April's Glow by Juliet Madison Read Free Book Online

morning; on a good day it could look like rolling hills of the countryside and on the bad days like the Sydney Opera House.
    April defensively patted her hair and frowned. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t do my hair before coming to the kitchen in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. I’ll do better next time.’
    â€˜Or shave it like mine. Number three. Then you don’t have to worry.’
    â€˜I’m sure your choice of style would look just wonderful on me.’ April glanced down, tapping her right fluffy-polka-dot-socked foot on the floor. ‘Why are we on the phone anyway?’
    â€˜Because I called you.’
    â€˜Clearly. But what do you want to talk about? Need insomnia cures?’
    â€˜If I needed them I’d be Googling and not asking advice from someone suffering the same problem.’
    â€˜What makes you think I’m an insomnia sufferer? I could be having a one-off waking episode. Which is actually what’s happened.’ No need to tell him about the bizarre dream. ‘I should get back to sleep. Have to be up for work in four hours.’
    â€˜Do you love your job?’
    â€˜Huh? Yes.’
    â€˜What’s your passion?’
    â€˜My passion? Candles, of course. Why?’
    â€˜But what is it about them? Why candles?’
    She frowned again. ‘Because, um … I like them?’
    â€˜I like them too. But that doesn’t mean I want to run a candle store. So why do you?’
    â€˜Well, some of us actually have to do things to make a living, so candles is what I chose to, you know, allow me to have electricity, buy food and clothing—which, clearly—you’ve forgotten to do.’
    â€˜It’s because they give you hope, isn’t it.’
    Bam. It was like he had pried open her heart and soul and read her like a book. How did he know that? ‘It’s because, well, they smell nice, and look nice, and people like them and buy them and I get income from it. That’s why.’ She ran her hand across her bed hair and had the vague sense she’d messed it up worse than before.
    â€˜Bring one back for me,’ he said. ‘Any candle. You choose. And I’ll pay you for it.’
    She stood closer to the window and leaned one hand on the sink. ‘Why don’t you come into the store and choose your own?’
    â€˜Because I want to see which one you pick for me.’
    â€˜Is this some kind of personality quiz or something? Are you a psychologist who analyses people based on their purchasing tendencies?’ How did you know why I love candles? What is that tattoo on your shoulder? Why are your pecs so damn beautiful?
    â€˜I’m just a man. I need a candle for my house. I want you to choose.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ll see you and the candle at the end of the day.’ He ended the call and put his phone down, switched off the light, and walked his naked self out of the kitchen. April’s phone was still attached to her ear, her hand unable to move. This Zac guy was the weirdest person she’d ever met. But somehow, his weirdness drew her to him. She wanted to discover more. She wanted to stay on the phone and talk at three am. She even wanted to peer over and … No, April. No men. No thinking about men, no flirting with men. No men.
    She flicked off the light and returned to bed. Lying on her back, she became aware of a cool film of sweat that had pooled at her lower back. She rubbed it away. It was also on her chest. She rubbed it dry against her pyjamas, but her hand lingered between her breasts, and she thought of Zac’s hand. She quickly removed it and rolled over. Maybe it was time to see what the real estate market was like in town. She didn’t know how she could handle living here, next to him. And it had only been a few days. And he didn’t look like he was planning on going anywhere else anytime soon.
    * * *
    If he hadn’t ended the call when