10

 

Eyes and fingers running over the primered walls, he admired the work Cali had done. She was good with a roller. Closing his eyes, he let his forehead rest on the window frame. There were hundreds of things he could be doing, should be doing, but the truth was, he didn’t feel like it. It had been a long day. Pushing off the wall, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went out on the front porch. He dropped down on the steps, forearms resting on his knees. Good intentions or not, he’d screwed up. They’d both been there, they could understand, but it didn’t mean they’d been through the exact same hell. As easy as it was around Cali, he needed to remember that.

The door opened behind him and he let his head drop.  He prayed she wasn’t still pissed and bringing it out here. The last thing he needed was to cause a scene in front of his new neighbors. Feeling her stare, his shoulders tensed. He waited for angry words and braced for flying objects. She closed the door, stepping out onto the porch. The shuffle of her steps sounded uncertain. Finally, she sat down beside him. He glanced at her, trying to gauge her mood. She was staring at the step, giving him nothing.

“I’m sorry.”

He wasn’t really sure what she was apologizing for, but was willing to play along to move on. “Me too. I should’ve said something before messing with your door.”

“It’s your house.”

“And your door. I should’ve realized it would be a trigger. I mean obviously, I knew you had trust issues or I wouldn’t have been installing a deadbolt on a bedroom door,” he mumbled, scrubbing his fingers through his hair.

“How did you know?”

“I heard you moving the paint cans around last night. It takes a while to settle into a new place and you don’t have a lot of reason to trust me.”

“You haven’t given me any reason not to. I’m just paranoid,” she said with a grimace. “You’ve been great. I’m the one that has been pushing buttons. I’m sorry if I offended you at dinner.”

He shrugged. “You’re right in that I have a food problem, just not like you think. I’m not picky or a snob. I’ll eat anything.” He took a deep breath. “I have hoarding issues.”

Cali shifted beside him but didn’t say anything. Stealing a look at her out of the corner of his eye, she wore a confused frown. Catching his look, she shook her head.

“Your house is clean. There isn’t even anything to be cluttered.”

“Not like that. I hoard food. It comes from going hungry too many times. I had a couple of different foster parents that strictly controlled food, locking it up, or withholding it as punishment,” he explained.

Pity and something like disgust flitted across her face. He shook his head forcefully.

“I have it under control. You’re not going to come home and find the place stacked to the rafters with tin cans and out of date TV dinners.”

“I’m sorry. You say hoarding and I think of those houses they show on TV.”

“It’s not like that. Food hoarding isn’t about things. It’s about surviving. If you’ve never had to worry when you’d be allowed to eat again it’s hard to understand. I guess it can get nasty like you’re thinking if unchecked. When I was in foster care I hid food in my room. Not only did it piss off the controlling assholes trying to starve me, but it drew bugs and mice.”

“Food was one thing that I never had to worry about at the Johnson’s. It might not have always been what I wanted, but there was plenty,” Cali said softly. “I’m sorry I took the jab at you. I didn’t know.”

Jarek shrugged. “How could you?”

“Did the Murphys…”

He shook his head. “No. It was before them. They just got stuck with the fallout of a messed-up kid.”

“What do you mean?”

“They had to deal with late night raids on their kitchen and the mess of me hoarding food in my bedroom. Once I got caught stealing microwave ravioli at the grocery store. I thought it was over, that I was headed for juvie. Somehow Mrs. M smoothed it over with the manager. I apologized and she took me home. I thought for sure the old man was going to beat the hell out of me. He put his big hand on the back of my neck and led me into the kitchen. He threw open every cupboard, the pantry, and fridge, and he said, ‘There’s always food here. Day or night, you’re welcome to it. It’s yours. There’re people out there that have to steal to eat. You aren’t one of them anymore. Don’t embarrass us like that again.”

“They sound like good people.”

“I was damn lucky,” he said, studying his boots. “Now that I’m on my own, one of the ways I’ve learned to control it is I allow myself to eat what I want. If steak or asparagus sound good, I buy it. If I’m craving a can of ravioli so be it.”

“That works?”

“For the most part. You’re still going to find packages of peanut butter crackers stashed in the truck’s glove box or in my tool box. I do get anxious toward the end of the week when the contents of the fridge are getting slim. Other than that, the worst side effects are an over full pantry and freezer.”

“All the better in the case of tornado, blizzard or zombie apocalypse,” she said with a silly grin.

He laughed. “I’m better than the Boy Scouts.”

The neighbors pulling up distracted them both. The couple got out of the car arguing. Her sharp voice carried in the quiet neighborhood as she gave her husband hell about the fallen tree that still covered their garage and Jarek’s. He felt for the guy as they caught bits and pieces of him trying to explain that the tree services were swamped with all the storm damage. The wife’s voice hit a high note that made Jarek wince. Cali giggled beside him.

“Glad you’re single?”

“At least glad I’m not married to her.”

She picked dried primer from around her thumbnail. “Are we okay?”

“As long as you don’t talk to me like that.”

“Promise.”

Her smile was amused but held a hint of relief. Jarek returned it, nudging her with his elbow.

“I think we’re good then. Thanks for listening.”

“I won’t blow smoke and say it was a pleasure, but I get it. And anytime.”

“Same to you,” he said and meant it.

 

 

The rest of the week went well. Cali painted during the day. He put up the crown molding and trim in the evening with her help. They worked well together. By the time Friday night rolled around the main floor was finished and Cali had spent the day mopping and polishing away the last of the drywall dust.

“This looks great,” he said, letting his gaze run over the gleaming dark hardwood and pale gray walls.

“Thanks. I thought it turned out beautiful. Oh, I put the last of the plug-in and light switch covers on, but we’re short one for the four-switch in the entrance.” 

“Right. Thanks for reminding me. They were out of the matching one when I bought the rest. They ordered a box while I was standing there so I should be able to pick one up tomorrow.”

His fingers ran over the tile and new mantle around the fireplace. Sure, he’d had an image in his head, but after so long under renovation it was amazing to see the vision finished.

“Now to save up for furniture and a man TV,” Cali said, spreading her arms wide to indicate the space over the mantle.

Jarek grinned but nodded. “I have a start. The sectional couch is on layaway and almost paid off.”

“Black leather?”

He made a face at her and she laughed. “It’s charcoal gray and not leather, smart ass.”

“Charcoal, that’s so much better.”

“If you know so damn much about decorating you can come with me tomorrow.”

“You bring the money and the muscle and I’ll be the taste and style,” she said with a sassy wink. “Stick with me bachelor boy and you’ll get laid yet.”

His grin widened and he raised a suggestive eyebrow in her direction.

“Oh, yeah?”

Color flooded her face and then she moved away with a huff. “In your dreams.”

Wandering over to the staircase she pulled the polishing rag from her left shoulder to wipe between a couple of the banister spindles. Mentally kicking himself for making things weird with the redhead, Jarek searched for something to break the awkward silence.   

“We’ve both worked our ass off this week. Why don’t we get cleaned up and go over to the pub for burgers and the game? We deserve a little relaxation before subjecting ourselves to the joys of furniture shopping.”

Cali shrugged. “I still owe you dinner and I could go for a burger.”

“Great. You better go first.”

She squinted at him as he waved toward the bathroom, but squared her shoulders and strolled past him.

“I’m going to ignore the insinuation that it takes me longer to get ready and take advantage of the hot water instead. Hope you like cold showers.”

She looked over her shoulder as she turned the corner, forcing Jarek to jerk his eyes away from the way her yoga capris clung to her tight little ass. He felt heat crawling up more than his neck and cheeks. What in the hell was wrong with him tonight? A cold shower sounded like a good idea.