Sunny stretched her arms and pulled the comforter closer. She moved her legs and squealed when searing pain shot up her right leg from her foot. Jerking the upper half of her body upright, she glanced anxiously around the beautiful room with glass doors open to the outside. She could hear the sound of the ocean and suddenly remembered her horrendous morning. It had started out so well with a walk along the beach, but ended in disaster when she'd stepped on a shard of glass and ripped her foot.
From the position of the sun, she'd been asleep for a long time. She glanced around the room looking for preppy boy, but it was empty. Slowly sitting and lowering her legs over the side of the couch, it took all of her willpower to keep from crying out.
Everything was a mess. Her bus was long gone. She had no place to stay. She didn't know if she could walk. And if she wanted to remain in town for any length of time, finding a job would be delayed for several days. She was screwed. She blinked back tears, heard footsteps, and quickly shifted into her hard-ass persona.
"I was wondering when you'd wake up," said pretty boy.
"Why didn't you wake me sooner? I need to check into a motel," she replied with hostility.
Noah sat on the chair opposite the couch. "About that motel; I found one…but I have another idea."
Her eyes rounded and she scooted backward. "Don't even think about it. I don't trade favors for anything."
Noah frowned in puzzlement and then his eyes rounded, too. "You think that I…" He jumped to his feet. "Hell, I'm trying to help you, not sleep with you! You are a piece of work, lady!" He stomped to the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Sunny almost believed the guy.
He jerked a carton of milk from the fridge and drank directly from the spout.
"That's disgusting!"
"Not as disgusting as your inference. And I'm the only one who drinks milk in the house."
Neither of them spoke as Noah put the carton back, and then said, "Would you like something? There's Pepsi, 7-Up, iced tea, Gatorade."
"Did you drink directly out of them?"
"No."
"Okay, I'll have a 7-Up."
"With or without ice?"
"With."
A couple of minutes later Noah handed her a tall glass of soda and she gulped it. She loved the fizz.
Noah had returned to his seat across from her and calmly said, "Would you like to hear what I was getting at before you convicted me of something horrendous?"
She tried to move her foot to a more comfortable position and winced. "I'm listening."
He studied her face as he spoke. "I live here with my grandfather, but we have a casita for guests. Right now it's empty. I called my gramps to explain your situation and asked if you could stay in the casita until your foot heals, and he didn't have a problem with it. So…you have a place to stay for free if you want it."
Indignation caused Sunny to sit higher. "And just what is my situation since you seem to know so much about me?"
Noah lifted his hands in the air. "Are you going to go off on me again when I'm trying to help you? Obviously, you've cut your foot, you don't have a place to stay, and so you probably don't live around here. And since you don't live around here, you don't have a job here. It doesn't require Sherlock Holmes to figure it out. So, if I'm wrong, tell me which part."
Sunny stared at him without answering. What could she say when he was correct about everything? While she was thinking about how to respond, he said, "Let me finish my proposal." He shook his head and started again. "Let me finish my idea."
Sunny glanced away from his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes and waited.
He continued, "Since you said you can vote, I'm assuming you're eighteen or older, so if you need a job, I know a good place to start."
Despite her antagonism toward the kid, her interest was suddenly piqued. Swallowing her pride, she returned her gaze to his and waited to hear what he had to say. She expected him to gloat at capturing her attention, but nothing in his expression or demeanor showed that. He merely said, "There's a B & B on the corner of Main Street and Ocean Boulevard called Hope Bed & Breakfast that's owned by a relative, and she was just telling me last week that she's going to hire someone to help with the day-to-day running of her place."
Sunny's heart jumped. All of her life she had wanted to work at a B & B. The ones she'd seen in magazines or the internet or television, always seemed so homey and welcoming. She suddenly envisioned the smell of homemade bread wafting throughout the house, fresh flower arrangements in pretty vases, and a gracious lady welcoming her guests. She bit the inside of her jaw to keep from shouting, "Yes!"
Noah said, "Is that something you might be interested in?"
She took her time in answering. "I guess so."
Noah grinned and his relieved expression did things to her heart. She wasn't used to being around nice guys, especially good looking ones. He was geeky, but cute, with wavy dark brown hair, not too short or long, a strong nose, prominent cheekbones, great tan, thin mouth, and really nice teeth.
He stood. "What about the casita? Would you like to see it?"
"I guess so. But I'm not letting you carry me on your back again."
Preppy boy laughed. "You are the most cantankerous woman I have ever met. But maybe I'll get on your good side when I tell you I found some crutches in the garage. I just need to wipe the dust off."
When Noah left the room Sunny placed her hands on her warm cheeks. Maybe everything wasn't such a mess after all.