Page 3 of Coming Clean

“Whatever. You have all thetime in the world to go to the gym now.”

“Not if I’m going to cleanthis house and write a book.”

David made a growly sound.“Jer-e-my.”

“Fine, I’ll order fromSparky’s.”

“Good. I’ll bring thebeer.”

Jeremy protested. “Youdon’t have to. I can—”

“You can pay me back. Idiscovered a new ale I want you to try.”

Arguing with David whenbeer was at stake was pointless. “All right.”

“You’re not actuallyintending to clean the house yourself, are you?”

“Well, I…” Jeremy glancedaround. The place was spacious, to say the least. His aunt hadalways paid several women to come in once a week to clean, butJeremy had never hired a cleaner in his life. Of course, he hadn’towned a giant house before, either.

“Seriously?” David’s tonemade it clear he thought Jeremy was an idiot. “You’ve got plenty ofmoney, hire someone.”

“Yeah, I guess you’reright. Do you know a good service?”

“No, but I’m sure my mom orone of my neighbors would. I’ll ask around.”

“Thanks. See yousoon.”

“You bet. Are you okay,being there?”

Jeremy considered hisanswer and realized he hadn’t felt uneasy at all since he’d steppedinto the house. “Yeah, I am actually. Thanks forasking.”

“You didn’t really thinkI’d let you be alone there tonight, did you?”

“No. You want to stayover?” Jeremy asked.

“Sure. I’ll bring my PJsand we can stay up all night and do each other’s nails.”

“Fuck off.”

David was doing his famoushyena laugh as he hung up, and Jeremy couldn’t help but smile.They’d been friends since middle school when that laugh used to gethim in trouble at least once a week.

****

Connor grabbed one ofthe clean rags from his supply bin and wiped the sweat from hisface. “Fuck, it’s hot in here.”

“Sure is,” Sabrina agreed.Connor’s idea of cleaning houses for money had taken off and he wasnow the owner of Spit Shine Clean. He even had three employees,including Sabrina, who graduated college that May and was trying toearn as much money as she could for graduate school.

That afternoon they’d beenworking for one of their favorite clients, a family who was big onpraise and tips and short on complaints—if only all their clientshad those traits. But unlike most of the larger, fancier housesthey cleaned, this one didn’t have air conditioning, and since itwas the middle of one of the hottest Junes Asheville had ever seen,Connor and Sabrina were both dripping with sweat after trying toclean in record time. Connor had worked in an estimate beforehandso they’d gotten a late start.

Connor was disgusted by howmuch the heat had bothered him over the last few weeks. He’d gottenspoiled since coming home from the desert. Working in overheatedhouses was about as rough as life got these days. Except for thepunishing workouts Connor put himself through every morning, butsince he did those on autopilot they hardly seemed tocount.

“You all done?” he askedSabrina.

“Just need to mop thekitchen.”

“Okay, I’ll put the rugsback in place in the bathroom and carry the equipmentout.”

A few minutes later Sabrinamet him at his truck. They hopped in and he cranked theengine.