Page 88 of Unlikely to Stay
Chapter 20
Freckles had fallen asleep about halfway back to Parker, her head leaned over to rest on his shoulder.He breathed in the smell that always accompanied her everywhere she went and smiled.This feeling was something he could get used to.
His mom was being honest when she told CC he had never brought another woman home.None of the other women he had ever dated had been good enough to take home to meet his mom.That was meant for a very special someone.As he ran his thumb back and forth over the top of CC’s hand, he couldn’t help but think that someone was her.
He knew they had only known each other for a short time but his feelings for her had grown stronger with each day he was around her.Maybe it was because of the close proximity in which they were working, but then he discounted that idea.If that was the way things worked, he and Patty would be happily married with two point five kids by now.
No, it was the essence of who Freckles was as a person.What she did for the community on a daily basis.He might fix the peoplemedicallybut Colleen…she listened and helped heal their souls.Helped bring self-confidence back into their lives.Helped make them feel beautiful again.Everyone loved her.If the auction hadn’t proven it, he could tell by the way people smiled when they spoke about her, the confidence in their walk after they left her shop.
All too soon, he was pulling behind the café, the lights of his car shining on the stairwell leading to her apartment.“Freckles,” he whispered against her hair.“Time to wake up.You’re home.”
She raised her head of his shoulder and looked at him sleepily.“I fell asleep?”
“You fell asleep,” he said with a soft smile.
“I’ve always been a horrible traveling companion.Riding in a car always lulls me to sleep.”
He kissed her on top of the head.“I didn’t mind at all.”
“Do you want to come up?We can watch an episode ofStranger Things.”
Brant couldn’t think of anything else he’d rather do.“What episode are you on?”
“Doesn’t matter.If you’re ahead, you can start where I am.If I’m ahead, I can go back to where you are.”
“Fair enough.Lead the way.”
They both exited the car, Brant taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.The last thing he wanted her to do was fall off the staircase because she was half asleep.He’d already had to stitch up her finger.He wasn’t going to put a cast anywhere on her body.
CC opened the door with the key on a furry, poofy, round keyring she pulled out of her purse and motioned him in.He stepped into the apartment’s small kitchen first, its walls painted a pale turquoise, the cabinets bright purple.The small living room was just on the other side of the wall, the wood floors covered with a large, fluffy red and white checkered rug.What he could see of the oversized couch was white…the rest of it was covered in pillows.Small sequined purple pillows.Large red velvet pillows.Yellow and green striped pillows.Black furry pillows.
An old wooden dresser painted black was facing the couch, a flat screen television on top.To Brant’s amusement, a variety of paintings with seemingly no correlation were hung on her wall.
“Before you begin asking, Sadie, Annie, and Breckin wanted to help me decorate,” she said, rolling her eyes and sighing.“I should never had told them I didn’t care what they did.I could barely contain theircreativity.So now I have this hodge podge.”
At her words, the pictures on the walls began to make sense.A field of kittens of all shapes and sizes.That was Annie.A brightly colored‘Read, y’all’poster.Definitely Breckin.A collage of different shapes, sizes, and colors of cakes.For sure Sadie.This room was an homage to her friends.Now that he was paying attention, he also noticed a pillow with an embroidered elephant on it, an‘I’d rather be reading’one, and one that said‘Got cake?’
“I live in an apartment that looks like something a thirteen year old girl would choose if her mom gave her free rein,” she said with a sigh.“Every time I think about changing it, I get a headache.It would be too much work.Besides, I really don’t even hang out in the living room.”
“If you’re not in the living room, where do you stay?”
“My bedroom.I’mthe one who decorated it.And it’s my sanctuary.”CC opened the door on the wall behind the couch and smiled.“You may enter.”
As soon as he crossed the threshold, Brant smiled.Thisroom…this room looked like her.Soft peachy colored walls, a brightly colored comforter.Paper lanterns casting the room in a soft glow.A headboard that matched the color of the couch in her salon.
“Thisroom looks like you,” he said.“Is the color of your headboard the same color as your couch in the salon?”
CC grinned.“Good observation skills, Snaps.I actually upholstered both of them myself.Saw the fabric on sale at the Hobby Lobby in Lakeview and had to get it.”
“Snaps?Really?You’re using that horrible nickname again?”
Her sapphire eyes twinkled in amusement.“Is it reallythatbad?”
Brant pulled her to him and looked into her eyes.“Honestly, Freckles?You could call me whatever you wanted and I’d be okay with it.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I absolutely adore you.”