Chapter Ten
Sookie's POV
I sink lower in the bathtub, relishing the sting of the hot water on my cool skin. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better way to relieve stress and think things over than to take a bath. And Lord knows, after falling into bed the last two nights without taking a proper shower, I could definitely use a bath. As I luxuriate in the warmth, I let my mind drift to the events of the past weekend. Particularly, this interesting development about Bill having a key. When did that happen?
I can honestly say I don't remember giving Bill a key to Gran's house. Is it possible that I gave it to him right after Gran passed without even thinking about it? I weigh that thought in my mind for a moment. I guess it's possible, but not probable. It just doesn't seem like something I would do, even when I was grieving about Gran. It definitely would have made my life easier if Bill could have come and gone as he pleased, but I value my privacy and Gran's property too much to give full access to someone I'd just met, even if that someone was Bill. I suppose I did, though. I just wish I could remember. I can't fathom how else he would have gotten it.
Certainly he wouldn't have made himself a key on the sly. Despite Bill's faults, he is generally a good man, and I just can't imagine him doing something that sneaky and underhanded. Even so, I think it would probably be best if request the key back when I see him tomorrow. It's not that I don't trust Bill. With nothing left in the house of value there's not really much damage he can do. But I would really like to be selective about who has a key to the house, especially since I plan to rent it out. There is just no reason at all for Bill to have a key since I'm no longer living in the house and we are no longer dating.
At the thought of Gran's house, I let my mind move to the repairs that should be taking place today. It was extremely nice of Bill to call in a favor for me. He really didn't have to do that but I'm very grateful that he did. He saved me a lot of time, money and grief. Accepting a date was the least I could do in return. I just hope he understands that my agreeing to the date was in thanks only and that I don't intend for this to be the first of many dates to come. As clear as I tried to make it, I'm not sure that Bill quite gets that, even if he said he did. I know from experience that once Bill has his mind set on something he wants, he generally won't stop until he gets it.
A chill runs through my body despite the warmth of the water at the thought. I hate to think of Bill setting his mind on having me. I don't know what he'll do once he comes to truly understand I don't want to be in any sort of relationship. No, that's not quite right. I do want to be in a relationship, but not with Bill. Completely unbidden, Eric comes to mind.
I let my mind drift to Eric for the first time in days. I like Eric a lot and have found it hard in general to keep my mind off him despite the fact that he has a girlfriend and should be nowhere near my thoughts. But what do I really know about him? I know he lives next door. I know he likes Chinese food. I know he is smoking hot and my hearts speeds up every time I think about him. I know he's a good kisser. And I know he seems to like me. But I also know that he's in a relationship of one sort or another with at least one other woman and I'm not willing to get between them no matter how much I think I like him. Even though that's the case, maybe I should have let him explain about the other afternoon? I don't owe it to him to listen, but maybe there is a genuinely good explanation for what I overheard? I purse my lips while I think. I'm definitely not going to go out of my way to pursue him, but if he asks to explain again, I think I might just take him up on the offer. Only on the off chance there is a good explanation, of course.
Pushing all thoughts aside and deciding I've had enough thinking and bathing to last me the day, I turn my bath into a shower to quickly wash my hair. After I'm clean from head to toe, I dry off, moisturize accordingly, combs through my tangled hair, and throw on the old pair of denim shorts and the white t-shirt I had set out before my bath. I plan to stay around the apartment today, finishing the unpacking and cleaning a bit, before heading off for class this evening. First things first, though – coffee.
I walk barefoot through the apartment to the coffee machine I had started in the kitchen before my bath. Since I had been gone for the weekend and it was all I could do to drag myself through the door standing the night before, I had completely forgotten to set the timer of the machine to start automatically. I had been sorely disappointed to wake up to no coffee. I grab a coffee cup from where I left it in the dish drainer and fill it to the brim with the bitter beverage. I contemplate for a moment enjoying my coffee at the table in the kitchen, but decide to Go outside while I can since most of the day will be spent stuck in the apartment.
