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—Banks—
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Dismayed and ignoring the voice inside my head telling me Simone shouldn’t be alone, I trudged down the front steps of Lavender Cottage. Surprisingly, my new heart ached as much as my old one would have, and by the time I reached my truck, I barely resisted the urge to go back to her front door and demand to be let in.
Deep enough to draw blood yet shallow enough to not take it too far, those lines on her arms made my gut churn. Real fear shone in her blue eyes as I drew conclusions. They were the marks of hidden trauma. Each one a cry for help—whether she saw them as that or not. Fuck me, I wanted to take her in my arms and heal her in any way I could.
As I drove down the street, I couldn’t swallow away the hollow void in my stomach. It grew with each passing second that I spent stressing about Simone’s welfare. She’d shown up in town unannounced, tried to keep a low profile, and appeared extremely lonely. After what I saw, I’d never fucking forgive myself if anything happened to her.
“Fuck,” I cursed while braking. I geared down and did a tight U-turn, all the while arguing with myself about all the reasons to let sleeping dogs lie versus sticking my nose where I didn’t belong. Not to mention wasn’t wanted.
Without pausing long enough to think of the ramifications, I pulled into her driveway a second time and slammed to a halt. I took the front steps in a single bound, then pounded on the door with the side of my fist.
“Simone!”
I was sure I heard a gasp, so I knocked harder. “Simone, can you hear me?”
“Go away, Banks!”
The agitated reply had my shoulders sagging. I pressed my hand to the door as if it would bring the same comfort as physical touch.
“I’m worried about you,” I murmured.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know, but...” Attempting to swallow failed, so I cleared my throat. “...it feels like I do.”
“That’s stupid,” came her mumble.
I whipped off my cap and scrubbed my hand through my hair, at a loss for what to say or do.
A minute passed before Simone spoke again. “You’re still there, aren’t you?”
Unable to suppress a smile, I shifted from foot to foot. “Yeah.”
She released what sounded like a grounding exhale, and her voice became softer. “I’m fine, Banks. You don’t need to hover.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me, and tried to lighten the mood. “I actually came back to tell you that, while I have to eat pie with milk, you gotta add whipped cream.”
The smallest scoff had me smiling wider. “Is there any other way to eat pie?”
“Depends on what type of pie we’re referring to, new girl,” I drawled.
“I like pie.”
“Same.”
When the silence drew out, I figured out the conversation had died an awkward death, so I opened my mouth to say goodbye for a second time.
Simone beat me to speak. “Do you want some pie? There’s so much...”
My pulse skipped a little. “I never say no to pie, darlin’.”
The smile slid from my face and seriousness returned when she added, “But you have to promise not to talk about what you saw.”
Rubbing at my aching chest failed to shift the weight of the knowledge about her self-harm.
“Promise, Banks.”
On a heavy sigh, I found myself vowing to keep her secret. “I promise.”
I imagined her fortifying herself. Perhaps plucking up the courage for her next move.
“How about I just sit out here on your step for when you’re ready?” I suggested, already backing up two steps. “Take your time, new girl. I’ve got all the time in the world.”
Sitting propped against the railing post, I kicked back on the step and tilted my face toward the midday sun. As if being a search and rescue EMT hadn’t taught me that life was precious and to make the most of every day, my own health scare cemented my need to live life to the fullest. And if that included eating pie with a pretty girl on the front step of an old, run-down cottage, then count me in.
Minutes clicked by before the front door quietly unlocked and broke me from my thoughts. I twisted to see Simone hesitantly inching out the door.
I tapped the porch beside me and tried my hardest to put her at ease. “Just so you know, I don’t share forks with strangers.”
That won me a scoff and discreet smile. “Yet you kiss them?” she countered.
“Only the pretty ones.” I smiled and looked out over the front yard while she got comfortable, pie positioned strategically between us on the top step.
My smile became marred with sadness when my gaze drifted to her arms. Despite now being covered by a black blouse, I couldn’t forget what lay underneath.
An anxious tuck of her hair had my eyes meeting hers. They held distress and apprehension, yet I sensed echoes of underlying strength in her blue irises.
After accepting the fork she offered, I automatically wiped it on my shirt, which created another frown on her pretty face.
“It’s clean,” she mumbled.
I smirked. “I know, but it’s a habit I can’t shake.” I forked a chunk of pie, shoved it in my mouth, and chewed while casually perusing the garden. In my peripheral vision, Simone followed suit.
“Mmhmm,” came her quiet hum as she chewed.
“It’s good though, huh?”
“It really is... So why do you add milk but not cream?” she asked.
“Not allowed. The fat content’s too high.”
She scoffed. “I’m surprised you don’t eat it anyway, since you have a complete disregard for all other rules.”
I chuckled and stabbed more pie. “This is a matter of health, which I happen to take seriously.”
“Yet you eat burgers and drink beer,” Simone countered.
