THE GLASS HOUSE did not have a garden, but the long hallway was filled with hanging plants and pots. It did not need one because the hill served as the lawn.
“Our house was on a hill, too,” Clara remarked with a smile. “It was not made of glass, though.” Suddenly, she missed home.
“Don’t mind about your aunt and go home.”
Clara laughed. She wished it was that easy.
“Fuego, you’re back already!”
A short woman with fair skin came out from one of the doors. She was wearing an apron and a bright smile on her face. She looked like she was in her fifties.
She paused at the sight of Clara. She looked amazed.
“You’re with a lady.”
“Good afternoon, Ma’am,” Clara greeted and bowed her head a little.
“This is Clara. She’s a friend.”
“Of course. A man and a woman could hold hands and be friends.” The woman sauntered closer.
Clara pulled her hand from Fuego shyly.
“My name is Emerisa. I take care of Fuego’s house when he’s away.”
“Hi, Emerisa. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Same here, Clara. This is the first time that Fuego brought a woman here. You must be very special.” Emerisa smiled as she gazed at the two of them.
Clara’s cheeks felt warm all of a sudden. Fuego was simply nice to her. To mean something to him would be just a wild dream.
“Don’t say that. You’re scaring her,” Fuego said.
“Are you hungry? I cooked something in the kitchen. It must be done now.”
Clara glanced at Fuego as he squeezed her shoulder.
“Finally, a decent meal,” he remarked.
She giggled softly and let him lead her to the kitchen.
“WHERE IS Jeremy?”
Clara bit her lip as Fuego pulled a stool for her at the kitchen counter.
“He ran some errands for me. He should be back by now,” Emerisa replied.
She served two plates of hot fried noodles with lots of chicken and vegetables.
The aroma stirred Clara’s appetite. The scent smelled like home—not Aunt Carlota’s house, but her family’s home.
She sat right away and picked up her fork. The first touch of the food in her tongue made her mouth watered. It was so good that Clara’s heart throbbed.
She glanced at Fuego, who was already looking at her intently.
“Isn’t Emerisa awesome?” he said and winked.
She nodded and smiled at Emerisa.
“It reminded me of my mother’s recipe.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” Emerisa said, beaming. “Eat up. There’s much food for everyone.”
“Glad to hear that.”
The kitchen’s back door opened, and a handsome, muddy young man in a white shirt appeared. Well, it was not white anymore. The muscle in his arms flexed as he carried two sack bags filled with groceries.
“Jeremy! What happened to you? And what took you so long?”
Emerisa approached the man, disbelief was all over her face. She talked to Jeremy like he was not a grown-up person at all.
But the man she called ‘Jeremy’ only smiled.
“I met a delivery truck driver with a flat tire on my way home,” Jeremy’s gaze shifted at Clara, “and a beautiful woman at home.”
Clara blinked.
“That’s Jeremy. Part-time hero, full-time veterinarian,” Fuego said in a bored tone. “This is Clara. She’s taken.”
She stared at Fuego.
“Oh, well.” Jeremy chuckled. “Aren’t you too young for Fuego, Clara?”
“I-I’m…” She cleared her throat. “I’m already twenty-five.”
“Clara is a nice girl, Jeremy,” Emerisa said. “But you have to go shower first. You might catch a cold. You’ve been soaked for too long.”
“Ma, I’m fine.” He looked lovingly at Emerisa. “See you later, Clara.”
“She’s taken,” Fuego insisted.
“Whatever.” Jeremy rolled his eyeballs ceilingward.
Clara laughed as her face flushed.
CLARA was so full when they finally left the kitchen. She felt sleepy, and it had gotten colder since it was getting dark.
Fuego took her to the second floor. It was spacious, but there was only one bed. Clara yawned at the sight of it.
“Is this your room?” Clara asked.
“Well, yes.”
“Where are you going to sleep if you give it to me?”
“I can sleep in Jeremy’s room. That won’t be a problem since he’d rather sleep at the stable.”
Clara laughed.
“Thank you, Fuego.”
“You should rest. I’ll wake you up when it’s dinner time.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod.
Fuego cupped her face and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. And it was more than enough to send shivers to Clara’s spine. It was the most intimate moment she had shared with a man at her age. And if Aunt Carlota would find out, she won’t be very happy about it.
But Clara felt so free being this close to Fuego, though it meant breaking the rules.
Their gazes lingered for a moment before he finally pulled away.
“W-where are you going?”
“I’m going to get our stuff in the car.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Clara could not believe she had forgotten all about it.
Clara sauntered to the bed when Fuego finally left. She bit her lip as she could not help smiling. She slipped under the sheets and drew a breath as the comforting scent of fabric conditioner filled her senses. She fell asleep right away.
FUEGO was on his way to the car when Jeremy grabbed him from behind, pulling him by the shoulder. He groaned as he tried to push him away, but Jeremy laughed as he wrapped his arm around him tighter.
“What happened, Fuego? I thought no woman will be ever good enough for you? What’s the thing with Clara?”
“When did I say that no woman will be ever good enough for me?”
“Your actions. You constantly breaking their hearts whenever they talk about marriage—”
“It’s the other way around.”
“Oh, really?” Jeremy drawled.
“Clara is a different case. She was desperate to get away from her life. And she was too cute. I could not say ‘no.’”
“Ah.” Jeremy chuckled as he tapped Fuego’s back. “So, how did you meet her?”
“I saved her life a few weeks ago.”
“Well, I hope you don’t break her heart.”
“Get away from me.” Fuego nudged him.