Forged in Stone (5 page)

“Did you?”

“Yes, when I kicked you out.”

“You told me not to come back until I had permission to be here. I have permission.”

“Are you doing this to annoy me?”

“Do you really believe I would rearrange my life for a girl I just met?”

“No.” Now I felt stupid. “Sorry. I have to get changed.” I hurried upstairs before I could embarrass myself more.

H
er reaction was priceless
. It was perfect. She tried to act annoyed I was there, but I noticed the way her cheeks flushed and the way she tilted her head a tiny bit to the side. I understood body language well, although I did not usually study it for purposes of getting to know a girl. Usually it was for battle.

I had not expected Ainsley to have company, but it did not matter much. The girl made herself scarce quickly. I would have more than enough alone time with Ainsley to get to know her. I really liked that name. I had never met a girl named that before, which made it all the better. I had such a common name, especially in Energo.

I waited impatiently for her to emerge from her room. I had heard her say something about work to her friend. What kind of job did she work at night? And why was she seeing a guy she clearly was not into when she was done? I planned to find out answers to both questions right away.

“You’re still here?” She appeared at the bottom of the stairs wearing jeans and a white t-shirt layered over a long sleeved shirt.

“I will be staying here for a while. Did you forget?”

“How could I forget?”

“There are yogurt stores now?” I pointed at her Yogurt Love shirt.

“It’s frozen yogurt…”

I vaguely remembered hearing the term before. “Is that the healthy version of ice cream?”

“Yeah…”

“Oh, got it.” Things had changed in the years since I had lived here. What happened to plain ice cream stores? “What do you do at this frozen yogurt place?”

“I serve it to people and take their money. What else would I do?”

“I have no idea.” I was riling her up, and I did not mind. “You seem rather educated for that sort of job.”

“Yeah, well a degree in art history doesn’t qualify you for much.”

“Art history?” Finally some new information about her.

“Yes.”

“We have a lot of great art where I live.”

“And where is that?”

“Oh, a city a little ways from here.” I was not ready to share too many details yet. I could not risk her running away or believing I was crazy.

“What’s it called?”

“You haven’t heard of it.” No one in Charleston had heard of Bellgard.

“Where did you go to school?”

“Nowhere beyond high school.” I had never finished high school in the traditional sense, but my education had been superior as a child so I learned it all earlier.

“Oh, that’s cool. College is overrated.”

“Where were you before this? You were wearing different clothes?”

“What is this, twenty questions?” She put a hand on her hip.

“I am curious what the girl I am going to be living with does with her time.”

“You will not be living with me. You’ll be living in the same
giant
house, on a separate floor.”

“The same house. I will be living under the same roof.”

“Either way, I have to go. Enjoy fixing things or whatever it is you’re really here for.”

“Actually, I have a hankering for frozen yogurt. Would you mind if I came along?”

She laughed dryly. “Yes, I would mind.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going there to work, not hang out.”

“I will be a paying customer.”

She shook her head. “I have to go.”

“How about I drive?”

“No thanks. I need my car to get home.”

“Who says I need to leave?”

“There’s no way you’re going to sit there for hours.”

“I will.”

“No. You can follow me there if you don’t know how to get there.”

The offer was better than nothing. “That will work.”

“Where did you park by the way? You have to be careful parking on the road around here.”

“My car is in the garage.”

“The garage?” Her eyes widened.

“Yes. Last time I checked that was what people called the structure beside the house.”

She glared. “Don’t be obnoxious.”

“I will try not to be.” I fished my car keys out of my back pocket. At least I had remembered to bring those. Liam’s mom had given me keys to the house and garage. Luckily she gave those up even though it was not part of Charlotte’s letter. “I have it hooked up to a power adapter, so hopefully it still runs.”

“What kind of car is it?” She put on a light jacket.

“You will see.” Unless things had changed drastically in the intervening years, the car would impress her.

