After introducing myself to Leo, I walk across the hall, and throw a glance over my shoulder. I beam at him in an encouraging way. A trust-me-I’m-harmless face. This is no time to fall prey to paranoia. He can’t know I’ve been in his apartment.

He’s watching me with these cute wrinkles marring his forehead. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he’s absolutely terrified of me—a comical thought. When I pilfered through his belongings, I left everything in place, but maybe…just maybe, he’s noticed me watching him.

I’ll have to back off from the overly friendly thing if I ever want to get a hold of my postcard.

Thoughts of my postcard are quickly replaced with what I admit is a gleeful thrill.

I enter my apartment and tread softly, as if I’m going to disturb the real owner. Because I still can’t believe this is my new home.

Not only is this apartment the most beautiful empty space I’ve ever seen, it has the sunniest windows on God’s green earth. And there’s the perk of its location, right next to Leo.

My happiness is marred by the knowledge of how I’m able to pay for this place. I get a hollow feeling when I think of the money that Wesley left me. Not even his real wife, I nevertheless inherited money he earmarked for me. I puzzle over why he bothered.

I shake off the ghosts as I always do when the negative thoughts spill into my consciousness.

Instead, I spin slowly in the center of the room before I sit cross-legged on the hardwood floor. Sunshine streams in, forming a circle exactly around me. My cell rings, breaking into the stillness and helping me feel less alone.

Daddy.

I hesitate, but only for an instant since I know he’ll call back if I don’t answer. He’s not one for leaving voicemail.

“Hi Daddy.”

“Angel?”

“Someone else calling you Daddy?”

“Funny. Of course not. You don’t sound like yourself. Are you doing OK?”

“Sure. I’ve moved into my new apartment.” I wait for the impending argument with a leaden feeling in my stomach.

“So you are staying.” He speaks the words slowly, in a way that invites discussion. This is new. Although I’m twenty-two years old, he and Mama have questioned all my decisions since I ran off with Wesley.

“For a while. I like the weather here. The people are nice.”

“You thought you liked it in Tacoma, too,” he says.

Daddy wouldn’t say this if he knew I actually wanted to move back to Texas for most of my time with Wesley. I never voiced those thoughts to my parents. They were already unhappy Wesley had moved me across the country, away from my family and friends.

“Well, I like Nashville better,” I say.

“You’re all alone, Angel. It’s not right. A girl your age needs family nearby.”

I give a long-suffering sigh. “I’m not a girl. I’m a woman. I can live on my own.”

“We know that. But you would be happy here. You could meet a nice young man.”

I rub my forehead. “Daddy, I know you mean well, but you have to quit. You have to accept that I can make smart decisions that work for me. Do you think I can’t take care of myself? That I need some ‘nice young man’ to take care of me?” He can’t see the air quotes, but I still do them with my free hand.

Of course, I’ve made horrible, impulsive choices. Running off to marry Wesley when we’d only dated a few weeks ruined their opinion of me forever.

There’s silence and the seconds tick by as I wait for him to respond. “Daddy?”

“Your mother and I worry about you. We want you to be happy. We pray for you every day.”

“I know.” I can only imagine the sermons Daddy’s given, alluding to his prodigal daughter.

“Will you make me a promise?”

“Sure.”

“That if you change your mind and want to move home, you’ll call us. We’ll rent a truck and move all your things for you. You can stay in your old room. And there’s a group of singles at the church that you can join. We have a new member of our congregation that has a lot in common with you. She’s a little older, but she lost her husband after twenty-two years of marriage.”

I’m silent, my eyes closed, and my heart cold.

“Angel?”

“I’m here.” If only they knew the truth. I hadn’t been legally married for the past four years. It was all a farce and the joke was on me. “Listen, I have to go. Someone’s waiting for me,” I say, hoping he can’t hear the lie in my voice. Mama believes everything I say, but Daddy always knows. I visualize his narrowed eyes though the phone line.

He doesn’t call me on the lie. “OK. Call tomorrow?” he asks.

“If I get a chance.” I get to my feet. “Bye Daddy. I love you. Tell Mama I love her, too.” I end the call and stick my phone into my back pocket.

I make my way to the parking lot behind the building. My vehicle is filled with everything I’ve hauled from Tacoma. Anything I couldn’t bring ended up in a donation bin at the local Goodwill store. I unhook the tarp that covers the cardboard boxes in the truck bed. There are only five boxes of various sizes and shapes, a suitcase, and one duffel bag.

One medium-sized box contains the lightest items, so I grab it first. It takes only minutes to walk the flight of stairs at the back of the building and store my belongings inside. I return and do the same with the second and third box, each one slightly heavier than the last.

I struggle with the fourth box. The awkward shape only lets me put my arms around three-fourths of it. This box should’ve been the first to go upstairs while I still had lots of energy. Planning ahead has never been my forte.

I creep up the steps blindly, since the box blocks my view. Ten more steps, maybe? My foot hits the edge of the step and slides off. “Ah!” I grab the box tight, an error in judgment on my part since the box isn’t going to save me from free falling down the remaining steps.

