Before I forgot my head altogether, that was. I’d tucked them in one of the pockets of my dress. Taking them out, I handed them to him. The second our fingers brushed, my whole body just hummed. Holy hell!
He chuckled, taking a step back before looking over his shoulder as someone called his name. I followed his gaze. A knockout blonde and a young girl who seemed to be the spitting image of both Robert and the woman stood on the pavement in front of the house.
“Home, sweet home,” the woman said, grinning. The girl ran straight toward Robert, hugging his middle.
Robert moved toward the blonde. I followed suit, even as a weight landed in my chest.
“Skye Winchester,” I said, holding out my hand to the woman.
“Hi! Great to meet you. Thank you for finally convincing this stubborn mule to decide on a house. He kept us all on our toes.”
After dropping her hand, the woman affectionately pinched Robert’s arm.
“Nice to meet you too. Well, I’m done here, so I’ll leave you all to get settled in,” I said before walking toward my house. I inhaled deeply several times, trying to make sense of this. Once I was inside my house, I paced around, unable to sit or even stand still.
I couldn’t believe it. He was actually flirting with me seconds ago before his wife and daughter walked up. At least, I thought that was his daughter and wife? It wasn’t totally impossible, even though the status on his application said single and that it would be a one-person household. So maybe not his wife but a very steady girlfriend. It had to be; the uncanny resemblance between him and the young girl was evident.
I’d flirted with him, and he’d flirted right back!
I pressed a palm to my chest, trying to calm down and be rational. Was I being naive again?
It had happened once before, before we opened the store, when I was still working full-time. This guy who’d recently started there had flirted with me like there was no tomorrow. I’d then found out from a coworker that he had a girlfriend. I still remembered the humiliation and that deep ache at knowing I’d just been a joke to him. Not to mention the guilt. It was nagging at me now too. I would never, ever intentionally—knowingly—date someone who was involved in a relationship.
How was I supposed to face Robert now? Or his... partner? Actually, I didn’t have to face them at all. My involvement was over. Except for that tiny little detail that he lived next door.
Well, I’d handle it somehow.
I had shit luck when it came to dating. The last guy I went out with, Dean, broke up with me after Tess and I had had a horrendous week. The investor we were talking to had dropped us. Since we’d already budgeted the money, it forced us to go back to the drawing board. It had been intense, and I’d felt completely defeated. Instead of comforting me, Dean said life was too short for him to waste time with someone who moped around all the time. Jackass.
Yeah... I hadn’t been on a date since. Honestly, I didn’t mind. With everything going on with the business and helping my neighbors with their house, I’d been crazy busy. I’d been varying between being single and dating for a few years anyway and hadn’t been in a real relationship since college.
I wasn’t exactly a romantic, but was it too much to ask to meet a guy who was decent and loyal? Someone who didn’t make me feel small and meaningless?
I shook my head, focusing on all the great things I had. My life was full as it was, with my family, the business, and the Ballroom Galas. I liked having complete freedom. I was so comfortable now with doing what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it, that I wasn’t totally sure I’d like to be in a full-on relationship anyway.
After we lost our investor, Tess and I decided to grow the business at our own pace. With an investor, we could pour more money in product development, even open more stores, but for now, we were grateful that our store was bringing in solid sales and profits, enough for us to live comfortably on.
To take my mind off everything that had just happened, I called Mom while sitting on my indoor swing. It was one of those modern ones with a half-moon metal railing and a rattan cocoon hanging off it. They were meant for outside, but I’d brought it in once during a storm, and it had looked so stylish and cozy that I left it here.
It went well with my white furniture and pale pink couch. My bedroom was upstairs, in white and pink tones too. Several friends had mentioned that I had a “girly house,” but well, I was a single woman renting the place of my dreams.
This house was very small compared to the others on the street, which was lucky for me, because the owner had had trouble renting it out. Most people who moved to the suburbs had kids and needed more space, so he’d lowered the rent enough that I’d thought it was a mistake when I first saw the listing.
My mom didn’t answer, but the second I disconnected, I saw a notification from the WhatsApp group I had with my family (well... except Mom, because some things were not for parental eyes to see).
Ryker: Anyone else dying for the weekend to start?
Cole: Hell yes. How are my favorite ladies doing?
I loved how the roles in our family had reversed. Tess and I used to fuss over our younger brothers, even after they finished college, so they wouldn’t burn out with all they were doing. Now they were the ones fussing over us, checking in on us regularly, making us take breaks.
Tess: I’m now indulging in an ice cream.
Skye: I’m already home.
Ryker sent a few pictures of a gorgeous view of a lake surrounded by green. I knew what that was before he explained: he’d gotten engaged recently, and he and his fiancée were planning a wedding in December. The venue was at a restaurant located on a lake outside New York.
Skye: Ooooh, that is beautiful.