“How long ago was that?”
He shrugged. “A few minutes after you opened up the store again.”
Mandaline closed her eyes and fought the urge to let out a scream of frustration. That was over an hour ago. “I’m sorry. She didn’t tell me you were here.”
“I asked her not to. Please don’t be mad at her.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you were busy. I didn’t want to bother you.”
She sat next to him at the top of the stairs. “Where’s Ellis?”
“Home. I walked.”
“You can’t afford a taxi?”
He shrugged again. “I like walking. It’s not that far.”
“Does he know you’re here?”
He looked down at where Pers was comfortably snuggled in his lap. “Nope. I told him I was going out for the day. I’m not a kid.”
She clasped her hands together and stared at them. “I’m sorry for last night,” she softly said. “I don’t remember most of what happened when you were here. I remember you came back, but it’s all…”
“Fuzzy?”
“Yeah.” She looked up at him, into those sweet brown eyes. “Why can’t this be easy? Why can’t we just…us.”
“I thought you liked Ellis. Well, before he acted like an asshole last night.”
“I did. I do. I just…” She leaned her head against him. He draped an arm around her shoulders and it felt so good. So right. “We don’t need him,” she quietly said.
He kissed the top of her head and left his lips pressed there. “But he needs us.” The warmth of his breath felt good against her scalp. “He needs us more than he knows.”
“Last night’s sort of…fuzzy,” she admitted. “I don’t normally drink like that.”
“I know. Julie told me.”
She sighed. “Why did you come back?”
He removed his arm from around her shoulders and reached into his back pocket. He produced a folded piece of paper. When he unfolded it, she realized it was a drawing.
She shivered as she took it from him and looked at it. “When did you do this?”
“Between Thursday night and Friday morning. I brought it with me because I wanted to talk to you about it.”
She looked at it more closely. “Is that…” She looked at him. “That’s me.”
He nodded. “I don’t remember doing it. I also don’t remember doing this.” He handed her a receipt.
She frowned as she studied it. “I don’t get it.” She finally realized what it was for and didn’t know if she should feel outraged or pleased. “What?”
“Look at the time stamp.”
She found it, her heart chilling. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I did that drawing, and I walked to the convenience store and back, and I have no memory of any of it. I fell asleep on the couch in the attic and woke up there.”
“And you had a seizure yesterday morning.” She handed the receipt and drawing back to him.
“I don’t think that’s connected,” he said.
“But it could be.”
“But I don’t think it is.”
“I can do this all day, Brad.”
He sighed. “I will capitulate that the seizure might or might not be related.”
“Thank you.”
“But if it’s related, it’s only related in that I forgot to take my meds, which might be caused by whatever caused me to do this.” He held up the drawing and receipt.
“Does Ellis know about those?”
He snorted. “Hell, no.” He folded them and returned them to his pocket.
“Have you had lunch yet?”
“No.”
“Let me walk Pers and then I’ll make us some sandwiches. And I can take you home.”
“I’ll walk him for you.” He stood, Pers in one arm. He held out a hand to her and she took it, allowing him to help her up.
He stood on the second-to-the-top step, while she stood on the top step. It put them eye to eye, lip to lip.
She wanted to lean in and kiss him, but he smiled. “You have no idea how badly I’d love to put those condoms to use on you right now, but we can’t. I won’t.” He did lean in and kiss her on the tip of the nose. “And would it be okay to come back tonight for the full-moon gathering?”
“How did…oh. That’s right. Julie.”
He smiled.
She let out a little laugh and scrubbed at her face with her hands. “Yes, I’ll come back and pick you up for that.”
“I can walk.”
“Stop with that. Please. We can spend more time together if you aren’t hoofing it back and forth. It only takes a few minutes to come get you. Only one thing.”
“What?”
Before he could back away, she grabbed the front of his shirt and brushed a kiss across his lips. “My fee.”
His sweet brown eyes held her gaze. “You forgot your change.” He leaned in and kissed her, on the lips, a sweet, warm kiss that took her breath away. When he leaned back, he smiled. “I’m guessing that’s just for this afternoon’s ride and I’ll need to pay up again tonight?”
She smiled. “Twice. It’s a per-trip fee.”
Ellis didn’t know for sure where Brad went when he left that morning, although he suspected he could find him at the tree planting if he drove into town to look for him.
That Brad wouldn’t even speak to him that morning spoke volumes about how badly he’d fucked things up. In the light of day, recalling the things he’d said to Mandaline, the horrible accusations, made him feel lower than dirt.
He knew she’d be busy until after the tree planting. He didn’t want to add more stress to her morning than he probably already had by calling her.
Not that he was sure she would even answer the phone if he did call.
He suspected he wouldn’t be welcomed at the tree planting, either. He didn’t blame her in the least.
He could text his apology and ask to talk to her in person, but considering what an asshole he’d been, that didn’t feel right, either.
No, he needed to make amends, in person. As soon as possible. Even if he’d blown his chances out of the water with her, he still hoped he could salvage enough of a relationship with her that she’d still take a look at the house for Brad’s sake. There had to be a logical, scientific solution to what had happened. He refused to believe in metaphysical mumbo jumbo.
But accusing her of trying to drug him was so far out of bounds it wasn’t even in the same universe. She deserved better treatment than that, especially after she’d gone out of her way to be nice and to accommodate them.
Just because I’ve fucked up my chances with her doesn’t mean it should fuck Brad’s up. Obviously he’s the better man for her. I’m just an asshole. I deserve to be alone.
After eating lunch, Mandaline went downstairs and pulled Sachi aside. “You could have warned me he was up there.”
She grinned. “Why? It’s far more fun this way. Besides, he asked me not to. I couldn’t resist those sweet puppy dog eyes of his.”
“He does have sweet eyes, doesn’t he?”
“You should know how sweet. You’ve tasted him.” Sachi dodged her playful swat, cackling with glee as she went to help a customer.
They had enough staff in the store that they didn’t need Mandaline there. At first hesitating, she grabbed the keys to the Element and her purse. I have to drive it sometime.
Brad settled comfortably in the passenger seat. “She’s glad you’re driving it,” he said as she cranked the engine.
Mandaline’s hand faltered on the gear shift. “Really?”
“Yes.” He stared out the windshield for a moment, his head cocked. “She doesn’t blame you in the least. She says if you’d been there with her, you might just as easily have been killed.” He swallowed hard and looked down at his hands lying in his lap. “Sorry,” he mumbled.