Page 96 of Between the Lines

“Agreed.” Fia smiles.

I say nothing as I back up to look at it. The magazine chose to use a photo of Fia and me behind the espresso machine. She’s laughing, her head back, lips parted in a beautiful smile, and I’m looking at her.

Maybe I should care that someone might read into it and see the chemistry between us, make assumptions that we are together.

“I love it,” Fia says, staring at the photo.

My worry goes out the window. Fia loves it—that’s all that matters.

“Hey, slick,” Fia says the moment she steps into my kitchen, still in her clothes from earlier at the coffee shop, Daisy on her hip.

My hands are frozen as I load my freezer with fish.

“I know.” I shake my head, shutting the freezer door. “I need to stop coming into the shop when you’re there. It’s a problem.”

Fia comes over to the island, bouncing Daisy, who is swinging her stuffed giraffe.

“So can your girlfriend request something for tonight?”

I raise my brows. “Let’s hear it.”

She leans a hip on the marble counter, looking at home in my kitchen.

“First, can we have pizza? And second, can we end the night curled up on the sofa with a movie?”

“Oh shit, did I not mention that earlier?” I gesture towards the living room. “It’s a full-blown movie night with homemade pizza. But the thing is . . . my TV only streams war movies and documentaries.”

Fia scrunches her nose and looks at Daisy. “That’s so weird, because the TV in the guesthouse only streams romance movies!”

“Touché.”

My phone starts ringing, interrupting us. “It’s Eddie, let me get this.”

Fia nods and pads into the living room, setting Daisy down. I turn my back to her and answer the call.

“Hey, man.”

His crew’s talking in the background, and there’s loud beeping, maybe a truck backing up.

“Good news, boss!” Eddie’s voice cracks through the phone.

“What’s that?”

“We’ve finished the roof,” Eddie says excitedly.

I shake my head, recounting what day it is.

“You’re almost two weeks ahead of schedule,” I scoff. “How is that even possible?”

Eddie chuckles, the sound of a lighter flaring comes through the speaker. I can almost smell his Marlboro Reds.

“We started early today and got it done fast. We still have the caulking and painting inside, all the new drywall, and I’m assuming you’ll want the cleaning crew to come in, then we’ll move the furniture back. If all goes to plan, she can move back in next week. Should be good by Thursday.”

My mouth goes dry as I run my fingers through my hair.

I glance over my shoulder. Daisy’s climbing my sofa while Fia hovers behind her, arms outstretched. She shoots me a nervous smile.

“Uhm, no, that’s great news.” My tone is anything but enthusiastic. I try again. “Thanks.”