“In moderation,” I emphasized through my mouthful with a fork-stab in her direction.
Unsurprisingly, she rolled her eyes and let the pause draw out. We ate in contemplative silence until my burning question wouldn’t stay suppressed.
“So, what’s the deal with your list?”
“You’ve got zero tact,” she deadpanned.
“Ha! It’s called finding out what I want to know.”
Her light brows arched high. “It’s called being nosy.”
“Humor me, new girl,” I murmured, taking another forkful of pie. “If you carry it with you in your handbag, it has to have some significance.”
“It does.”
I arched an eyebrow expectantly. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“For now,” she mumbled, focusing on stabbing a piece of short crust. As if she was reminded that I was public enemy number one, Simone set down her fork and hugged her knees to her chest. “I’m done.”
“You’ve barely pecked at it. You can’t possibly be fu—” I halted mid-sentence from her expressionless stare homing in on me.
Reading between the lines of her statement and body language, I slowly set my fork on the decking and finished my mouthful.
“I’ll get going.”
Simone nodded while studying her tan toenail polish. “Thank you,” she whispered before daring to meet my gaze again.
Hers held emotion that hit me square in the chest. I wanted to protect her from whatever she silently fought inside.
At the bottom of the steps, I paused and looked back over my shoulder. I opened my mouth to speak, though lost my voice the instant I set eyes on her again.
Now standing with her arms hugging her torso, Simone pinned me with an unblinking stare that unsettled me to the roots of my being.
“This isn’t a goodbye, new girl, so don’t look at me like that,” I whispered loud enough for her to hear.
She inhaled a shuddering breath and set her jaw. “It’s not a goodbye, because goodbyes are infinitely harder than this.”
Hint taken, I nodded curtly, then studied the path as I strode to my truck. I climbed behind the wheel, confused and unable to shake free from Simone’s haunting expression.
I couldn’t figure out which Simone was the authentic one: the shy girl who smirked when amused, the fierce woman who spoke her mind, the emotionally unstable storm, or the broken babe with her heart locked behind iron bars.
Either way, Simone consumed my thoughts as I reversed from her driveway and slowly cruised down the street, heading to my brother’s place right next door.
~
Leif—the second oldest of my brothers—looked up from sanding the mantelpiece the instant I strolled into the living room.
He stopped singing and flicked out his earbuds. “Hey, Banksy. I didn’t hear you pull up.”
I shrugged. “It’s all good. I don’t suppose you’ve heard much from next door?” I asked casually.
“Not a peep. Reed said the new tenant arrived yesterday afternoon. Haven’t had a chance to introduce myself yet. Why’s that?”
“Just wondering really.” If anything was untoward with Simone, Leif would eventually hear about it. He’d purchased Lavender Cottage off old Ms. Alden before she passed, and was therefore Simone’s landlord.
Despite being a lawyer with an ego as big as the lake, Leif had no qualms about getting his hands dirty with renovating his own investments. Kept him grounded, he reckoned.
He smirked. “Well, tell me what’s she like, then. I’m assuming you’ve met her, otherwise your ass wouldn’t be over here bothering mine asking questions about her.”
I focused on the mantelpiece as I picked my words carefully. “You need to meet her to understand.”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, Banksy?”
“Just...”
“You like her, don’t you?” he deadpanned.
“I ain’t denying she’s beautiful, because don’t get me wrong, she is.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Simone’s secret wasn’t mine to tell. No matter how much I wanted to confide in Leif, her trauma wasn’t mine to share unless I was gravely worried about her welfare.
“Just keep an eye on her for me, please? Not always, but when you’re here.” Restoring this place was his weekend project away from his fancy lakeside home nearby.
He scoffed and resumed sanding. “I’ll be sure to stop by on my way home later.”
“Best not mention me.” I cleared my throat. “We didn’t get off to the best start.”
Leif groaned. “For fuck’s sake, what did you do?”
A chuckle escaped. “Well, to sum it up, I kissed her, forced my way into her car, scared her into eating her dinner outside at the pub, bought her a succulent and dropped around unannounced to give her that plus a pie Mom made, then sat on the front step and ate it with her. But that was after she told me to fuck off, which I did, but returned a few minutes later.”
“Jesus Christ, Banks! Don’t tell me I’m about to have a harassment suit cross my desk. After everything you just said, I simply cannot represent you in good faith.”
I waved my hand nonchalantly. “It won’t come to that. She’s maced me, pushed me off my bike, and slammed my foot in her door, so we’re even.”
“Even!” Leif cracked out a laugh. “You’d better hope your ass it doesn’t come to a lawsuit because you won’t have a leg to stand on.” He sanded extra vigorously. “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. You need to tone the fuck down, Banksy, before you get yourself into trouble.”
“Save the lecture; Reed flapped his gums to a similar tune.”
Leif chuckled in spite of himself and tossed a sanding block at me. “Time to listen then. And since you’re here, you may as well help me sand.”
