The Ghost of You

by Tori Fox

  I follow her out the door that leads to the back yard. She walks around the side of the building and pulls out keys.

  I walk down the stairs, finding a light switch along the way. I follow the pipes and find the hot water tank in a corner of the basement. I crank an old spigot and the pipes creak as I shut off the water supply.

  “That might have shut off the entire building.”

  “Okay, I’ll text my neighbor.”

  I nod and head back toward the staircase. “You might want to call your landlord. Have him come fix this.”

  “I did.”

  I walk out the door to the basement and turn around to face Anna. “And?”

  “He’s out of town,” she answers, sounding depleted.

  I rub the back of my neck. “For how long?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. His voicemail said he would be out of town for a while and to leave a message.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  She shakes her head. “Nope. Wish I was. But maybe I’ll get lucky and he will call back soon.”

  “Fingers crossed.”

  She grips her head, pulling on her hair. “Ugh, I just wanted to take a shower after yoga.” She looks down at herself. “I guess I got one.”

  I chuckle. “Probably not the kind you wanted. You can use mine.” I look down at my watch and see it’s nearly three. “Shit. I need to be at work in an hour. I am going to shower quick. Then you can come over and use mine.”

  “Really? You wouldn’t mind? I need to work at Jimmy’s tonight. Don’t want to smell like sweat. If it was the Beer Garden I wouldn’t care, that place already smells like feet.”

  I smile at her. “And stale beer.”

  “And poor decisions.”

  “And horny twenty-one-year olds.”

  She smiles back at me. “Please tell me you haven’t let him live that down.”

  “You should have seen him at family dinner this past Sunday. My mom nearly beat his ass when one of my brothers spilled the beans.”

  She bites her lip and it’s one of the most adorable things I’ve seen. “I really hope I don’t run into him again. I don’t know who would be more embarrassed.”

  “You know, his friends bet him twenty bucks for every girl he did that to, of course he asked for permission first. I think the alcohol was hitting him too hard when he got to you. No need to be embarrassed.”

  She smiles up at me through loose pieces of hair. “What number was I?”

  “Thirteen. The last one of the night.”

  She stands taller, propping her hands on her hips. “Well then I am honored I got to be the last.”

  I laugh out loud. “I’ll let him know.”

  An awkward silence passes between us. “Well, I—ugh, better get ready for work. You should clean up as much water as possible so it doesn’t mold or warp the wood.”

  She nods her head. “Yeah, right… okay.”

  “You can stop by in twenty. Shower should be free by then.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Anytime,” I say as I head back over to my house.

  5

  Anna

  I lean over in downward dog, getting a deep stretch, and trying to filter all the thoughts from my mind.

  It’s been two days since my shower exploded on me and I have yet to hear from my landlord. My upstairs neighbor was lucky enough to go stay with his girlfriend for a few days. I am grateful for that too so I don’t have to listen to their obnoxiously loud fucking.

  But no water for two days is hard. Seraphina has let me use her shower after yoga so at least I don’t smell. But no water has made it hard to cook. I lost weight when I moved here because I quit eating shit food. I learned to cook for myself, yet another thing Seraphina helped me with. Although I still eat meat. She is vegan and the thought of cutting out cheese from my diet is scarier than walking down a dark alley at night.

  I stretch an arm over my head before bringing it back down. Breathing in deep and exhaling all the tension from my body. I finish up the class and turn the music off in the room.

  “You want to take a shower?” Seraphina asks me as I put away yoga mats into the cubbies.

  “Yes, I need one. Badly,” I answer as I not so subtly sniff myself.

  She tosses her keys at me. “I need to run some errands before the three o’clock class. Just drop these off before you head home.”

  I thank her and head out the door. I walk the short distance to her house and let myself in.

  I turn on the shower in her guest bathroom to warm up the water when my phone starts ringing.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this Anna Cooper?”

  “This is.”

  “Hi Anna. It’s George, your landlord.”

  I sigh a breath of relief over the call. “Thank god. I was beginning to get worried since I hadn’t heard from you.”

  “So what is the problem?”

  “I went to use my shower and the entire showerhead just shot out of the wall! There was water everywhere. I had to shut off the main water supply.”

  “Hmm.”

  I shut the water off in the shower. “Hmm. That’s all you have to say?”

  “Well, I find it hard to believe the showerhead just flew out of the wall.”

  I groan. “George I have been complaining for months about the loose knob in the shower and how it leaks sometimes. Not to mention the fluctuation in water pressure constantly. You knew there was an issue.”

  “And I looked at everything. It was all good.”

  I pace in the bedroom. “What are you talking about? Not once did you come over.”

  “I checked the gauges in the basement. Everything was fine.”

  “Well apparently it wasn’t! I need water, George.”

  I hear him sigh on the other end of the phone. “I’ll send someone out on Monday.”

  “It’s Friday. I haven’t had water in two days.”

  “I’m sure you can survive another few.”

  “This is ridiculous. Can you just come look at it today? Maybe you can do a temporary fix.”

  “I am not in the state right now.”

  “What?”