I step out on the deck with my coffee, still barefoot, and settle into my little plastic chair. Though the evenings and mornings are getting cooler the closer we get to winter, this morning is hot, almost like a morning in the middle of summer. I take a sip of my coffee but it's almost too hot to drink in the warm and muggy morning air. I set the coffee cup on the ground near my feet and scoot down in my chair slightly, closing my eyes and stretching my legs out in front of me. I have always loved to lay in the sun and the feeling of the weak morning rays on my skin feel comforting and luxurious. Breathing deeply, I'm slightly disappointed to smell just the clean morning air. I really need to make it a priority to get some flowers out here. Maybe I will have enough time this afternoon to run to the store and see what they have blooming this time of the year. With winter coming the selection may be slim, but I'll take just about anything to spruce up the deck for the month or two I'll still be able to comfortably use it.
Lost in my thoughts about marigolds and roses, I miss the sound of the door to the next apartment opening and closing.
"Good morning," says a female voice nearby. I pop fully upright in my chair, nearly kicking the coffee cup, and glance around for the woman attached to the voice. I locate her slightly behind me, sitting on the plastic storage bench just past the railing. As if giving me a moment to study her, she smooths her pants as she crosses her legs, then proceeds to pick invisible pieces of lint from her light sweater. So this is the woman Eric's been dating? She is pretty, I've give her that, but she doesn't really look like the kind of woman that would interest a man like Eric.
Her light blonde hair is straight as a pin and arranged neatly around her shoulders. Her pale skin is smooth and unblemished and looks almost like delicate porcelain. Her dark blue eyes dominate her face, giving her a look of youth and innocence. At first glance she looks to be in her late teens, but I can't imagine someone Eric keeping company with someone so young. If I had to guess, I would say she's closer to her mid-twenties. In her pink twin-set and brown twill pants, she is the picture of innocence and propriety.
"Good morning," I reply after what feels like a long pause. Maybe I had studied her a little too intently? The woman lifts her eyes from their task of lint spotting and takes me in with an unexpectedly hungry look. I cross my legs against her voracious gaze. Maybe she's not as innocent as she appears.
"You're quite the pretty one," she says, with a smile that's almost predatory. I can feel my face flush under the intensity of her examination.
"Uhm, thanks," is the best that I can come up with, and all she does is smirk in response. Mentally kicking myself for my lack of manners, I try again. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse," I say, standing and extending my hand to hers to shake.
She takes my hand into both of hers and smiles at me sweetly. "I know," she says, squeezing my fingers with a strength I can't tell she possesses just by looking at her.
She holds my hand a bit longer than necessary. Just as I am about to rescue it from her nearly painful grasp, the sliding door behind her clatters open and out walks Eric in nothing but a pair of well-worn blue jeans, his hair still wet from the shower. My mouth drops open slightly and the woman barely conceals a laugh under a dainty sounding snort. I snap my mouth shut and snatch my hand from her grasp, feeling the heat rise in my face.
"How the fuck can you use so much hot water?" Eric grumbles at the woman without looking at her, setting two cups of coffee and his laptop on the table with some force. As I watch, he flips open the computer and pushes the appropriate button to start it up. "Every time you come over I end up with a cold shower. Not much is worse than a cold shower first thing in the morning. Next time I'm going to be showering first, I'm telling you that. At least I have coffee. Thank the gods for the coffee."
I watch the muscles in his arms and his back ripple as he lifts his cup to take a long sip. If that's how his body moves when his lifts a cup, I wonder how it moves during other activities? I banish the thought at once. Thoughts like that have no place in my head when it's another woman's man we're talking about.
As I come back to my senses, I realize the woman is watching me like a hawk. The smirk on her face tells me I'm staring at Eric a little longer than appropriate. Mortified by my inelegant response to his appearance, and right in front of his girlfriend no less, I clear my throat lightly and avert my eyes. Maybe I can slip back inside without Eric knowing that I'm here? I'm really not in the mood to get into any weird confrontations this early in the morning. I take a tentative step toward the door.
"Why don't you thank the gods a little later, Eric," the woman chirps in a voice that's somehow a mix between bored and intrigued. "We have company."
Great. There goes my plan for a quick escape.
I direct my eyes back toward Eric and watch him stiffen in his chair for a moment before whipping around to face me. I take just a few seconds for myself to notice the effect of the water droplets from his hair on his biceps before he stands with an abruptness that sends his chair halfway across the deck.
"Sookie," he says, walking to me with arms outstretched as if to take my hands in his. I steal a glance at his girlfriend but her face is blank. I fold my arms across my chest, effectively engaging my hands, and paste on a fake smile.
"Eric, how nice to see you," I say through my teeth. He stops just shy of the railing and lets his hand fall to his sides.
