Nicole sat at her tiny dining table, eating a meal she’d thrown together and thinking of the way she’d reacted to Will earlier when she stopped mid-bite and sniffed. Smoke. The charred smell came through the opened window and almost choked her.
It must be the new neighbors. The smell became even more intense, causing her eyes to water. She got up to close her window and saw smoke billow from the neighbor’s back door. Before she could decide if she should call the fire department, a smoking cast-iron frying pan flew through the door, followed by two burning oven mitts, and if she wasn’t mistaken, a few muffled but very colorful and inventive words.
Nicole giggled and stepped out her back door to get a better look as a large man darted out of the door and ran for the water hose to douse the flames. A large man that looked suspiciously familiar. Nicole narrowed her eyes and blood began to boil through her veins upon recognition. Will! She quickly stepped back inside her door before he saw her. Did he know she lived next door? She smacked her forehead with her hand. Of course, he did. Later she’d examine why her heart sped up and began to flutter at the thought of Will living next to her.
She pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes, and slammed her back door in frustration. She marched back to the table, but her appetite had disappeared. The nerve of the man. Would he keep popping up wherever she went?
She knew when she heard the first knock on her door who would be standing on the other side. She closed her eyes and wished she could ignore him. But that would have been the old Nicole. Sugar wouldn’t avoid the obnoxious person.
At least when she opened her door, he had the good sense to look remorseful. Nicole crossed her arms and asked coldly, “What do you want?” She tried to remain totally unaffected by his nearness. Even through the smoky smell on his clothes, she could still get a whiff of his aftershave; the musky one, her favorite. Stop it!
“The dial on the stove said low heat. It lied. I burned my dinner.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. Will had the audacity to use his puppy dog eyes on her.
Nicole rolled her eyes and casually checked her nails to be sure none were chipped before the power of Will consumed and made her burn in places long dormant. “I know. It wasn’t hard to smell. What do you expect me to do about it?” She couldn’t care less that he’d burned his dinner.
“I noticed you were having spaghetti for dinner. It smells delicious.” He sounded hopeful, looking over her head and then giving her one of those smiles.
“Yeah, so?” Suddenly she didn’t like where the conversation was headed; he wouldn’t…
“So…” Will gave her that look again, the one that always got him exactly what he wanted; the last chocolate chip cookie or the last jump from the rope swing into the lake or one last orgasm after she’d already given him two. Whoa…Whoa!
She shook her head to erase that thought. “No! Oh no, you are not sharing my dinner.” Nic tried to close the door, but he simply stuck his boot in the jam and pushed his way inside.
“Why thank you, Nic.” Will grinned and walked inside, zeroing in on the dining table. “I would love to join you for dinner.”
Nicole glared in annoyance as he waltzed by, right into her house as if he owned it. “I didn’t invite you!” she screeched, just before she got another whiff of the unmistakable Will-scent, catching her off guard and sending her stomach into a nose dive.
“Yes, you did.” He hurried on into the kitchen, dismissing her refusal.
She ran after him. “No I didn’t,” she argued, but knew it wouldn’t do any good.
“You just forgot. You meant to invite me at the grocery store, but you left before you remembered to,” he explained politely, as he began opening and closing drawers, searching through her cabinets.
“Stop! Just stop! I did not forget! Why would I invite a man I detest to dinner? Get out!” Nicole shrieked, and pointed towards the front door. She rolled her eyes and stomped her foot in a childish display of irritation.
Will snapped his head around and looked down at her foot in disbelief. His eyes sparkled with mischief. He grinned. “Now, Nic, where are those manners you are so famous for?” Will tut-tutted, wagging his finger in front of her face. “Your grandmother would be appalled at your inhospitable behavior.”
Nicole’s brows scrunched together as she stood by helplessly while Will went through her cabinets, located dinnerware, and proceeded to serve his plate with her food! When he started towards her table, she’d had enough.
“Just take it and get out, Will.” Nicole closed her eyes and pushed on her temples with her fingers to alleviate the throbbing headache she felt coming on. Being around him was stressful. The flashbacks and memories she kept having weren’t helping either. She needed him to leave.
“Oh, Nic, you’re not being very welcoming to your new neighbor,” Will mumbled around a mouth full of her food. “Come and join me. This is delicious. When did you learn to cook?” He reached for a piece of garlic bread.
“I…” She’d had to learn in order to survive when she had no other options. She felt a tingly sensation behind her eyes. She swallowed and pursed her lips. She wouldn’t let him get to her. “No big deal. I just learned.” She joined him at the table, wishing it were bigger. Their knees bumped as she scooted her chair up. She fought the little kick to her system from his touch.
“Well, it’s very good. You need to give Mom your sauce recipe. I think yours is better.”
Nicole watched in astonishment as he used a huge chunk of her last piece of garlic bread to sop up marinara sauce on his plate and then stick the whole thing in his mouth, and then…he had the nerve to smile at her!
“Wanna know my favorite type of food.”
“I know your favorite type of food, William. It’s those unhealthy hamburgers I’ve smelled your father grilling outside. I’ve seen you out of my window eat three for dinner.”
“Nuh huh. It’s see food!”
Will opened his mouth wide for her to “see” all the “food” inside and fell over laughing when she started gagging until she threw up on his new Chucks.
A smiled play around the edges of her lips. His mom had told him he deserved it. Nicole blinked away the memory and sat up straighter. “That would be difficult since your parents haven’t spoken to me in five years,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Nic,” Will said softly, “they’re really sorry.
I am a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those young-at-heart to read more through my Quest Books set in these worlds.
Long ago the old texts of ancient Egypt alluded to scrolls in which King Tut spoke to the people from beyond the tomb. Many archaeologists put this down to an incorrect translation of the ancient Egyptian texts. Others swore to the accuracy of the translation. But, Tutankhamen Speaks isn't a story about the lost scrolls. It's about the story written down on those ancient scrolls: Tutankhamen's story.
