Chapter Nine
Milo – Monday
As I woke up the next morning, I was hopeful that Eliza would be in the kitchen, making me another cup of coffee. That stuff from that relic of a machine tasted a little thick and mud-like for my taste, but when she was making it, I didn’t mind. I would drink just about anything she gave me.
Especially when she was wearing those adorable rabbit pajamas. They weren’t sexy or lacy or anything, but I liked them just the same. To me, they just screamed “Eliza.” Not that I knew her too well just yet. She didn’t care about what others thought about her, not in the way that I was used to, and I found that incredibly refreshing.
There was something about Eliza, something inexplicable that made my heart race faster, that left me with a skip in my step. She made me feel younger and more carefree than I had in a very long time. I felt a sizzling chemistry between us, an addictive hum flowing all the time. While I knew that it was wrong and I had to behave, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting more of it. Quite frankly, I was obsessed.
But unfortunately, I found the kitchen very empty. It felt colder without her in it, and the colors were duller. She just made everything that much better, and she didn’t even have to try.
Hi, Milo, just letting you know that I’m at work. You know, just in case you were worried or something. I’ll see you later. Eliza.
The fact that she wrote in the same fast, bumbling way that she spoke made me hear her voice in my head. She was so much chattier than the sort of women I’d become accustomed to, but I guessed that was because they were putting on a front, that they only wanted one thing from me. Even Veronica hadn’t been much of a talker; she only said the words that needed to be said, but I guessed that was to make it easier for her to keep track of her lies.
“Okay,” I muttered quietly to myself. “I guess that it’s just me and Veil for the day.”
It made sense to use my time wisely, to try to get to know the town that I was going to call home for the next couple of months a little better. I’d seen some of it when I went to the grocery store with Eliza, but it wasn’t enough. If Justin was right and this was the sort of place that produced businesses worth investing in, then I needed to know more.
I glanced over at Veil, who was sitting by the window, as if he wanted to be let outside, so I unlocked the door for him. I went to step out myself, to enjoy the fresh air, but my dog just waited by my feet. He looked like he was waiting for someone, as if he was expecting someone back at any moment.
Could it be Eliza?
He liked her. He didn’t know much about her, either, but then animals never had to. They just made a snap decision, and as I’d found over time, they were a surprisingly good judge of character. The first time Veil met Veronica, he’d growled at her – that said it all.
“Sorry, buddy,” I told him, feeling like a total idiot. “We’ll see her later.”
For a brief second, he gave me a look like he understood what I was saying, but I quickly got rid of that thought from my brain. There was no way that he understood me: he was a dog. I wasn’t about to become one of those idiots. I shouldn’t have even been talking to him. What the hell was I doing?
“Anyway, it’s time to get the hell out of here.”
***
I had to admit that Florence was much more bustling and exciting than I’d first assumed; there seemed to be a whole lot going on. There were people everywhere, locals and visitors alike, and everyone seemed to have a genuine smile on their face.
This was nothing like Vegas, or anywhere in Nevada, to be honest – this felt much more real. This wasn’t a city of forced fun, it was just people enjoying themselves, and it made my heart pang for something so simple. I would have loved to settle down in the place like Florence; it felt much more like the brand-new me.
Maybe I would check out the fishing company later on in the week, with an open mind. Justin had emailed me all the details, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to look through it all. Now, though, I was starting to see that maybe I’d been wrong in my first impression. I’d dismissed it on instinct, but I’d been out of the game for ages. My instincts weren’t what they used to be.
I tied Veil up outside a sweet-looking coffee shop and went inside to get my caffeine fix. Inside, I was stunned to see that the place sold books, too. My casinos didn’t have anything particularly unique about them; they were just another link in the Vegas chain, spinning constantly and reeling in money. I loved them, of course, as they had provided me with my living, but I didn’t feel the same strength of love that I once had.
Not for any of it.
“Thanks, Roy,” the lady behind the counter called out to the guy who stood in the line in front of me. “We’ll see you later, okay?” Then she turned to me, giving me a welcoming smile. “Hey, what can I get you?”
“Coffee, please. Black.”
I examined the woman, eyeing up her name tag, which read Annie, as she poured me my drink, critically trying to work out her age. Is she the same age as Eliza? Can I ask about her? Florence seemed like the sort of place where everyone knew each other. It would be so easy to find out more about her...
Then again, if I did ask, Eliza would soon find out and that would be incredibly embarrassing, which I didn’t need. This situation was sticky enough without me going out of my way to make it any worse. How would I react to her asking what the hell I was thinking sneaking around behind her back to find stuff out? I would shrivel up and cringe; there wouldn’t be any defense. I didn’t think I would like it if she did it to me, so it only seemed fair to respect her privacy in return.