  “I moved to Florida. I’m thinking of selling the property. Don’t worry, I’ll give you notice.”

  “You what?”

  I hear laughter in the background. “Look, Anna, I need to go but I will try and get this cleared up soon.”

  He hangs up on me.

  I grab the nearest pillow in the living room and scream into it.

  What the hell?

  I can’t even piece together everything he just told me. Why does it feel like everything just got that much more complicated?

  I quickly shower and walk back to the yoga studio. Seraphina can tell something is wrong but I just throw her keys at her and storm out.

  I curse the entire way back home.

  I should look for a new place to live. Or maybe this is a sign it’s time to move again. I have been in Asheville for over a year. More time than I tend to spend anywhere. The longest place I’ve stayed before here was a tiny town in southern Tennessee called White Creek. It had all the potential of a place to feel like home but in the end it was just like every other small town. After White Creek I found myself in Atlanta but that city was just too big for me. Funny, for a girl whose heart is set on Nashville.

  I pull into my driveway, half expecting a For Sale sign to be sitting out front. Luckily there isn’t one.

  I head inside, throw my yoga bag by the door not even caring about leaving a mess, walk to my bedroom and collapse on my bed. I need a nap. And hopefully it will erase all the negativity from my head.

  I clasp my hand around the rings at my neck and drift off into a restless sleep.

  My shift at the Beer Garden is awful. And I am not talking awful because it was slow. No, it was a freaking madhouse. The night before Halloween. Every damn college kid and twenty-something was in that bar tonight and they were obnoxious and rude. One of
my co-workers was sick when she came in but tried to stick the night out. She only made it until ten before she had to leave. My boss had me cover her tables and man the bar when we needed the extra help.

  But that is not even the worse part.

  Do you think it’s the fact that my ass was grabbed ten times?

  No.

  Or the massive amounts of alcohol that I am currently soaked in?

  Nope.

  Maybe the fact my feet feel like they are going to fall off?

  No.

  Some drunk college kid, who probably had a fake ID, projectile vomited on to me. Straight up Exorcist style minus the rotating head. It was like the vomit just did not stop. It landed on my stomach, splashed up into the low-cut V of my branded t-shirt, and seeped into the denim of my shorts.

  My boss gave me a new t-shirt, the one I had on went directly in the trash but my Polish shower in the woman’s bathroom did not get rid of the stench and the grime of puke. Not to mention my shorts are probably stained green from the adult-child puke. I could kill for a shower right now. Oh right, I have no water!

  I get out of my car and slam the door. I am seeing red. I could kill my landlord for being so damn nonchalant over the water situation. I walk around the front of my car and drop my water bottle on the ground. It rolls down the hill of my driveway.

  Since I don’t believe in littering, I chase after it to pick it up. I am not paying attention to anything considering it’s four in the morning on a Saturday and the only people awake at this hour are damn drunks. I lunge for it before it hits the street and run straight into a hard chest.

  Noah.

  “Whoa there,” he says as he grabs a hold of my shoulders keeping me from falling on my ass. “You okay?”

  I nod. “Just was trying to do my part to save the planet,” I say, gesturing to the water bottle on the ground.

  He scrunches his nose. “Isn’t that why you use reusable containers?”

  “I was at work. They tend to disappear when I bring them.”

  He nods like he understands. “That would explain the smell then.”

  My face must contort into a monster-like fear. “I—ugh—”

  “Rough night? Mine was a mess of drunks too.”

  I forget that he sees all the drunks after I serve them. I can only hope I am not the reason someone gets a DUI. Of course, I’m not the one that tells them to drive after drinking. Strong believer in Uber here.

  “Halloween. It brings out the alcoholic in all of us.”

  He grins. “Too bad tonight was just the prologue to the real deal.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me,” I say as I smash my hand to my forehead. “I can’t deal with it. Tonight was bad enough.”

  “What happened? You smell like the men’s bathroom in a seedy dive bar.”

  I take a step back, my nose has grown accustomed to my dumpster scent it seems. “Lots of booze. Oh and the drunk college kid who projectile vomited on me.”

  His face scrunches up worse than mine did. “Gross. You need to use my shower?”

  I relax immediately. I didn’t want to ask, so I am glad he offered. “You wouldn’t mind?”

  He chuckles, shaking his head. “I insist, actually. I don’t want my neighbor smelling like a homeless person under a bridge.”

  I roll my eyes. “Gee thanks. Glad to know I smell so pleasant.”

  “Kidding. Well not really. You usually smell nice.”

  What?

  “I—ugh mean you don’t smell like you do now.” He grabs the back of his neck, hiding his embarrassment. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. “I’m going to continue my run. But here is a key to get in. If I’m not back before you are done, just lock up. I’ll use the hide-a-key.”

  “You sure?”

  He sniffs the air dramatically. “Positive.”

  “Asshole.”

  He smiles at that and then takes off running without another word.

  I run into my place and grab the things I need from my shower before heading to Noah’s house. Brutus greets me with a wagging stub of a tail and a slobbery grin as I walk in. I give him a few pats on the head and scratch behind his ears before looking around Noah’s home.

