Page 47 of The Do-Over Girl

She nods her head. “We’re only here for a while,” she says.

“You’re right. I can do the live-in-the-moment thing while we’re here.”

She smiles. And the smile never leaves her face for the rest of the night and the next morning.

I prioritize keeping it there—except when she’s moaning in the throes of a full rolling orgasm. That’s the look I want a picture of—a painting I could hang on my bedroom wall. The kind of painting I’d get off to every night if I had it.

But I don’t need it because I have a feeling I’ll remember the look on her face as she shudders uncontrollably with waves of pure ecstasy rolling through her. I’ll remember it for a very long time after our time here is over.

* * *

In the morning,we get up late and share a shower. I plan to take Kali away from Andrews Point for one day to escape the school, our responsibilities—and Mrs. P’s scrutiny.

“Sounds like heaven,” she says, putting on the clothes she stealthily retrieved from her room. “A drive would be fun. You know, I don’t think I’ve been in a car since I arrived here. Not that that’s a bad thing. I don’t drive much living in NYC.”

“How about if we make it a rule not to talk about our lives outside of Andrews Point?”

She laughs and shrugs. “Sounds good to me. Although I am curious about you—”

“That’s exactly why we need this rule. You don’t need to know all my shit—I mean, all the details.”

“Ditto,” she says, and I wonder what shit she has to hide. Fuck.

I close my bedroom door behind us, and we head downstairs to the kitchen.

Before we get there, I hear Steve’s voice, and he’s talking to a woman—shit. I recognize the voice and stop in the hallway outside the door.

Barbara-fucking-Smith is here. She followed us home and waited outside until morning to pounce on me.

Kali tenses, and I know she recognizes the relentless woman’s voice. She grips my arm—which I don’t seem to mind.

“Be polite, Nash.”

“As polite as she allows.”

She gives me a cute eye-roll—really? Am I going to think everything she does is cute now? Am I suddenly smitten now that we have a safe bubble—a no-past-baggage-allowed zone?

We go inside to find Barbara and Steve having coffee together and Mrs. Pike alternately forming balls from cookie dough and frowning.

“There you are, you sleepy head,” Barbara says, beaming a smile at me. “Good morning. I suppose you deserve to sleep in with all the hard work you do for the hockey team.” Once again, she greets me and completely ignores Kali.

“Good morning, Steve,” Kali says with a genuine smile. She nods in Barbara’s direction. I watch her give Mrs. P a hug with her greeting, then go to the coffeemaker and pour two cups. No fancy Keurig for Mrs. P. Something about the scene calms me, relaxes me in a way I haven’t felt in years…truthfully, since I don’t remember when.

Steve speaks up. “That dance was a lot of fun, but a late night—especially after a long day.” He’s looking between me and Kali like he suspects something between us.

I may be okay with playing along with Mrs. P’s no hanky-panky rule because, hell, this is her inn, but I’m not interested in hiding anything from Steve. In fact, I’m very interested in making sure he knows exactly what the score is.

Same with Barbara.

Except not right at this moment, out of respect for Mrs. P.

Kali brings the two coffees to the table, and we join Steve and Barbara at a safe distance—as in nowhere near either of them, though we’re only separated by one extra chair on either side of them.

“Mrs. P., why don’t you take a break and have coffee with us?” I say.

“Oh, you’re so sweet, Nash, always thinking of others. But I have to stay on top of these cookies, or they’ll burn.”

“Isn’t he, though?” Barbara says, trying to lean in my direction over the chair between us. “You’ve done so much for Andrews Point that I had to do something to show my appreciation.” She leans down and pulls a gift-wrapped box from a bag next to her chair. “I have a gift for you, Nash.”