Kari nodded subtly as she took the key from her pocket.
“So now that we have burned a million calories …” I began.
“Try like two hundred.”
“We only burned two hundred freaking calories? Why bother?” I moaned as Kari unlocked the door and we walked in. “That’s almost a waste of time!”
Kari laughed. “That’s why everything you eat matters.”
“Screw it. I’m ordering pizza. Do you want some?”
“Pepperoni and mushroom,” she called over her shoulder as she walked towards the kitchen.
“And extra cheese,” I muttered as I grabbed my cell. I headed up stairs to erase the grime from the walk that would never matter.
Me: Ordering pizza. Want some?
Cane: I’ll have some of you first.
Me: Deal.
Cane: 90 minutes.
Me: <3
Cane: I don’t do emojis.
Me: <3
Cane: Insert emoji here.
Me: You suck.
Cane: Heart.
I laughed, tossing the phone on the sink.
“Jada!” Kari’s voice shouted from downstairs. There was something about the tone and volume that caused a ripple in my chest.
“Yeah?” I jogged to the top of the stairs. “What’s wrong?”
I took the stairs quickly and headed towards the kitchen.
“I am in the kitchen! Come here a second.” Her voice was too controlled, too level and I picked up my pace.
Kari was standing at the island, her hands on her chest as she looked out towards the pool. I followed her line of sight slowly until it landed on the back door to the patio, standing wide open.
“Did you leave the door open?” She turned her head slowly to me, her forehead creased. “Because I remember shutting it before we left the house. I know I did.”
“I haven’t been out that door all day.” I bit the inside of my cheek, narrowing my eyes. “Was that open when we got home?”
Kari nodded her head, a confused look on her face. “Yeah. So weird. Maybe it was the wind?”
We both knew it wasn’t the wind.
“Did you set the alarm when we left?”
Kari walked to the door and swung it shut. “No. I didn’t think we would be gone that long.”
I surveyed the kitchen and the attached family room. Everything seemed in place—television on the wall, the sofa undisturbed. “Everything looks fine. I was in my room and the bathroom and it was all fine there, too.”
Kari took a deep breath before releasing it quickly. “It’s probably the wind or that it wasn’t latched tight. Like you said, everything looks fine. Probably no big deal.”
“Except we should always set the alarm,” I pointed out.
“Except for that.”
I walked backwards out of the room, raising my eyebrows at Kari. “Now, if you have nothing else to panic over, I’m ordering pizza and getting a shower.”
She opened the freezer door and stuck a bottle of wine inside it. “And I have the wine chilling.”
JADA
Bliss.
That small, yet meaningful, word was bouncing in my head as I pulled my car into the driveway after a successful day at work.
The last few days had been nothing but blissful. I had spent most nights with Cane, falling into an easy rhythm of day-to-day activities. Simple, mundane things, when done at his side, were a whole new experience. Being with him was enjoyable, easy; there was no walking on eggshells that I had experienced in my marriage to Decker.
I shook my head, realizing that line of thinking could very well get me in trouble.
As soon as I opened the door to the house, aromas of garlic and tomatoes flooded my senses. I tossed my bags on the couch as I walked through the living room to the kitchen. Kari was standing at the stove over a boiling pot of water and a simmering pan of pasta sauce. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun, one hand on her slender hip that was jutted to the side.
The whole scene reminded me of my mother. Kari looked much more like her than I did, with the same brown hair and green eyes. Mom’s specialty dinner was spaghetti and Kari had found her recipe in an old binder in Dad’s basement when we were teenagers; she had perfected it over the years.
“Hey!” My voice came out in a singsong way, causing Kari to turn around from the stove. “That smells delish!”
“It will be, as always!” She winked at me before turning back to stir the sauce. “How was your day?”
“Great! I was on a roll today,” I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Do you want me to make a salad?”
“That would be awesome.”
“What did you do today?” I asked, getting to work on the salad.
“I finished my shift early this afternoon and did a little shopping.” She smiled brightly as I winced at the thought. “I bought a gorgeous new pink dress! You have to see it! Anyway, it was just a very productive day, so now I’m continuing the amazingness with spaghetti!”
“I love that you celebrate with food. It is so my style.”
“Yeah, didn’t figure you would mind! Oh!” Kari turned to me, setting the wooden spoon on a little dish beside the stove. “A box came for you today.”