Nerds on Fire

by Grady, D. R.

  Chapter 25

  Mark watched the stairway entrance the next day. He had noticed that like him, Trixi preferred the stairs. She hurried through the doorway a moment later and caught sight of him. Smiling, happy to see her, he was heartened when she appeared to share his sentiment. He escorted her to the car feeling like he was made of surgical steel.

  She turned to him once they were inside. “Can we stop at the grocery store, please?”

  “Of course.” He backed out of the space and pointed the vehicle toward the store.

  “Thank you.” She fished out her phone to check her list.

  He pulled into the grocery store parking lot and found a spot. In moments, Trixi grabbed a cart and headed for the produce section. He had a front row seat to one aspect of Trixi’s psyche.

  Any woman who loved to cook as much as she did had to know her way around a grocery store. He did not know his way around grocery stores. Usually he just performed strategic hits on various departments of interest. If there was something on his list he didn’t know where to find, he went without it.

  That probably accounted for why he hadn’t eaten rice in a long time. He didn’t know where to find it in the grocery stores here. The same could be said for peanut butter. He had no idea where these stores hid the peanut butter. He suspected it was in the same place as the jelly.

  “Do you like apples?” Trixi asked him.

  “Of course.”

  The smile she sent him heated his insides and warmed him right there in the middle of the produce aisle. It amazed him how this woman was now a necessary part of his life.

  After bagging some plump, red apples, she moved on to pears and bananas. He enjoyed watching her shop. Was this odd?

  By the time they reached the vegetables, he didn’t care if it was because for the first time in his life he enjoyed a trip to the grocery store. They landed at the meat counter next. “Does anything here look good to you?”

  He nodded. “Everything.”

  Trixi laughed and again he warmed. He might be addicted to her sunny smile. “Okay, easy enough.” Then she choose the on-sale cuts.

  Trixi was not only beautiful, but also money savvy. He liked those qualities in a woman. Or maybe he just liked those qualities in Trixi.

  After making their selections at the meat counter, Trixi aimed the cart at the next few aisles and he enjoyed watching a professional at work. Really, this woman seemed adept at everything she did. And she looked good doing it. This took talent. She was gracious and sweet to everyone she met.

  It was apparent she knew most of the people who worked in the store. They recognized her as well, and several of the men enjoyed teasing her, which she reciprocated. This was a side of her he hadn’t seen before, so it was fascinating. She was so multi-faceted, it would take his lifetime to learn everything about her. Maybe longer than that.

  At the checkout counter, Mark sneakily managed to pay for the groceries. He completed the transaction so fast, she had only just started to load their bags into the cart. Glowering at him only made his grin broaden. As soon as he finished paying, he took over loading their purchases.

  No one seemed in the least bit confused by seeing her with a man. No one sent them funny looks or asked, “Why is that gorgeous man with her?” It was a nice feeling and she relaxed as they pointed the cart toward the exit.

  Before they cleared the doors, Mark’s hand settled in the small of her back. It was becoming so familiar to her she barely noticed. Deep inside she admitted it was nice to have a man take care of her like this.

  They loaded the groceries into his trunk and then she steered him toward the pharmacy next door. “I need to pick up a prescription for Gran. She said they called that it was ready.”

  Trixi didn’t want to see Warren, but alas, this was where Gran had her prescriptions filled. Gran had known Warren’s grandparents well. Trixi was grateful Gran never once offered her up as a good match for her dear friends’ ferret of a grandson.

  She stiffened her spine and marched toward the door. Before they reached it, Mark solicitously opened the door for her. Smiling up at him in thanks, Trixi again appreciated how handsome he was. She reconsidered a cowbell. It was only fair to nearby unsuspecting women.

  “Trixi, it’s nice to see you,” Warren oozed as he sauntered around a corner. He stopped when he caught sight of Mark. Stopped and scowled at the other man. Warren might have even bristled.

