And that energy output wouldn't touch the packing I still had to do.
“Rae?” I called out.
“Hmm?”
I closed the door behind me. “Where are you?”
“On the couch.”
I locked the door and turned the corner into the living room. She sat there with a book in her lap, clutching a coffee mug. But it didn’t have coffee in it. I saw the string and the tab from a tea bag fluttering over the side. Her damp hair with the smell of lavender told me everything I needed to know.
I grinned. “Did you have your last bath in this dingy old apartment?”
She didn’t look up from her book. “Yes.”
“Well, it smells good.”
She nodded absentmindedly. “Thanks.”
I sensed her mood and guilt seized my gut. I knew we had plans to pack together, but Mike and I had gotten on a roll. What started out as a steak lunch quickly morphed into an adventure to redo the crown molding throughout the house. And damn it, the place looked great. It was completely ready for us to move into tomorrow.
I knew Rae would understand that once she saw the place.
“So do you want to eat first? Or pack while we eat?” I asked.
She sipped her tea. “Already did it.”
“Already ate?”
“No. Already packed.”
I felt my face pale. “Shit. I’m so sorry, Rae.”
“It’s fine.”
“I wanted to help you. Seriously. It’s just--”
“You stayed out late. It happens.”
I walked over to her. “You didn’t do all of it, did you?”
She nodded. “Your office, the rest of the kitchen, and the bathroom.”
I winced. “Did you happen to save what was on my laptop first?”
She snapped her book closed. “I’m not an idiot, Clint.”
“I know. I know. I just--I was asking. That’s all.”
She finally
looked up at me. “I didn’t know how late you’d be. And you know I don’t like leaving things to the last minute. I had to get it done to have a clear head. It is what it is. You're welcome.”
The food dropped from my hands as I sat down next to her on the couch. I placed my hand on her thigh, but she didn’t lean into me. Hell, she didn’t even look at me. All she did was flip her book back open. I mean, she didn’t even twitch!
“Look. I know I haven’t been home as much these last few weeks like I said I’d be. But, there’s a good reason for it, I promise.”
She nodded. “And what’s that?”