“Wait,” a female voice behind me demands. Footsteps pound on the metal stairs as she ascends. Two hands rest on the center of my back to brace me. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I twist to see Josie behind me. “Trying to make it up these stairs before I drop this box like a Donkey Kong barrel.”

She laughs. “So you decided to go for the apartment. I’m so glad. Have you met my brother yet?”

“Can we talk after you push me to the top?”

She chuckles and pushes lightly on my back. “Go, woman. You have to work with me here. Don’t go fast and knock me down. If I fall, I’m taking you with me.”

I step cautiously to the top of the stairs and put the box down at the landing. “Made it.”

“My brother should be helping you. I’ll get him. He should be home if he isn’t doing his volunteer tutoring at the library. He’s teaching a guy how to read.”

Ah. It takes all my willpower not to quiz her about this. “No, really. I only have a couple more.”

But she’s already walked around me and opened the door at the top of the stairs. “I’m going to get him,” she says without turning. “Don’t lift anything heavy. Leave this,” she says, nodding to the box at my feet.

“I don’t think he’ll want to—”

She pauses and gives me a quizzical look. “What? Leo will rush out here. He’s old-fashioned like that.”

Josie races through the door without another word, and I’m left waiting. I glance to my vehicle. The rest of my belongings are light, so I travel down the steps carefully. I’m aware of a faint soreness in my back that will set in by tomorrow from all physical movement I’ve done today.

The duffel is stored in the cab along with a shopping bag. I grab both and return to the stairs. Halfway up, I hear a faint argument coming from the hallway inside.

“Josie,” the deep voice says. “I’m sure she doesn’t need us butting in.”

How embarrassing. He doesn’t want to help. Josie’s probably dragging Leo, his heels scuffing up the wood floor of the hallway.

I knew there was something off about Leo’s face when I said hello earlier. He thinks I’m going to be loud or needy or nosy. Mr. Expose is wrong. I’m going to be the best neighbor he’s ever had.

I only wish Leo would look happier to see me. He studies me as if I’m a dangerous animal at the zoo, and he’s glad to be on the other side of the cage. He’s such an enigma and too young to be a curmudgeon. Too cute. Too clever.

Also, he volunteers at the library. How many people my age do that? He’s practically ready for sainthood.

My mouth twitches at the corner as I walk the rest of the way up. Not only am I going to retrieve my postcard from his stash, I’m going to get to know him—the guy who volunteers his time. Maybe he’s so crabby because he needs a friend.

The door pops open and Leo nods at me. “Harper.” He says my name with a clipped tone.

“Leo.” I only say his name and forego conversation, since he didn’t like the small talk earlier. I smile at him with only a partial parting of the lips. No need to scare him. At his startled look, I attempt a more genuine smile in case I look like a fox eyeing the lone chicken.

“Don’t pick anything else up,” he says, echoing his sister’s words from earlier. “I’ll be back.” His thoughtful words are the complete opposite of his gruff tone. He lifts the heavy box.

“He’ll be back,” Josie says in a Terminator voice and opens the stairwell door for Leo to go through. She holds it for me, so I follow Leo. He’s not a tall guy. But he’s not short either. He’s average height with a lean frame, but his biceps bulge from the effort of holding my heavy box.

Josie catches up to walk beside me in the hallway. “I peeked in your apartment. Where’s the rest of your stuff? Your furniture?” she asks. She runs ahead so she can open my apartment door.

I shake my head. “I don’t have any. I lived in a furnished apartment before. I’ll have to get some.”

“Oh. That’s too bad. It’ll be expensive to get all new stuff,” she says. Josie steps aside to allow Leo and the big box through first. I follow and try to stop staring at his toned arms and tantalizing biceps. My, what nice arms you have. I smack the wolfish voice down inside my head.

Ogling the unfriendly neighbor is wrong.

“Where do you want this?” Leo raises one eyebrow.

Did he see me looking at him? At his arms? And now I’m staring at his face. A really nice face. And he’s waiting for me to snap out of it and answer him.

“Anywhere,” I say, my voice a little squeaky.

“Harper? You get too hot out there?” Josie presses fingertips lightly to my shoulder and my mind leaps to the present.

“Oh yeah. I’m fine. Just resting for a second.”

Josie looks at me with concern. She glances around the sparse room and then at Leo. “You look like you could pass out. Let’s go over to Leo’s. You can sit at his place for a bit, since you don’t have furniture.”

“I think she just needs a minute.” Leo gives her a hard stare.

“Leo,” she says, her mouth dropping open a bit at the end of his name.

He’s silent, and looking at her like they have some sort of telepathy. “Look. She said she’s fine.”

Josie smacks her brother’s arm. “What is wrong with you?” She pivots to me. “Come on. Leo will fix us both a cold drink.”

“Um…I’m good, Thanks.” My embarrassed laugh draws Leo’s gaze to mine.

He shakes his head slightly. “Ladies.” He waves a hand forward, sweeping in the general direction of his apartment. The hard line of his mouth says he’d rather be flogged than serve me a cola.