  “Hello, Warren. We’re here to pick up Gran’s prescription.” She didn’t elaborate but instead surged toward the pickup counter.

  As though they were one, Mark moved with her. She sent him a grateful smile.

  For some reason they both stopped and gazed at each other, his return smile chasing heady shivers up and down her spine. It was a thrilling sensation.

  “Who is this?” Warren’s demand broke through her exuberant thoughts.

  With reluctance, she tore her attention from Mark to gaze at Warren in bemusement.

  Mark’s hand flexed before he also transferred his gaze to the still bristling man. Really, Warren was acting like someone stomped on his tail.

  “This is Dr. Mark de Vosse. He’s a neurosurgeon at the hospital.” Her explanation was calm, unlike her thumping heart.

  Warren’s skinny chest inflated.

  “I live with Trixi.” Mark’s blandness, combined with his bald statement and the large, proprietary hand on her, not to mention he was thoroughly trampling her personal space, had to be the cause of Warren’s fiery red flush. His face burst with sunburned gloriousness.

  She winced, but then realized this might be the very thing to put Warren off her. “Mark moved in recently.”

  “I adore living with her.” He stated this in all innocence. Mark didn’t even bother to look at Warren, but kept his gaze on her. It was like there was a message inside the message—for her.

  “Right back at you.” The throaty voice that erupted from her didn’t sound at all like hers.

  “Trixi, it’s nice to see you again.” Winona breezed out from behind the counter and then noticed Mark. Like most healthy women, she took another look and then her eyes glazed over.

  Taking pity on her, Trixi smiled at the stunned woman. “Hello Winona. This is Dr. Mark de Vosse. Mark this is Winona Wychert. She’s a topnotch pharmacist and owns this store with her family.”

  Mark smiled at Winona gently, as though not to startle her. “It’s nice to meet you, Winona.”

  Winona nodded mutely, still gaping at him.

  “We came for Gran’s prescription,” Trixi prompted.

  That shook Winona out of her trance. “Oh yes, of course.” Moving briskly behind the counter again, the pharmacist sorted through the pharmacy bags and came up with Gran’s. “Here it is.”

  They completed the transaction in little time and Trixi smiled at Winona again before turning to leave. She nodded to Warren, but Mark drew her attention to a display on the other side of the store. He opened the door for her and they hurried toward the car. It took only a few moments for him to seat her before they headed home.

  She forgot all about the interaction, with her thoughts now on whether supper was ready and what she needed to do to complete the meal. Mark and Gran were both easy to please, fortunately.

  When they arrived home, Gran already had most of the meal finished, and the table was set. It didn’t take long to put the groceries away and hand off the prescription. Gran encouraged them to wash their hands and then seat themselves at the table. Ten minutes after they got home, they were digging into the meal Trixi started this morning, and Gran finished.

  “Gran, it’s wonderful to come home to a prepared meal, thank you.”

  Gran leveled her a look over the glasses perched on her nose. “You did all the hard stuff this morning. I just finished it.”

  “Thank you.” It never hurt to express gratitude.

  “You’re welcome.” Gran took off her glasses, folded them, and laid them aside.

  “I have to w
ork on some notes,” Mark said between bites.

  Trixi nodded. “You’re excused from the dishes then.”

  “Thank you. What time do we leave for our meeting tonight?”

  She and Gran both glanced at the clock. “Ten to seven should give us time.” Trixi turned to her grandmother for confirmation. Who nodded in agreement.

  They finished the meal because they didn’t have time to linger. Mark disappeared into his study. Trixi and Gran cleaned up the kitchen and still had time to tidy themselves before they headed to the car.

  A happy thought crossed her mind that she couldn’t have wished for two better companions.

  Chapter 26

  When his alarm buzzed, it jolted Mark awake and he quickly shut the annoyance off. Shoving the covers aside, he rolled out of bed and stretched before throwing the covers up over the pillows. He made a cup of coffee then set about getting ready for work.

