~ Clay

“Sorry, ladies, but I’ve got to go back home to wash this sweat off,” I tell the women in front of me as I wipe my neck with the edge of the towel draped around my shoulders. “Good luck with your workouts.”

Ignoring their sighs, I head out of the gym to the SUV, still wiping the sweat from my recent workout. In the past, I didn’t mind it when women came up to me and flirted with me, asking for my name and number. Sometimes, I even entertained them, played with them a little. Ever since I met Andrea again, though, I’ve found them to be a bother, all plain, fake, shallow and boring compared to her.

She’s the only woman who interests me now.

No. She was the only woman who ever interested me.

As I slip behind the wheel of the SUV and drink my water, I imagine her in the passenger seat where I’ve grown accustomed to seeing her, so close and yet so far. I can’t remember how many times I wanted to reach for her hand whenever she fell asleep, it took all of my self-control not to touch her cheek, not to take some tendrils of her auburn hair in my fingers and press them to my lips.

God, I want her. But I’ve already lost her once because of my carelessness. I’m not going to make the same mistake again. I’m going to be more careful this time, to think things through before I act, to put her own feelings before mine. I’m going to take things slow and win her back little by little.

No matter how long it takes.

Just then, my phone rings. I pick it up, taking it out of its case and looking at the screen, which informs me that I have a call from Gavin.

I answer the call as I hold the phone against my ear. “Yup?”

“How’s Rose?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” I answer sarcastically, trapping the phone between my cheek and my shoulder so I can put the cap back on my water bottle. “Thanks for asking.”

“You sound like your old self. That’s good.”

Do I? I say nothing, placing the bottle back in the compartment between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.

“I told you this trip was a good idea,” Gavin says. “You get a break from work, you get to heal from John’s death…”

“Um, Gavin, this wasn’t your idea, remember?”

He ignores me. “And you get to know Rose better, get that father and daughter act going. Even if it doesn’t, at least, this trip shows effort on your part. The judge will like that.”

I wipe my face. “Well, you seem to have the judge all figured out.”

“Of course, we won’t tell the judge that you actually went on this trip just so you could get back together with your ex.”

I frown. “Objection. That is not the only reason I went on this trip.”

“But it is one of the reasons, isn’t it?”

I sigh. Why do I even bother arguing with Gavin?

“Well, if she suggested this trip knowing that the two of you would spend a lot of time together, maybe it’s not all hopeless. Maybe you still have a chance of getting her back.”

I turn the AC on. “I hope you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” he boasts. “So, how’s it going so far? Are you sleeping in the same room? Have you put a blanket over her and ‘accidentally’ ran your fingers through her hair while she’s sleeping in the seat next to you? Have you…?”

“You know what, Gavin? I gotta go,” I cut him off, starting the engine of the car. “I just dropped by the gym and now, I have to head back.”

“I know. I know. You’ve got to get home to the ex and the kid.”

I can just imagine him with that smug grin on his face.

“Just you wait until you find your match, Gavin. I’ll have my day in court.”

“You’re going to put me on the stand, are you? Scary.” He chuckles. “Well, take care for now.”

“Alright.” I step on the gas.

“Wait. You didn’t answer my question. How’s Rose?”

I shake my head in disbelief. “Oh, is that really why you called? Don’t worry. She’s fine. She’s getting better, too. I can’t say for sure if she’s getting her old self back but this is a new Rose I’m seeing.”

“That’s good.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

I place my phone back in its case and in the same compartment where the bottle is, then drive away from the gym parking lot. I still have to buy Rose’s pony and I was also thinking of buying lunch but since I’m all sweaty, I guess I’ll have to do that later. For now, I’ll just head back to the girls.

Hopefully, they’re alright.

---

As soon as I get to the living room, I hear a scream coming from upstairs. I rush there, frantically checking the bedrooms before entering the bathroom at the end of the hall. There, I find Andrea in a pink shirt and denim overall shorts, her feet bare and her hair still wrapped in a towel. She stands still with her hands against the wall, her face pale and when I follow her gaze, I find the reason for her scream – a black, eight-legged creature with a body no bigger than a quarter next to the bathroom mirror.

She points to it with a quivering finger as she looks at me. “I didn’t see it when I was having my bath then I came back here to get something and there it was.”

