Free Adelaide Confused by Penny Greenhorn Page A

turned away so as not to see. “Oh gross, it’s a dead
dog, isn’t it?”
    Lucas was silent so long I was forced to
look. He was kneeling over the newly dug hole, unaware of the
little ghost dog jumping all over him. He was also staring at me
funny.
    “What?” I demanded.
    “You are very strange,” was all he said.
    “ I have a logical reason
for the assumption,” I assured.
    Dubious, he asked, “Did you
bury a dog here?”
    “ If I had buried a dog I
wouldn’t be wondering what was down there, now would I?” I took a
step closer, trying to peer inside. “Just tell me what it
is.”
    The ghost went wild as he
extracted a bone, half-chewed and dirty. Oh, duh, I should have
guessed. He handed it to me and I immediately set it down. The
ghost was so happy, springing and bouncing about. I nearly
smiled.
    “You’re just going to leave it there?”
    I nodded.
    “ Do you want me to fill in
the hole?”
    “ No, I might need to bury
it again later.”
    He watched me, probably
worried I was crazy, but too soon turned to go. I blurted, “Will
you clean out my gutters?” It was lame, I know, I hadn’t even meant
to say it.
    He stopped, glancing at my
house. “When was the last time you cleared them?”
    “ Uh…” I pretended to think
it over. “…never.”
    He was quiet for a moment,
deliberating. “Yeah I’ll clean out your gutters, but you have to
clean my bathroom.”
    “What?”
    “ Clean my bathroom,” he
repeated gruffly.
    “ But bathrooms are gross.
When was the last time you cleaned yours?”
    “ I clean my bathroom more
often than you clear your gutters.” He didn’t smile and he didn’t
feel, so I couldn’t tell if that was a joke. I thought it was meant
to be.
    “ Not a bathroom,” I said,
completely unwilling to go that far. “I’ll clean your kitchen
though, twice.”
    He nodded and left. It was
a bit disappointing. I would have liked to talk some more. But it
was probably for the best, we both had trouble with conversations.
Baby steps. Today he dug a hole in my yard, and tomorrow he might
be cleaning my gutters. So long as I found a few more chores, we
might end up dating.
     
* * *
     
    Francesca arranged her work
schedule so we could go shopping the day of my dinner with Reed.
For that we had to leave the island. Her car was up and running
thanks to Brock, so she drove. We left early (she might have been
able to rearrange her schedule, but I didn’t have that luxury). I
had to be back by noon.
    She complained the whole
way, asking for the umpteenth time, “Why does he need your help?”
    “ I told you exactly what he
said. I’m supposed to mingle during dinner and feel for something
odd.” I wouldn’t tell Francesca I was an empath, but neither would
I lie.
    “ That can’t be what he
said. It doesn’t make any sense!”
    I sighed. “Just say the
word and I’ll refuse.” I was sure he’d carry through with his
threat to contact my family, the notion was upsetting. But
Francesca had been giving off pings of jealousy all morning long,
and I would cancel in a heartbeat for our friendship.
    It was Francesca who was
unwilling to let me. “No! I’m not saying you shouldn’t go, I’m just
confused why he asked you.”
    “It’s not like he asked me on a date.”
    “But he did,” she whined.
    “ I’m only pretending to be
his date, and I’m getting paid, remember?”
    “I know, I know.” She took her eyes from the
road to glance at me, looking sheepish. “I’m being unreasonable,
I’m sorry.”
    “It’s hard to be logical when you’re in
love.” I said it as a joke, but she nodded like it was sage
advice.
    In an attempt to change the
subject I said, “So while we’re on the topic of men, I should
mention that I met one.” She looked at me sharply, the car
swerving. “Shit, Francesca!” I screeched. “Eyes on the
road!”
    She veered back into place.
“Sorry, sorry. I just... you took me by surprise.” She gave me a
furtive glance. “You don’t mean