"It's good to see you too," he replies. "Where have you been the past couple of days? I've wanted to talk to you."
You're kidding, right? I cut my eyes to the woman. Her face is still blank. "I was out of town," I say, cautiously, my stomach clenching with nerves. Why is he trying to do right in front of his girlfriend?
His eyes follow mine to the woman and he looks back at me with a puzzled frown. "Well now that you're back, I was hoping I could take you to dinner. I still want to talk about what happened last week." I can feel my eyes widen. I cannot believe he's asking me to dinner right in front of his girlfriend. What kind of relationship are these two in?
"Are you kidding me?" I ask before I can stop myself. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing but there is absolutely no way that's going to happen." I glance at the woman, somewhat glad to see the ghost of a smile on her face. Well I would hope she would smile. I just shot down her scumbag boyfriend.
"I've got to be going now. Hope you guys have a good day," I say with a curt nod, stooping to pick up my coffee cup and turning toward the door. I catch one last glimpse of Eric's face as I head inside. I'm puzzled to see that he looks slightly horrified while the small blonde beside him laughs.
xxx
I spent the rest of the morning and the afternoon unpacking and straightening the apartment, but my day was far from quiet and smooth as the phone seemed to ring non-stop.
Bill called twice. The first time he called to update me on the progress of the house; the second, to confirm our date for the following evening. He wouldn't tell me where we were going. All he would say was that it was going to be a surprise and he was most certain I would like it.
Amelia called once to see how I was settling into the apartment and to find out how I was dealing with being away from Bon Temps. She was horrified to hear about the damage at Gran's and offered to send money for repairs. I declined.
My friend Tara called to update me on her pregnancy and ask about the rumors she'd heard about the break in at Gran's house. I was able to confirm for her that the house was broken into and that nothing was stolen as far as I could tell.
Sam called to see how I was doing since I bolted out of work so quickly yesterday. I assured him all was well and that I had just been tired and anxious to get home.
My brother Jason called to see why I called him Saturday night. I told him not to worry about it and invited him to supper. He said he would check his schedule and get back with me. I expect to hear from him on that sometime in the next month.
Eric called five times. I sent them all to voicemail.
xxx
I finish unpacking in time to get to the LSUS campus with over fifteen minutes to spare. With frequent references to my campus map, I manage to locate the proper lecture hall for my first college class ever – Psychology 102. Just being on the campus excites me and I waste no time in finding a seat. I take a quick glance around at the other students as I settle in and pull out my laptop. Though I can tell most of the other students are younger than I am by several years, I am not even close to being the oldest in the room and feel like I blend in pretty well.
That is, until Quinn walks in.
His eyes meet mine as he takes his place in front of the class and I can tell he recognizes me immediately. He gives me a little smile and wave and I raise my eyebrows in return. Of all the classes I could have taken and in all the time slots they were available, I had enroll in the one Quinn teaches. Like college wasn't going to be hard enough without my professor hitting on me. I could feel my excitement burst like a bubble.
"Good evening, students," Quinn calls from the front of the room, dragging his eyes away from me long enough to address the class as a whole. "Welcome to Pysch 102."
After a long hour and a half of listening and taking notes, Quinn dismisses the class. Though the class itself was fine and the course work seems like it will be interesting, the frequent looks Quinn shot in my direction kept me from being completely comfortable. Maybe I can work on my coursework at home and just show up for test days?
As I gather my things and prepare to leave, I notice Quinn walking my way. His eyes are locked on me and there is no mistaking his destination. Fortunately for me, one of the younger students in the class stops him half way across the room. He shoots a regretful look in my direction but steps aside to looks down at her and answer her questions. Seeing my opportunity, I waste no time in slipping past them and out the door.
Outside, the sky is dark. The only light available is emanating from the security lights placed periodically along the walkways. Though the sidewalks are far from deserted, I can't help but feel uneasy walking alone in the dark, so I walk as quickly as I can to the lot that holds my vehicle. I slide behind the wheel as I drop my purse in the passenger seat and don't waste any time starting the car. As I turn on the lights and back out of my space, I see a figure running into the parking lot at top speed. My lights glint on a bald head and I can barely make out the shape of Quinn standing on the sidewalk, breathing heavily from his run.
Now why would he be running through the campus in the dark? Please tell me he wasn't looking for me.
Realizing he hadn't seen me and deciding this is one question best left for another day, I guide my car out on to the street and turn toward home.