Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
With a goodnight to both of us, she disappeared out of the kitchen.
“Want some hot chocolate?” I asked as I held up a Tigger mug.
Cadie’s mouth opened but then quickly shut. Her eyes looked confused as her gaze searched my face, the kitchen, then back to my face.
“You don’t have to feel like you need to keep me company. I just need to heat up some before I head to the room Sally made up for me.”
Her mouth dropped open once again, but she remained silent.
I scooped some hot chocolate mix into my mug as I said, “I’m guessing I’ll only be here tonight. Once the repair guy comes tomorrow, I’ll have heat back at my place.”
Sally had added milk to the glass kettle. She was right; the milk was already boiling. I took it off and poured the milk into my mug. I looked at Cadie and silently asked her about the hot chocolate. She grabbed the mug, put some hot chocolate in, and stepped back for me to pour the milk in.
“Thank you,” she softly said as she slid onto one of the stools. I put the mix back into the pantry, poured the leftover milk out, and set the kettle back on its heating element. Once I unplugged it, I sat at the island’s opposite end.
“I’m sorry I scared you.”
She held the mug with both hands while she blew on the hot chocolate. “It’s okay.”
“Do you always scare so easily?”
Her eyes lifted and met mine. “I’m in a strange house, Kian. I heard the front door open and then heard voices in the kitchen. Of course, I would be scared.”
“Voices? It was just me.”
She looked at me like she wanted to throat-punch me. “How was I supposed to know you would be down here talking to yourself?”
I nodded. “Fair point.”
We sat silently for a few moments as we sipped the hot chocolate.
“So? What do you think?” I asked as I set my mug down.
“This is delicious hot chocolate.”
“I know! I was so happy to see it in the pantry.”
A smile played at the edges of her pretty mouth.
Don’t look at her mouth, Kian. No matter how soft and kissable it appears.
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a hot chocolate guy.”
I pretended to be offended by her remark. “I am a huge hot chocolate lover. Don’t tell Sally, but Opal makes the best hot chocolate.”
She took another sip and set her mug down. “She does. She made some for me after we ate with her the other day. When did your heater go out?”
“Earlier today. I think I noticed it around seven. By then, it was too late to call someone, and I figured I could just layer up, and I would be fine. Turns out I was wrong. That house must be terribly insulated because it was so cold in there I could see my breath. I finally called it and decided to come up here.”
“I don’t blame you,” she said, again picking up her mug. “It’s freezing outside. Which is crazy to me because we were eating ice cream and sitting outside the other day.”
I laughed. “That’s Upstate New York for ya. Granted, we were probably crazy for eating ice cream when it was in the forties.”
“It was so good though!”
I chuckled. “I won’t be here more than one night. I’m sure the heater guy can come by tomorrow and fix whatever is wrong.”
“Kian, this is your house. I’m the one who is staying as a guest, not you.”
Smiling, I replied, “I get that, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable with me being here.”
She shrugged. “Sally is here, and I’ll be fine.”
I finished off my hot chocolate and stood. “Done?”
Cadie took another drink and then handed me the mug. “Thanks, that hit the spot.”
“I’m just going to wash these up quickly, then head upstairs. Again, I’m sorry if I scared you. I really should have at least sent a text.”
“Nah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I overreacted. I’m glad you’re warm now. Sweet dreams.”
A sudden urge to pull Cadie into my arms and hug her goodnight hit me, and I took a step away from her as I pushed my hand through my hair. “Yeah, sleep well.”
She smiled before turning and walking out of the kitchen. I leaned against the counter and looked up at the heavens. “Please let the heater be fixed tomorrow.”
Staring at the heater repair guy I hadn’t ever met before, I asked, “Are you certain?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Yes, I’m certain. This isn’t my first time figuring out what is wrong with a heating unit. You need a new one.”
My hand instantly went to the back of my neck to rub at the ache that was beginning. “And Tom wasn’t able to make it out?”
A look of frustration instantly appeared on the guy’s face, and I knew I had fucked up. He was offended now, and I would probably never get a new heater, at least from this guy.