Confessions of a Girl-Next-Door. Jackie Braun

about the shower. You, uh, turn this knob.” He demonstrated as he instructed. “The farther right you turn it, the hotter it becomes.” She was thinking something on the cool side. “You’ll probably want it somewhere in the middle. Then you flip this little lever on the side.”

      Again, he demonstrated. The water sprayed out from the showerhead. Small beads of it ricocheted off the tiled surround and landed on his forearm. The hair there was bleached as light as some of the streaks on his head, alluding to his time spent in the sun. Indeed, he had a good tan going. In comparison, Holly was ridiculously pale. It had been that way when they were kids, too, although by the end of her visit, she’d always managed to look like a regular beachcomber—or a commoner, as her mother complained.

      No doubt Olivia had worked herself into a good fit by now, despite the note of explanation that Henry had delivered on Holly’s behalf. She felt a little guilty, a little queasy. And a lot rebellious, because she wasn’t going to return for at least a week. Maybe longer. And even though her mother considered her engagement to Phillip a done deal, Holly was far from convinced.

      Nate turned off the shower and stepped back. She glanced away.

      “Everything okay?”

      She pushed away all thoughts of her mother, Phillip and the responsibilities waiting for her upon her return. She was free now.

      “I didn’t see the lever,” she said quietly.

      “No one does. It’s old-fashioned, which is why I had them all replaced in the cottages when I took over. Saved me or whoever else was manning the front desk at the marina office a lot of phone calls.” He tucked his hands into his pockets. “I haven’t gotten around to this one yet.”

      “I’m sure it hasn’t been a priority.”

      “Not exactly,” he agreed. “I’ve put most of my time and resources into the cottages.”

      “Walking up from the beach, it looked like there were more of those than there used to be.”

      He nodded. “I was always after Dad to expand, but he said he and Mom had enough to keep them busy with what they had.”

      “I liked your parents.” She smiled, enveloped in simple and homey memories so unlike the majority of those from her childhood. That, too, she realized now, was part of the reason she’d come here. Simplicity. Her complicated, overrun life yearned for it. “They always made feel at home when I stopped over from my grandmother’s cottage, even when they had work to do and guests to attend to.”

      “They liked you, too. They were always after me to be as polite as you were.”

      They both laughed. Then sobered. Silence stretched. For a moment, given the way he was watching her, she thought he might stroke her cheek. He’d raised his hand. But it fell away and he blurted out, “Fresh towels.”

      Holly blinked.

      “Um, for your shower. They’re in the cabinet next to the sink. Washcloths, too.”

      “Right.”

      “One more thing, Holly.”

      She nodded, feeling ridiculously expectant as she waited for him to continue.

      “Don’t flush the toilet right before you get in the shower or you’ll wind up scalded.” He cleared his throat. His cheeks grew pink. “Another of those things I haven’t gotten around to updating.”