Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47241 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47241 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
I stopped on the first step with my keys in my hand. “What old guy?”
“The one you asked me about the other day.”
“No, I asked about my friend—the one who’s my age.”
He shook his head. “No, you didn’t. You asked if I’d seen a man with a long white beard.”
Was everyone losing their minds? “Is he in my place right now?”
Jason nodded.
“And you’re one hundred percent positive he didn’t go into Mrs. Larson’s apartment?” Could be a friend of hers.
“Yeah.”
“Errr…” I didn’t believe him. I took the stairs, sailing past Jason, who followed me to my door.
“I would’ve stopped him, but he said he was your guest,” Jason added. “He had a key and everything.”
I shoved my key in the door, but it was already unlocked. I opened the door slowly and peeked inside my living room.
“Hello?” I heard the shower running, so I went to the door and knocked. “Hello?”
“Hey, Meri. I’ll be out in a sec,” Beau called out.
I looked at Jason and then the door. Jason then door.
“Umm…it’s my friend’s dad. He loves showering at my place. I forgot he was coming,” I said, just so Jason wouldn’t worry. But it was definitely Beau in there.
He arched a brow. “Ohhh-kaaay.” Jason headed out to the hallway.
“Thanks for keeping an eye on things. See you later.” I gave him a little wave, and Jason closed the door behind him. A few moments later, Beau came out of the shower with a towel around his waist. His wet muscular abs glistened like twinkling white lights, hypnotizing me.
Goddamn, he’s so sexy.
“Meri?” Beau snapped his fingers, grinning. My drooling probably amused him.
“Oh, uh…” I pointed toward the front door. “My downstairs neighbor said he saw some old guy coming in here.”
“Old guy?”
“Yeah, with a white beard.”
Beau suddenly started acting strange—avoiding eye contact, serious expression. “It’s just me in here.” He grabbed some clothes from his red duffel bag next to the couch.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“If you have someone here, you can tell me,” I said.
“But I don’t.”
“Jason saw the same man hanging around your tent once, too, so clearly he’s a friend of yours.” I went to the hall closet and checked inside.
“What are you doing?” Beau asked.
I went to my bedroom and checked the other closet. There was nothing but clothes. I got on my knees and looked under my bed.
“Meri,” Beau barked.
I looked up at him. “Why are you lying to me? I know someone’s here.”
“There’s no one.”
“Did they go out the fire escape?” I got to my feet and looked out the window.
“You don’t have a fire escape,” he said.
“Good point, but why are you lying to me?” The idea of it triggered me on every level. I’d trusted a person I didn’t know and allowed them into my home. I’d started to care about him deeply, too. The thought of being lied to by him made me feel like the world’s biggest sucker.
“I’m not lying,” he said firmly.
We locked gazes for a long moment. My head was spinning, and my stomach was telling me to open my eyes. Something was off about this entire situation.
“Meri,” he said, breaking the silence, “I need to dress and get to work, but—”
“Maybe letting you stay here was a bad idea. I don’t even know you, Beau.”
His blue eyes filled with a subtle pain. “Funny. I was about to say that you know me better than anyone, and that our friendship means everything to me. I wouldn’t ruin it by lying to you over nothing.”
“That’s the thing; maybe it isn’t nothing.” Maybe he was lying for a much bigger reason. At the end of the day, I did not know this man. “I have to hit the road, but please be gone by the time I get back.” I’d return on Monday, which left him plenty of time to pitch a tent or make other arrangements.
“Meri, I—”
“Stop, okay?” I grabbed my packed suitcase from the corner. “I know you’re lying. I just don’t know why, and frankly, it doesn’t matter.”
“You mean our friendship doesn’t matter,” he said bitterly.
“I never should’ve meddled in your life. You were happy doing your camping thing, wandering the globe, being a free bird. You just happened to come along at a time in my life when everything’s on the verge of changing. I probably just used you to avoid facing the fact I’m turning thirty on Christmas, and I have nothing to show for it.”
“Your birthday is on Christmas?”
“Yes, and I throw myself a big party every year to celebrate, claiming it’s for Christmas because I don’t want presents or cake. I just enjoy having my friends around. But they’re all starting to move on, and I’m here trying to fix a hobo instead of focusing on the one person who really needs my attention. Me.”