Free Bad Karma by J. D. Faver

cushions and scuffed cane.
    His drapery was also faded from years of sun exposure, and they didn’t exactly go with anything else in the room. His open kitchen was visible from the spacious living-dining room and the clutter of utensils and cookware was definitely not attractive.
    He cringed when he glanced into his bedroom. The mis-matched sheets were topped with a frayed cotton blanket, his favorite shade of green. Not an inviting love nest.
    A smile stretched across Zach’s face. That’s it. I may be able to turn my weakness into an asset.
    He staked out a place on his deck so he could pretend to be chilling while he kept an eye out for his neighbors. He squeezed a wedge of lime into the neck of a Dos Equis and inhaled the fresh ocean breeze. The late afternoon sun warmed his skin and he found himself relaxing.
    The toot of a horn jerked him out of his languor. He looked over the edge of his deck and was greeted with the sight of Skyler and Cassie waving to him.
    “ C’mon over,” Cassie called. “We brought dinner.” She lifted a couple of bags from the back seat and sprinted up their stairs.
    Sky grinned up at him, raising two large take out bags for his inspection. “Hope you like Chinese.”
    He nodded. “Sure, I haven’t eaten dog in a long time.”
    “ Zach!” Sky shrieked. “Shame on you. This smells great.”
    “ Just kidding. I’ll be right over.” He sprinted down the stairs and caught up with Sky as she made her way slowly up her own set of steps. “Can I help you with that?” He reached for the bags.
    “ Thanks.” She swept him with a glance from under her long lashes that set off a jelly-like quake in his stomach.
    He wondered why he always felt so warm in her presence.
    Inside, he saw that Cassie had put away the groceries and was setting out plates on the countertop for the take-out. “Spread everything out here and we can fill our plates.”
    Sky smiled up at him. “I know this can’t pay you back for the wonderful meal you prepared for us, but we wanted to show our appreciation.”
    Zach wondered if she knew about the little flutter in his chest whenever she looked at him with that dimpled grin. Sure, they all know. It’s part of their power over our kind. Keep the lower life forms off balance. “No thanks are necessary.”
    “ You mean de nada ?” Her dimples twinkled again.
    He nodded. “You’re getting it.”
    Cassie put serving spoons in the take-out containers. “Don’t tell me that I just heard my sister speak a phrase in Spanish. I tried so hard to teach her when I was in high school, but she turned her back on me.”
    “ I know one phrase. Zach taught it to me.”
    Cassie made a noise in the back of her throat. “That shows how you rate with my sister.” She reached in a bag to retrieve an egg roll.”
    Sky put an egg roll on Zach’s plate. “Zach used it in context, not in a bunch of hypothetical, contrived scenarios.”
    Cassie huffed. “Well, excuse me for trying to expand your horizons. I was hoping to make you into a citizen of the world.”
    “ I’m just happy to be a citizen of South Padre Island today.”
    Zach accepted the filled plate she handed him, liking the way she was nurturing him. “Your house is shaping up.”
    She led the way to their glass-topped wrought-iron dining table and gestured for him to sit beside her. “You think so? I worked very hard on my last place and then...I, uh...had to move.”
    “ That must have been frustrating, but I’m glad you’re here.”
    She smiled. “Me too.”
    Zach cleared his throat. “I was thinking of redoing my place. Maybe you could give me a few tips.”
    “ Really? I thought your place was fine. It looks like you.”
    Zach felt a twinge of pain. “You mean, ruggedly handsome?”
    She laughed. “I mean natural...comfortable.”
    The smile again. I could kiss you right now, even with that little dab of sweet and sour sauce at the corner of your mouth.
    “ Zach, you’re staring at my