  When he arrived in the kitchen, nearly empty coffee mug in hand, it was to find Gran parked in front of the coffee maker, also holding a mug. She watched the dark liquid fill the carafe with a concentrated frown.

  Trixi’s light footsteps sounded behind him. He turned to greet her and his heart clenched at the sight of her sweet face. He took a moment to count the freckles on her nose.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  Mid count, he realized he could listen to the sound of her voice for the rest of his life. This wild thought threw him off count.

  “Good morning.” Gran continued scowling at the coffee pot.

  Mark offered a greeting since it was the polite thing to do, but internally, he grappled with where that had come from. A mild panic attack loomed, so he battened it down.

  “That’s brewing slow.” Trixi’s comment broke through his thoughts, and he appreciated the picture of her and Gran standing in front of the coffee maker, watching it trickle.

  Gran snorted. “Yes, I’ve been here all morning waiting.”

  “Luckily for you, it’s barely morning then.” Laughter threaded Trixi’s tone in generous proportions.

  “It shouldn’t run this slow,” Gran declared.

  “No, it needs cleaned.”

  At Trixi’s statement, both he and Gran turned to her with twin blank expressions.

  “Hard water is classified as so because of the high mineral content. Those minerals, over time, clog things. The remedy is to run vinegar and some seltzer through to dissolve said minerals.”

  He liked being lectured by a cute, freckled woman.

  Gran got right down to business. “Do we have vinegar and seltzer?”

  “Yes.” Trixi opened the cupboard below the slow coffee maker. “You’ll find them here. I remember to clean it about once a month.”

  “I’ll take care of this after breakfast.”

  Trixi’s smile was glorious, and Gran must have appreciated it as well, because she patted her granddaughter’s smooth cheek with a beautiful hand.

  It was a picture worthy of framing.

  He yanked out his phone and managed to snap the moment. Setting his mug on the island, he checked out the picture. It was so nice, he used it as his phone background. These amazing women were his roommates. His heart swelled as he gazed at them.

  By then, Gran had finally poured her coffee while Trixi used the pot to inquire as to whether he wanted some. He shoved his mug under the spout. She poured for him and then for herself.

  Then Trixi tugged out bagels and muffins. His stomach growled so he helped Gran set the table while Trixi toasted the bagels. He noticed Gran return for a coffee refill before they sat down to eat.

  “Tough night?” he asked.

  “I’m not certain.” Gran’s eyebrows nearly met over her nose. “I just kept experiencing an unsettled feeling but couldn’t put my finger on it.”

  “Really?” Trixi’s eyebrows met. “I experienced something similar the other night.” She fixed those lovely fey eyes on him. “I thought you took care of this.”

  “I did. It’s probably not going to improve right away though.”

  “Why not?” That was the most demanding tone he had ever heard from Trixi’s mouth. He kind of liked it.

  “My cousin and his team are on this case, but they haven’t had a lot of time to conclude it yet.” Mark kept his own tone mild.

  Her cheeks flushed with color. “Oh, right. I’m sorry for snapping.”

  “Your reaction is understandable.” He took a long sip of coffee as she bent to remove the tray from the oven.

  The bagels were perfectly toasted. He wandered over to the fridge where he found cream cheese and the juice. He deposited them at the same time Trixi divvied up the bagels.

  After they gave thanks, he slathered some cream cheese on one half of his bagel and took a large bite. As was everything else in this house, it was delicious. The errant thought snapped his attention to Trixi. In a completely offhand way, he wondered how she tasted...

  “Can you pass the cream cheese, sweet?”

  Gran’s question to Trixi jolted him out of his thought process, thankfully. He was grateful for the diversion when Trixi complied. But not so much for the way she licked cream cheese off her lip. He would have been happy to... What is wrong with me?

  Fortunately, they finished up quickly because the ticking clock reminded them they did have somewhere to be today. It didn’t take long to collect Trixi and his work essentials and stow them in the car.

