Page 24 of Overachiever
A few minutes after we get back to work, Colin asks, “Do you have plans for Friday night?”
“Are you asking me out?”
“Sorry, you’re not my type, and I’m kind of getting married soon.”
Sitting back on my feet, I stop hammering. “Hey, congratulations.”
“Thanks. My bachelor party is Friday night. We’re basically bar hopping. Do you want to join us?”
“Hell yeah.”
“We’ve hired a car. I’ll let you know when we’ll pick you up.”
“Sounds great.”
Chapter Eight
Remee
After the long work week of painting I’ve had, I’m glad to have the evening alone. My muscles ache, and while Owen is out at the bachelor party, my plan is to relax. My mind has been so full of colliding thoughts over the unexpected feelings Owen has triggered in me. I’m exhausted trying to reason with myself and analyze them.
What I need to quiet the noise is a soak in a hot bath with a new horror book I’ve been waiting on. Owen left me his truck, and with the navigator on my phone I have no problem finding a store to buy a few candles and a bath bomb. Working around drywall dust and sawdust all day, my skin could definitely use some care. On my way to check out, I also grab a small package of chocolates.
My next stop is a bookstore, and I’m happy to find they have the book I’ve been waiting for, but the sight of another new release solves my problem of what to get Owen for his birthday.
With all the stuff for my peaceful night sitting on the truck seat beside me, I head back to the motel.
It’s nice to have the room to myself for the first time since I let Owen stay with me. While the tub fills with water, I arrange the candles and light them. The harsh, white overhead light in the bathroom isn’t exactly conducive to relaxation so I opt to turn it out and leave the bathroom door open a crack. It lets in just enough light from our room for me to see my book.
Undressing, I notice a cigarette butt lying against the wall. Ew, how did that get in here? We don’t smoke. It must’ve ridden in stuck to one of our shoes. I toss it in the toilet, then close the lid. The bath bomb smells amazing when I unwrap it, like cherries, and it turns the water a deep red as it dissolves. With one of my favorite playlists playing on my phone, I climb into the hot water.
This is perfect.
Only a few chapters into my book, I set it aside, warm the water up to just this side of scalding again, and lie back. Perspective, that’s what I need, and this time alone is helping me sort that out. Everything’s going to be fine. After this job ends, we’ll go back home and things will return to normal between me and Owen. I’ll try to squeeze an extra class into my schedule to make up for not getting any this summer, and I’ll have this opportunity to add to my resume like my advisor recommended. I may have lost focus a little but I’m still on track. Nothing to stress about.
My eyes close, and the music takes me away. Every time a stray worry tries to invade, I brush it aside, not allowing any to take hold. I’ve always loved the fuzzy place your mind takes you when you aren’t completely awake, but are still aware enough to hear what’s going on around you. Floating between worlds where fantastic things can happen behind your eyelids.
I’m not sure how long I hover there before the silence is broken.
“Remee!”
My entire body jerks at the sound of my name screamed directly into my ear, and the feeling of falling sends a spike of panic through me. Cold tile meets my bare ass and my eyes leap open to see Owen’s face above me.
For the rest of my life, I will never forget his expression of horror melting into confusion when I sit up and smack at him. “What are you doing!”
His head whips back and forth between me and the tub full of crimson water. “I-I the blood!” His hands run over my naked body as I start to piece things together. “You’re not hurt. It looked like…you scared the fuck out of me!” he yells.
Okay, he was genuinely terrified and this shouldn’t be funny, but I can’t help it. He looks at me as if I’ve completely lost my mind when the first peal of laughter escapes, and it just makes it worse. Shaking my finger toward the light switch, I try to get the words out through the hysterics overtaking me.
“Turn the light on.”
The thought of how it must’ve looked to him, me lying in a tub filled with red, eyes closed and the lights out just makes me laugh harder. I set up a horror scene that tops most of the pranks these guys have pulled without even meaning to.
Once the room is illuminated, I get a good look at him standing over me, and I might die if I can’t get a breath soon. His white shirt is splattered with red from the water, and his eyes are wild as he gapes down at where he laid me on the floor after snatching me out of the bath.
“Bath bomb,” I manage. “It’s just dye from a bath bomb…but you thought.” My hands go to my sides holding the ache from trying to get control.
I’m sure the alcohol I can smell on him helped him misread the situation. Slowly, his lips turn up at the sight of me laughing at him, and I reach for the towel I had waiting. As I get to my feet, I smell smoke.