cranes his neck to look around, then his eyes find mine again. “What house is it?”
“You live here?” I point out the window, like an idiot. “Th-th-this house?”
His head cocks to the side. “Yesss?”
I clap a hand over my mouth. “I run by this house! Like all the time!” Leaning forward, I peer through the windshield to get a better view. I can’t take my eyes off it.
He matches my excitement. “No way! So do I!”
Shaking my head, I cup his bicep. “No, you don’t understand. This ismyhouse. I mean, it’syourhouse, but… but it’s also my house.”
He slides the back of his hand over my forehead. “Are you sure Matt gave you the all-clear this morning?”
I’m still staring out the window, dumbstruck. It’s dark, but I can make out enough of it thanks to a couple streetlights and the ones brightly glowing on the exterior of the house.
“No, I’m fine. I just, I love this house. That’s why I was always running here. I would go by it on purpose because I love it so much. It’s my dream house.”
He laughs. “Seriously?”
“Yes!” I say with a huge smile. “I’ve always wondered what the inside looks like, who lived here, and what their life was like. I thought it was a family of four. One time I came by, there was a couple and they had two ki—Oh! I bet that was your sister's family!”
“They drop in every now and then, check on the house if I’m away for an especially long assignment.”
My eyes get misty. “I just—I just can’t believe you livehere. I—Can I see the inside?”
His house has been a tangible goal that I’ve been working toward since arriving to Sky Ridge and I never knew it.
Cal winces. “Oooh, I had plans for us to camp out tonight. I hear fresh air is really good for you,” he replies with a smirk, then opens the driver’s door. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
Bounding out of the truck, I hurry behind him toward the front door. It’s even more charming up close. Following him up the steps, my eyes trace every ornamental bracket and floorboard on the wraparound porch. Unbelievable.
He unlocks the door and holds it open for me to enter. I want to pinch myself.