The Magnolia Café

Chapter 10

A loud bang startles me. Shit... I fell asleep on the couch. What the hell was that? A take a quick look around the apartment. The skylight is open. I try to close it before getting soaked, but my efforts are in vain. The rain keeps pouring and I have no idea on how to close this stupid thing.

I don't have a choice, do I?

"Connor, sorry to bother you at this hour," I say as soon as he picks up the phone.

After just a few minutes, Connor arrives and easily closes the skylight and helps me clean the lake that has formed in the middle of the leaving room.

"I'm so sorry. I feel so stupid for making you get up at this hour just because of a window."

"Don't worry about it. I rather have you calling me than have rain inside the apartment."

Connor is only wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt and his usual boots. Not his usual lumberjack outfit. Nonetheless, he still looks good. He was clearly asleep when I called and left the house in a hurry. His hair is dishevelled and somehow that makes him even more handsome. I resist the urge to touch his hair.

Why do I even want to touch his hair? What's going on with me?

"Once again, thank you and sorry."

"How about a hot shower?" I frown, and Connor turns red. "You. You should take a shower. You are soaked. From the rain."

"Oh. I will." The lights go out and I jump.

"Don't move. Do you have candles or a flashlight?"

"No."

With only the flashlight on his phone, Connor goes back to his car and returns with wood for the fireplace and a big camping flashlight that he places it in the middle of the kitchen counter.

"The whole town is out. We'll have to wait a bit before the power comes back on," he says, and I nod. With my arms around me, I passe back and forth. "I'll set the fireplace. Meanwhile, you should put on dry clothes."

Connor lit the fireplace and placed a blanket and cushions in front of it as I returned with new pyjamas, and we both sat in front of the fire. He smells nice... Crap! Snap out of it, Isabella! I suppose I've been way too long without any decent human interactions, but getting a crush on my new boss slash landlord doesn't seem like the right move; especially for someone that, until a few months ago, was engaged and has questionable mental health.

I quickly glance at him. His glacier blue eyes are piercing my skin.

"You are staring. Again. Why do you have the habit of staring at me?" Look who's talking, am I right?

"I'm not staring."

I raise an eyebrow and purse my lips.

"Fine." He sighs. "I'm sorry."

"Am I that pretty?"

"No, that's—" He flushes. How cute.

"I'm not pretty?" I smirk.

"You are. But that's not why I was... staring."

"Then why were you?" He doesn't answer. He keeps looking at the fire in front of us. I know I shouldn't be this amused by how flustered he gets, but I can't help it. "Why are you still here?"

"Just making sure my tenant is well taken care of."

"Is that all?"

"I was... wondering."

"About what?"

"About what you are really doing here."

"This again? Why do I feel that every time we talk to each other, you want to know everything about me, but I don't have the right to know anything about you?"

Connor shrugs. "I'm an open book. I have nothing to hide, and there's not much to know."

"There's not much to know about me, either."

"I have the feeling that you are lying."

"Then I guess we both are."

"Maybe."

"But why? Why are we doing it?"

"I don't know Isabella." He looks down, but the light from the fire is enough for me to see his blushed complexion. "This is not the time to have this conversation."

"A good time, as any. Besides, you were the one that started."

"What do you want to know?"

"Will you answer?"

Connor nods. "And you? Will you do the same?"

"Not yet. I don't think I'm ready."

We stay like this, side by side, in front of the fire until the lights are back on.

"See if you can get some sleep," Connor says as he walks towards the door.

"Thanks. I'll try."

"Good night, Isabella."

"Bye, Connor."