In the end, I simply took my drink and slinked back outside none the wiser. It was for the best. If I started to learn about Eliza, I could end up falling hard for her, and that wouldn’t be helpful for anyone. She would probably be gone tonight anyway, with her pipes fixed, and I would be left alone to get the peace and quiet I had wanted when I came here.
Only... that didn’t feel quite as appealing now. I felt like I would miss her chatter if she was no longer there. I would have to accept it, though. I couldn’t ask her to stay without sounding like a total weirdo. How would I even word that? “Oh, can you stay because I’m a crazy person who likes to listen to you talk?” No way; that would be far too humiliating.
***
By the time I arrived back at the cabin, I was increasingly convinced that Justin was onto something. I got the strong sense that Florence was an untapped market that could end up making someone a fortune... and I wanted that someone to be me. I felt on fire, anticipation was racing through my veins, and I was very excited to get started...
But I was instantly derailed by the sight of Eliza struggling inside with far too many bags for her to hold by herself. I leaped out of my vehicle and grabbed a couple from her, my mind racing. This wasn’t the sort of shopping that someone did for just one night. This seemed long term, which made me happier than it should.
“Is everything all right?” I asked her in what I hoped was a casual tone.
“Erm... Actually, there is something I have to tell you.” She bit down on her beautiful lip and looked up at me through her eyelashes. My mind instantly whirred, trying to work out what she was going to say, each possibility worse than the last. “The emergency plumber came to my apartment today, and he told the landlord that the place is going to be out of action for at least two weeks.”
Two whole weeks! That was going to be a heavenly torture for me. I was glad because I didn’t want her to go, but it was going to be hard. There wasn’t any doubt about that.
“I’m so sorry,” she continued. “I feel terrible about it. I can try and find somewhere else for a while, but for at least tonight...”
“No, please stay as long as you need to.” I grinned at her, my brain unwittingly thinking about all the positive things that could happen in that time... as long as it didn’t spin past too quickly. “It will be my pleasure.”
“I have brought some supplies to get us through. I hope that helps, and I will cook again to make up for it.”
“How could I turn down another one of your amazing meals?” I teased. “That sounds great, thank you.” I started to put some of the groceries away with her. “So, how was work today?”
I noticed her features instantly darken at that, which meant I had stumbled across a tricky subject. “Business is okay,” she finally said diplomatically. “I would love for it to be busier, but I’m sure that things will pick up.”
I couldn’t think of any reason that her salon wouldn’t constantly be bombarded with people, but it wasn’t exactly my area of expertise. There could have been hundreds of reasons. Maybe there was just too much competition. Some was fine, but too much could take down a business in a heartbeat, especially in a small place like Florence.
“I’m sure it will get better,” I told her lamely, wishing I had something better to say. I actually wanted to offer her some money, because I felt like she deserved it, but I got the sense that would upset her. She might assume that I saw her as a charity case or that I thought of myself as a big shot who could dole out cash to people I considered lower than me. Neither of which would have been true, but I couldn’t stand to see that look in her eyes.
Maybe I would be able to find another way to help her...
Is that why she suddenly started renting out this cabin? She could have sold it and made a decent sum, but she clearly had an emotional attachment to the place, and sometimes that trumped everything. I opened my mouth, about to suggest it anyway, before clamping it closed again. If this was another sensitive subject, then I didn’t want to cause any problems. I knew firsthand how painful things could be.
“I had a look around Florence today,” I told her to change the subject, figuring that was the safest course of action. “It’s nice! Even nicer than I was expecting.”
“Oh, I love it here,” she gushed, her expression totally brightening. “I grew up here with my grandma, and I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere else. It’s the perfect place for kids – lots to do, but safe, too. You know, if you want, I could always show you around properly. I’m not at the salon on Wednesday, Laynee has her intern in, so we could do it then if you want?”
“Sounds great,” I exclaimed happily, glad now that I had changed the subject. It had led to a promise of more one-on-one time with her, which could only be a good thing. “Thank you.”
As she pulled out a bottle of wine, I knew that we were truly teetering into dangerous territory now, but I didn’t care. If the last couple of years had taught me anything, it was that life was too short.
I had no intention of pursuing things with Eliza, however I felt about her, but if she wanted it to happen, then who was I to argue?
No matter how awkward it could make things afterward...
“Would you like a glass?” she asked me innocently enough.
“I would, thank you.” I nodded slowly. We would just have to see.