I place my hands on my hips and look around the bathroom, noting that its only window is closed.

“It must have entered through the cracks…” Though I don’t really see any. “Or it must have crawled out of hiding.”

Andrea’s eyes grow wide. “Are you saying that thing was here the whole time I was having a bath?”

“It’s a spider, not a thing,” I tell her. “And yes, it was probably here long before we arrived.”

Her eyes narrow. “Why are you acting like it’s perfectly normal?”

“Because it is. Spiders tend to go inside houses when it’s cold outside. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen one in your apartment.”

“I live in San Diego,” she reminds. “It doesn’t get that cold.”

Right.

“Well, the good news is there are no venomous spiders this far up north so this one must be harmless.”

“Are you sure?” Andrea doesn’t look convinced.

I nod.

“Even so, we should get rid of it. I mean you should get rid of it.”

I grin. Who would have thought Andrea was afraid of spiders? Now, that’s something I didn’t already know. And here, I thought I knew everything about her.

Just then, Rose comes into the bathroom. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, sweetheart.” Andrea places her hands on the little girl’s shoulders and ushers her out.

Probably, she doesn’t want Rose to see the spider and get scared. Rose still sees it, though, and she doesn’t scream.

“A spider?” she asks.

“Don’t worry,” Andrea assures her. “Clay will get rid of it. Won’t you, Clay?”

Will I?

“I’m not scared of spiders,” Rose says.

Andrea looks at her in surprise.

I try to suppress my laughter. And fail. Wasn’t Rose supposed to be the one with the phobia?

“So, the little girl isn’t scared of spiders but the big girl is,” I tease.

Andrea glares at me.

“You’re scared of spiders?” Rose asks, looking at Andrea.

“A little,” Andrea admits.

“And snakes, too, right?”

“Snakes?” Andrea arches her eyebrows.

“Remember, you screamed back at the ranch because you said you saw a snake?”

At first, Andrea doesn’t seem to remember even though I already do, her eyebrows furrowed. Then she blushes.

Ah, she remembers.

“I’m not scared of snakes, honey,” she tells Rose. “That one just seemed pretty dangerous.”

“I’m pretty sure it was also harmless,” I say.

Again, she glares at me.

“You said it was the biggest ever,” Rose reminds.

I chuckle.

“I didn’t say that.” Andrea shakes her head. “Wow, you sure talk a lot now, don’t you?”

Rose grins.

“But hey, that’s fine.” Andrea squeezes her shoulders. “And you know what? It’s perfectly fine to be afraid, too. Everyone has fears. See, you have fears and I have fears, too. That’s normal. Fear is a part of life but what you should remember is that it should not stop you from living. I’m afraid of spiders but that doesn’t mean I should shut my eyes or wrap myself up because I’m afraid they might suddenly show up. You are bigger than your fear and you can control it just like you can control all your other emotions.”

Ah. Now, Andrea’s back to talking like a psychologist.

“But you screamed just now,” Rose says.

I purse my lips in an effort not to laugh.

“Yes, I did,” Andrea admits. “I gave in to fear for a moment but only for a moment, not a lifetime.”

I cross my arms over my chest and lean on the doorframe. “So, you can get rid of the spider now?”

I should have known that would get another glare.

“Do you have fears, too?” Rose asks me.

“Of course,” Andrea answers for me. “Like I said, everyone has fears.”

“What are you afraid of?” Rose asks.

I shrug, trying to think of a quick answer. “Maybe rotten eggs?”

Rose snickers.

“Maybe commitment,” Andrea mutters.

She just spoke softly but I caught it. Hell, I wish I hadn’t, the words making my chest prick just a little bit.

Alright, more than a little bit.

Fuck.

“What?” Rose asks, the words lost on her.

“Nothing,” Andrea says, smiling. “Now, why don’t we leave Clay here to find a good hiding place for the spider, one so good it will never want to come out…” She glances at me. “And to take a shower so he doesn’t stink?”

Rose chuckles.

I instinctively smell the front of my shirt. “Do I stink that much?”

Andrea ignores me. “And while he’s doing that, why don’t you and I go downstairs and prepare lunch? How do you like the sound of that, huh?”

Rose smiles and nods. “Okay. What are we making?”

Andrea pauses, pointing a finger to her temple. “What about spaghetti?”