“I really don’t want to.” I especially don’t want to give Leo the impression that I’m going to be an unwanted guest hanging out at his apartment all the time. “I have stuff I stuck in the refrigerator here. Want something?”

My place is identical to Leo’s in layout. There’s an open living area and kitchen with high ceilings and exposed black ductwork. The kitchen boasts the usual furnishings—refrigerator and stove. At least I have those things.

I make my way across the room before Josie can protest further and open the stainless steel door. “I have bottled water, sodas, and I can make tea if you want. I have a teapot and kitchen things in the heavy box Leo brought in.”

“Well, if you don’t have anything else heavy…” Leo trails off, waiting for my response. His statement doesn’t surprise me. It’s like he can’t wait to get out of the room.

Josie doesn’t respond, but glares at Leo. I grab a bottled water for me and one to offer her. “I’ve got it from here. Thanks.”

I barely have the last word out when he turns on his heel and exits. He closes the door behind him. My throat tightens at the outright hostility.

“What the frick?” Josie’s eyes are wide and confused. “I am so sorry. He’s not usually so anti-social. I have no idea what his problem is today.” She takes the water from my outstretched hand.

I lift my shoulders in a careless shrug. “Men. Who knows what they think.”

Turning my back on her is the best way to hide the hurt I feel at his hostility. I make my way over to a spot near the window and sit on the floor.

“I know him better than anyone. We’re twins,” she states, like I’ll get the extent of their relationship.

My only child status leaves me lacking any knowledge of sibling relationships. “So you’re close.”

“Very. We are uncomfortably aware of how the other thinks. Something is going on with him, but I guess I’ll find out the details later,” she says and sits near me with her back against the wall. She glances back at the closed door, as if she can see through it to read his thoughts across the hall. “He’s had some drama this year that put him in a funk. That’s all. His attitude doesn’t have a thing to do with you.”

Now she’s got me curious about Leo. He can’t have problems. He lives in a beautiful apartment, he’s gorgeous, and he seems to have lots of friends. In fact, I’m slightly peeved that Mr. Expose thinks he’s got anything to be unhappy about.

We need a new topic that doesn’t involve her rude brother. “Where can I get some furniture? Inexpensive. Maybe just a sofa or a bed for starters.”

I take a swig from my water bottle and let my head fall back on the wall.

Josie tilts her head while she thinks. After a moment of comfortable silence, she nods to herself. “IKEA or something like that, maybe. I saw you have a truck. Want me to help? I’m free today. And my brother’s attitude stinks at the moment, so I think I’ll wait a while to visit.”

“Oh. Well, I can’t imagine you’d want to spend your Saturday doing this.” I wave a hand at my bare room.

“No problem. It’ll give us a chance to visit. I need to get to know the girl Leo will have the hots for soon.”

I laugh, a little too high-pitched and short. She’s trying to make up for the horrible way he treated me. “I doubt that will happen.”

“Why not? Listen, don’t judge him on today. He’s a sweetheart. Quiet sometimes. A little on the suffering-writer, broody side, but always sweet to women. Gets him in trouble, actually.”

“I’m not looking to date anyone.”

Josie glances down at my left hand. “Oh, gosh. That was totally insensitive of me. I’m so sorry.”

My ring finger is empty. Empty like my life. Last night, I took out the wedding set from where I keep it as a reminder of my mistakes. I don’t even have to wear the rings to feel the weight of their impact on everything I am now. The invisible circles might as well be tattooed on my finger. An unpleasant heaviness has settled deep in my chest, an anchor from four years based on lies.

I smile at her. “Nothing to be sorry about. I think I will take you up on your offer. But only if you’ll let me buy you lunch. Deal?”

“Works for me. Cool.” She stands and screws the lid on her water bottle.

I get to my feet and grab her empty bottle so I can put them both in the trash. My back is to her when she clears her throat.

“Do you mind if I ask what happened? Your husband, I mean? You’re really young, so I’m guessing it was something bad.”

“Wesley—that’s my husband. Was my husband. He was killed in a car accident.”

“Oh God. That’s horrible.”

I almost wish I could cry at this moment. I feel the numbness settling in more and more lately when anyone asks about Wesley.

My past is all a lie that doesn’t make sense.

But I don’t deserve to be detached from all that’s happened. I need to remember how easily a person can be fooled. My life before Wesley was all sunshine and rainbows and unicorns. A true fantasy where my parents sheltered me and friends were who they appeared on the surface.

Now I understand that a person’s character can run as deep as an ocean.

“Yeah. Well, death is not an un-horrible thing.” I pause and inhale deeply.

Josie waits for me to say more. When I don’t, she glances at her phone. “It’s getting late and it’s going to be really hot by lunchtime. Let’s get this shopping trip started. I get to pick where we eat afterward, right? I know just the spot. They serve carnitas to die for and huge margaritas the size of melons.”

“Sounds like the perfect lunch.” I grab my purse and throw the strap over my shoulder. As I walk to the door, I rub my itchy ring finger.

* * *