A Tiny Home

Chapter 17

Authors Note:

This is the first of two updates! Enjoy 1/2! 

***

As the sun rose Monday morning I lay still in Will's arms, his breath soft on the back of my neck. I sigh and try to close my eyes, chasing that blissful peace of sleep and fail miserably to find it. I climb carefully out of his arm and make my way to the kitchen. Will has a canister of instant coffee and an electric kettle.

I think of Alice's and hesitate but turn the kettle on accepting my fate. We'll probably head there for lunch.

As the kettle sings, Will stirs and I grab down another mug filling it with a tablespoon of grounds. 

As I finish pouring the kettle he slinks his arms around me and rests his head on my shoulder.

"I wish I had a Keurig."

"Me too." I say as I sip what can be generously described as mediocre coffee.

Will smiles and leans up against the counter sipping from his cup. He looks out the tiny window over the sink at the view as I settle in the banquette.

"What's on the agenda today?" He asks.

"Windows should be delivered in about" I check my phone for the time. "Two to four hours."

"We should get the walls up then and frame them out."

"Sounds good." I mutter staring into my coffee cup.

"So we have two hours?" He asks softly.

I smile, "yes. And a lot of work to be done." I drain the rest of the fuel from my mug and set it in the sink.

"Honey Bear? Come back to bed."

I roll my eyes as I turn around and wrap my arms around his neck.

"Sir William. Please refrain from using the nickname you and my brother coined for me when I was prepubescent."

"Not a turn on I guess?"

"Not at all." I admit with a smile. "But good to know that's what you were trying to do."

"Why is that good." He asks with a chuckle.

I plant a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Because I never have to worry about you trying to seduce another woman."

He tips his head back and roars with laughter.

"I'm serious you can't have been good with the ladies."

"I was too. In BC, I picked up my fair share."

"I did okay here you know." I say pouting.

"Oh, I know. I heard all about it from Hank who fumed. It was the one thing we both agreed on. You never chose anyone that was good enough for you."

"Well I tried that then he flew across the country with my brother and stopped talking to me for years."

Will places his forehead on mine and stares into my eyes.

"I'm so sorry I left you Hannah."

"You needed to go." I say pulling away.

"Hey, hold on a minute." He tugs me in tighter. "I did need to go, but I should have still been there for you. I'm sorry I didn't call or write."

"Letters?"

"I meant emails." He laughs lightly.

"Oh." Duh. I think but I shake my head. "I need more caffeine."

"Let's play hooky until we have to be here for the window window." He says with a cheeky grin.

"Alice's?" I ask.

He grabs and jingles his keys in answer.

"Do you have anything I can wear?" I ask realizing where my pants are.

Will smiles, "You can wear my boxers to the car."

"Oh these will do." I say tossing on a pair of his work shorts, on me they look like cutoffs, very baggy cut offs.

Will smiles. "That's kind of sexy, you wearing my clothes."

"How domestic of us." I smile then playfully gag. "Let's go I'm hungry."

Will's smart enough to hop in the car and drive fast down the road to the cafe. The line is out the door, busy for a Monday. It doesn't take long to get our coffees and we bring them and our number to one of the church pew tables. I settle in on the bench side and Will takes the rickety chair. There's a fresh daisy on the table and I get the urge to pick it's petals asking if he loves me, or loves me not.

The way Will smiles at my over his cup of coffee I'm pretty sure I know the answer.

We eat in companionable silence focusing more on our coffee than our surroundings. I regret that lack of awareness the instant I see her approaching. Then I remember we're friends now and smile.

"Shelly."

"Hey guys." She grabs a discarded piece of toast I was eyeing on Will's plate and I get jealous.

"Hey" Will answers as she takes a bite.

"What are you doing here?" I ask noting it's nine in the morning already.

We've nearly killed all our time.

"Meeting a client. Divorce. Don't have time to stay but we should do drinks soon. Call me!" She waves as she walks out.

I wave back and look at Will.

"She stole your toast."

"I know." He answers.

"I was going to steal that toast." I admit sullen.

"You can steal this other toast?" He offers pointing to the half he has left on his empty plate.

"It's just not the same," I pout.

Will laughs as he stands tossing a tip for the bus boy on the table.

"Let's get going, we don't want to miss your windows."

I smile the whole way home until we pull up behind the window delivery van.

We nearly missed the windows.

I hop out and run to the driver and apologize. After a few careful words we help him unload. Each pane of glass is crisp and trimmed in white. I considered the more modern black trim, nearly chose it, but then realized the rest of the house would look classic, with cedar shingles, a white railing, whitewashed ship-lap walls inside. With these windows in the exterior will be nearly finished.

It takes all afternoon, levels, shivs, and precision. But once it's done. We have a large wall of glass between us. I smile at Will and he smiles back. But we are still separated by something invisible, something that's stopping me from letting go completely. 

Will doesn't notice my introspection, he comes around inside and wraps me in a hug planting a kiss on my forehead. I hold on tight, as if he, like his toast, will be stolen away. 

***

Authors Note:

Okay re-reading this made me hungry. 

I know the majority of my readers won't know the magical delicious Rye bread from Alice's in Carp, but I do and now I'm hugry. 

I realize there is very little plot in this chapter, and yet, it was so fun to write. I love me a danger romance where every page is action but sometimes it's nice to write at a country pace.

Hopefully you as the reader don't mind the focus of the chapter being a stolen piece of toast. If you think it needed some jam so to speak, let me know in the comments. 

Update 1/2.