I breathed a sigh of relief when the last party guest left. Entertaining people was hard work, and I felt exhausted. All I wanted to do was take a shower and climb into bed, but I couldn’t because the clean-up still had to be done. I collected and bagged trash and recyclable cans and bottles outside before tackling the grill. Eric worked inside the house, handling the dishes and leftovers.
When I walked into the kitchen after finishing everything outdoors, it was spotless. Eric leaned against the counter, draining the last of the beer from the can in his hand.
“Everything looks great in here,” I told him. “Thanks for your help today. I appreciate it.”
He nodded, but said nothing. Figuring this was a perfect time to head upstairs for a much-needed shower, I started towards the living roo