  It feels weird to be in here alone. Two days ago when he let me shower here, he was in the house so it was just an easy, quick trip in and out.

  But now that I am alone, I can’t help but snoop around. His house is a work in progress. He told me as much last time I was here but it feels lifeless. An old worn leather couch sits in front of a giant television. There are a few empty beer cans on a coffee table and a dirty plate. But there are no pictures anywhere, no knick-knacks or collectibles of trips or memories. I walk into the gorgeous sunroom I’ve always admired from the outside on the side of the house and it is completely empty. No furniture, no plants, just a lonely, empty room.

  He has a guest bedroom on the first floor and that too is empty. The guest bathroom is under construction. His kitchen is a mess. Half-finished cabinets, no countertop, old appliances that need a good deep cleaning. The only room in his house that is finished is his bedroom.

  I climb the stairs, admiring the beautiful skylight that gives so much light to the wall during the day. I know he has a few brothers but why no pictures of them on the walls? This is a bachelor pad but this house has no life to it.

  I enter his room and go straight to the bathroom. I turn on the water, letting the steam fill the room. I take my clothes off and throw them into a plastic garbage bag. The second I step into the shower I immediately feel relaxed as the rain showerhead beats water onto my neck and back. I groan at the feeling, finally feeling a bit calmer after such an intense day.

  I reach for my body wash, foregoing the habit of washing my hair first. I just want to get the smell of beer and vomit off me. I douse myself in soap, the lemony sweetness of my shower gel making me feel better by the second. I start to wonder how long I’ve been in the shower, so I quickly finish up so I can get out of Noah’s house before he returns.

  I turn off the water and grab one of his towels. For a man, he sure knows how to buy good towels. They are oversized and fluffy and warm. I wrap myself up and grab the lotion I brought over. I throw my leg up on the vanity and massage it into my leg.

  The bathroom door opens and I scream, dropping my towel to the ground. Noah stands in the doorway, looking about as mortified as I feel.

  And I am not the only one naked.

  Noah is completely nude and I once again find myself staring at him. When he was shirtless in my bathroom, I felt my cheeks getting pink. He is the perfection of a man, all thick corded muscle, washboard abs, and that V leading down to what I now see probably gives Adonis a run for his money.

  I can feel my chest turning red, my cheeks burning hot. He has to be six inches and he isn’t even hard. And it’s just as thick as the rest of his body. Oh god, what does it look like hard?

  I’m so mesmerized by his dick I forget that my towel fell and I am standing stark naked. I stutter over words as I pick up the towel off the floor and wrap it around me.

  I run toward the bathroom door and Noah slides to the side. I run down the stairs and across the driveway into my duplex. I slam the door behind me and slide down.

  That was so mortifying.

  I don’t know how I am ever going to face him again.

  He can keep all my stuff I left there because right now I am thinking moving is the best option.

  Why am I so painfully awkward?

  6

  Noah

  That was awkward as fuck.

  I had no idea she was still here.

  Brutus was calm and quiet when I walked in the house after my run. The opposite of how he is whenever one of my brothers comes over.

  I didn’t hear the water running as I walked up the stairs and figured Anna already left. I had been gone for almost forty-five minutes and she looked tired as hell when I ran into her on the street.

  I tried to be loud as I wal
ked up the stairs into my room. But the sound of silence made me believe she was truly gone.

  I didn’t think twice when I stripped my clothes off and threw them near the hamper.

  I didn’t think I needed to put sweatpants on to walk into my bathroom.

  And I sure as hell didn’t expect to see Anna standing with her leg propped up on the bathroom counter, gliding lotion over her legs.

  And they aren’t lying when they say the carpet matches the hair.

  The first thing I noticed was her small bush of red hair sitting above her pussy, the towel wrapped around her falling open to reveal the fire between her legs.

  But that towel fell off her and she stood in front of me, not even bothering to cover up her sexy body.

  Anna is all curves in the right places, toned and trim in the others.

  I had to will my dick to stay down when I took her in.

  Her breasts sat like teardrops heavy against her chest. Her waist slim around her stomach. A tattoo of daisies sat across her ribs, partially hidden by her breast. Her curvy hips begging to be grabbed. I knew that ass was just as luscious, I had seen it enough times in the yoga pants she wears.

  But her body wasn’t the only thing that turned me on. The surprise on her face was beautiful. The way her body didn’t lie to tell me she was embarrassed but her face said a different story. I could see her taking me in, see her liking what she saw, just like the other day. Except this time she got to see what she missed out on before.

  I step into the shower and turn on the water. The thought of her naked turning my dick to steel. If she was any other woman, I would have pounced on her. Claimed her as mine for the night. But she is my neighbor, the girl next door in more ways than one.

  I try to ignore the feelings but I can smell her in my shower. I see her body wash and use it instead of my own. With each lather down my body, my hand draws nearer to my throbbing dick and within no time, I am gripping it and stroking it, getting off on the thought of those innocent eyes on me as if she was kneeling on the shower floor in front of me. That splattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks looking up at me through hooded eyes as she sucks me off.