We walked out into the cool evening. Ainsley wrapped her arms around herself. I resisted the temptation to make fun of her inability to handle the cold. What I really wanted to do was warm her up myself.

I put in the code and unlocked the padlock before pulling open the heavy wood door. She followed me in.

“That one is mine.” I pointed to the black car closest to us.

“Wait, seriously?” She walked over. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Probably.”

“No way. There’s no way you’ve had an Aston Martin sitting here in storage.”

“But there is a way. I did.”

She looked at me. “How rich are you?”

I laughed. “Now your true colors come out.”

“Shut up, this isn’t about me. And besides if it was, it would be the opposite. I don’t like rich guys.”

“What girl does not like a man with the ability to provide for her?” Things could not have changed that much.

“The ability to provide for her?” She gasped. “Women can provide for themselves.”

“Yes. I see that you are doing just fine in that department.”

“If you say another word about me living rent free.” She wagged a finger at me.

I captured her hand in mine. I needed to know if she felt as good as she looked. “My apologies if I offended you on our first meeting. It was not my intention. You caught me off guard. I had not expected to find anyone here. Let alone you.”

“Let alone me?” She pulled her hand from mine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You were a pleasant surprise.”

“Because that doesn’t sound creepy.”

“Creepy? I thought it sounded complimentary.”

“Listen, I have to go to work. Check and see if the car runs.”

“Would you prefer if I drove you?” I took one last chance. She had seemed impressed.

She eyed the car longingly, but shook her head.

“Maybe another time. I will follow.” I unhooked the battery, closed the hood, and got in.

“I changed my mind.” She jumped into the passenger seat. “Don’t back into my car on the way out.”

“Have no fear. I would prefer not to hurt my car.” I closed my door.

“You talk funny.”

“And here I thought you were polite.”

She put a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I can’t place your accent. It’s not southern, so I doubt you’re originally from anywhere near here, but you speak so formally.”

“I talk the way I talk.” I slowly backed out of the garage. Once outside on the driveway I got out and manually closed the garage door.

“Sorry for being nosy. I got on your case for it, and here I am doing the same to you.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad you accepted the ride.” I fell back into the local way of speaking. Some of it was part of my natural speech now anyway. Maybe it would make her more comfortable, and she would stop asking so many questions.

“
W
hy
?” She watched me as I drove down the street. Driving was one of those things you never forget, but it still took some getting used to again.

“Because I enjoy your company.”

“My company or someone’s company?”

“Yours. I generally don’t enjoy being around people.”

“You’re anti-social?”

“That is one way to describe it.”

“I am too.”

“Yeah? Even with all the dating?”

She laughed. “All the dating. Tonight is my first one in months.” She stopped. “Meaning my date with Brad, obviously this isn’t a date.”

“Obviously.”

“You need to turn up here. Turn right.”

“Got it.”

“How long has it been since you were last in Charleston?” She watched me carefully.

“A few years. Things have changed a little, but not much.”

“You mean aside from the growth of the frozen yogurt industry?”

I laughed. “Exactly.”

“Ok, it’s up ahead on the right.”

“Oh, this is where Ice Cream Mountain is.”

“You mean was. Yogurt Love took over the same spot.”

“So no more super chocolate shakes?”

“We have shakes.”

“But not super chocolate?” I had grown to like the rich treats during my time there.

“Not exactly.”

“Too bad.”

“Ours is lower in fat and higher in nutrients.”

“And that means what to me?” I brushed a stray hair off her shoulder.

She seemed surprised by my action, but she said nothing about it. “So you naturally stay that fit?”

“Glad you think I look fit.”

“You don’t have an ounce of fat on you.” She gestured to me.

“You look great too.” Her body was both lean and athletic. She was soft yet strong. Perfect really.

“Whatever.” She looked out the window.

I pulled into the parking lot. “Ready for work?”

“Are you really coming in with me?”

“I will be here to drive you home.”

