Reid’s lips tilted up into a grateful smile, and when he nodded, I shut the mailbox, my stomach flipping, and headed up the walkway to the front door.
“Be careful on this step,” I said, kicking at the unsteady brick on the third stair. Reid sidestepped it as I opened the door and moved aside for him to go in first.
He entered tentatively, like any stranger walking into someone else’s house would. Seeing him there, heading down the hall, was utterly surreal. How had life dealt a hand that had Reidwalking through my houseright now?
He came to a stop as the hallway opened up into the living area, and I was grateful at that moment that I wasn’t a slob of a bachelor. Not much of a decorator, either: a couple of comfy grey couches, an oversized recliner chair, glass coffee table, TV, and entertainment center. Nothing on the walls except a massive framed abstract that hung over the couch. Clean. Simple.
“You’ve got a great place,” he said.
“It’s nothin’ fancy, but it’s home.”
“I like it.” His hands disappeared into his jacket pockets. “I think I must’ve had a decorator work on mine or something, because none of it seems like anything I’d like. I mean, it’s nice, but…not homey, if that makes sense.”
“Perfect sense. Can I get you some coffee or anything?”
“Oh, I don’t drink coffee, but water would be great.”
Doesn’t drink coffee…?Guess no one had clued him in to his latte habit. “One water comin’ right up.”
“Thanks,” he said, as he perused my collection of movies stacked full on one of the entertainment center shelves. “By the way, I searched online forAnt-Manyesterday. Ended up watching the movie.”
“Oh yeah? And?”
“Not bad. But I still say if you’re gonna be a superhero, Superman’s the way to go.”
“I don’t think anyone would disagree with you about that,” I said, handing him an iced water and then heading back to the kitchen to fill up a mug with fresh brew for me. When I came back, Reid was still standing in the same spot and sipping on his drink. I gestured toward the seating area. “The couches don’t bite, you know.”
“Oh… Right. Of course,” he said, rounding the coffee table and taking a seat in the middle of the couch, while I took the recliner.
Lifting the mug to my lips, I took a sip and then said, “So.”
“So.” He picked up one of the picture frames on the coffee table. “Is this you and your family?”
“It is.”
“Only child?”
“Just me.”
“Do your folks live around here?”
I shook my head. “Just me.”
“You’re not very forthcoming, are you?” he teased. “Where do they live now?”
“They don’t. They passed away when I was seventeen.”
Reid’s mouth snapped shut and he looked back at the photo. “Don’t I feel like an ass. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did they…”
“Die? Car accident.”
Reid’s head shot up.
“A truck driver had been on the road too long. Fell asleep at the wheel. He veered into our lane before my dad could move, and hit us head-on.”