  She sat beside him, and he liked having her there. It was right for Trixi to be seated next to him.

  What did this mean?

  Lauren, a surgical nurse she really liked, stopped her in the hall later that morning. “Trixi, I heard you have an apartment for rent?” She was almost wringing her hands.

  “Yes, I do,” Trixi answered, caught off guard.

  “May I please rent it? I need a place immediately. My landlord sold my building and we have until the end of the month to vacate the premises.”

  “He didn’t give you much time.”

  “No, less than three weeks to find something else, pack, and move.” Lauren shoved a hand through her gorgeous spiral curls, looking as stressed as she sounded.

  “Why don’t you come tonight to check out the place? I have a guesthouse you can look at as well.”

  Lauren’s brown eyes bugged. “You have two places to rent?”

  “She has three, but I’m renting the guest wing,” Mark announced behind them.

  “I’m so happy you told me about her apartment. I really need somewhere to live.” She turned back to Trixi. “When I told Margie about my situation, Dr. de Vosse overheard me and mentioned you have a nice apartment.”

  “Like I said, come tonight and look at both places and you can decide which one you want.” Trixi tried hard not to be envious of Lauren’s blemish-free mocha skin. Lauren was one of the few women she knew who could defeat Chrissy in a beauty competition, but unlike Chrissy, Trixi was pretty certain Lauren’s loveliness was one-hundred-percent real.

  “Thank you, Trixi.” Lauren’s gratitude was almost painful as she waved and hurried back to work.

  Trixi sent a sardonic look to her new roommate.

  He didn’t look in the least bit repentant. “You have two places to rent, and Lauren needs something, badly.”

  “And how do I figure out how much to ask for either of these places?” This was all happening so fast. She had only just started to consider her options.

  As though anticipating her question, he tugged out his phone and emailed her a document. When she opened it on her phone, he bent over her and pointed out the calculations he came up with. He showed on a graph what other property owners were getting for their apartments and compared theirs with what she had to offer.

  It looked like this would generate a tidy income. With just his rent and Lauren’s, her financial worries would fade. If she rented the guesthouse, that income would offer a generous cushion.

  “Dr. de Vosse to the O.R. please. Dr. de Vosse to the O.R.” />
  “You’re being paged.”

  He sent a withering glare at the intercom. “They could be paging Leo.”

  “He is a Dr. de Vosse, but I’m guessing it’s you.”

  Mark reluctantly left while Trixi hurried on to find a cup of coffee. Numbers ran through her mind as she went. Based on her rudimentary calculations, she wouldn’t have trouble coming up with this year’s taxes and repairs.

  Gran had insisted before she moved in that she would contribute to the household as well. Trixi argued, but her grandmother had been stubborn more years than Trixi, so she won.

  Now with the advent of Lauren, Trixi suspected it would be fun to have the perky nurse nearby, provided she wanted the apartment or guesthouse.

  Lauren took the apartment. In fact, upon seeing it, she squealed. When she discovered she could also rent a garage bay, she squealed again. As a bonus, Reed and Shawna had added automatic garage door openers.

  Trixi didn’t want to rent the other side though because with her car, Gran’s, and Mark’s in her garage, they needed a place to park the tractor and lawn mower, but there was certainly room for Lauren’s little car.

  “When can I move in?” Lauren’s enthusiasm made Trixi relax.

  “You can have the keys now. It’s ready.”

  Lauren squealed again, hugged Trixi, and took the keys dangling from Trixi’s finger. Before leaving, she paused. “I do have my own furniture.”

  “We’ll take care of clearing this stuff out.” Trixi assured her, with no idea as to when.

  “I haven’t packed a thing,” Lauren admitted. “So I’d better go get started.” She drove off with a beep and an exuberant wave.

  Trixi turned to Mark. “Since you got us into this mess, you can help me clear this apartment.”

  He didn’t seem inclined to worry. “Leo and Katy can help this weekend.”

  “Lauren wants to move in now.”