“You don’t actually have to stay. Brad and I are going for coffee.”

“And you want him to drive you anywhere? We can set up a meeting place before I leave.” Unless I was reading things completely wrong she would prefer my driving. “I might leave for a while, but not before I try some of this low fat high nutritional value stuff you have been selling me on.”

She laughed. “You make it sound bad.” She did not comment on my offer to drive her.

“I am simply repeating what you said.”

“It sounds different when you say it.”

“Are we back to the way I talk again?”

“No. It just sounds different coming from you.” She opened the door. “Thanks for the ride by the way. This car is awesome.”

“You haven’t seen what it can really do. We will have to go out in the country if you want to see the full effect.”

“Maybe.” She got out.

I got out and locked the car. I refused to lose it less than twenty minutes after getting it again. She led us to the front door of a colorful shop. I held open the door and followed her inside. The small space was covered in large posters advertising the nutritional properties of the food. Who wants a dessert like that? I kept my thoughts to myself as we walked in.

“Wait here.” She gestured to a table.

I listened. There was no reason to start an argument over nothing.

Ainsley walked over to the counter and started a conversation with the person working. He walked around and looked at me questioningly before heading for the door.

I waited for him to leave before continuing to the counter. “Your turn to start all ready?”

“Yup.” She walked behind the counter. “What can I get you?”

“Chocolate chip or the closest thing to it in a waffle cone.” I eyed the flavors in the case.

“That was fast.”

“I know what I like.” I looked her in the eyes when I spoke, assuming she would understand my words were about more than frozen yogurt flavors.

“I appreciate that in a person. Indecision is annoying.”

“I am a very decisive person.”

She meticulously scooped some of the chocolate chip into a waffle cone. “Enjoy.” She handed it over the counter.

“What do I owe you?”

“Three ten.”

I felt around in my pocket knowing full well I did not have any of the money she would be looking for. The bartenders never complained about the way I paid, but I would need to find some cash before I went shopping. For now my gold coins would have to do. “This more than covers it.” I held out the gold coin.

“What’s this?”

“Trust me. It’s more than three dollars.”

“But what is it?” She marveled at the coin, turning it around in her hand.

“Just something I had around.”

“You are so incredibly weird.”

“Is the payment acceptable?”

“Sure. I’ll take your word for its worth and put my cash in.”

“Are you having any?” I licked my yogurt.

“No. I’m burned out on the stuff.”

“Then what kind of sweets do you go for?” I might need to know for future reference.

“Why do you care?”

“I’m just asking.”

A bell jingled. I turned to see a mother and two kids walk in. I took that as my cue to get out of the way. I took a seat at a table not too far from the counter.

Ainsley lit up as she served the little kids. Evidently she was a fan of little ones. I finished my yogurt before the mother and kids left. I walked up to the counter. “I’m going to run some errands. What time do I need to be back?”

“It’s fine. I can get a ride with Brad if I need to.”

“You cannot rely on a date for a ride. Not a good idea.” Not for either of us. The thought of her on a date with another man bothered me. The thought of him taking her home had me ready to fight.

“Then what’s your number? I’ll call you if I need rescuing.”

Phone. I had forgotten about that. “I need to get a new one while I am out. How about I get your number and call you when I get it?”

“You don’t have a cell phone?”

“I lost it.” That was technically true. I had no idea where it was.

“And you are going to buy a new one tonight?”

“Is that harder to do then it used to be?”

“You keep talking as though you haven’t been around in a while. Charleston isn’t that different than the rest of the country.”

“I haven’t had to buy a new phone in quite some time.”

“I should have just driven.”

“Let’s keep things simple, where are you having coffee? I can plan to pick you up.”

“That works. Plan on ten at Coffee Hut down the street? Even if we end it early, I can hang out there.”

“Sounds like a plan. Hope work isn’t too boring for you.” I nodded at her before walking out the door.

It was time to go shopping, and for more than a cell phone.