Bad Rep

EIGHTEEN

I clock out of my work computer and stroll over to the closet to find something to wear for my workout with Rhodes, who is going to pick me up in about thirty minutes. Once I'm dressed in some shorts and an oversized T-shirt, I go to the bathroom to apply some light makeup and brush my hair to look semi presentable for the general public.

Stepping into the bathroom, I flip on the light and the last bulb flickers and then blows, leaving the bathroom completely dark. Groaning in frustration, I turn on the flashlight of my phone and point it up at the ceiling towards the light fixture that's burnt out, wishing for it to magically turn on with no prevail.

With a huff, I pad to the kitchen and rummage through the cabinets to actually find some light bulbs. I take two and drag a kitchen chair behind me back to the bathroom, hoping I've grown a couple of inches in order to change it myself, but as my luck would have it I'm still too short to reach the light fixture to change the bulbs.

Checking my phone, I realize I now have less than fifteen minutes to get ready before Rhodes gets here. Putting aside the light bulb problem for now, I grab my hairbrush and makeup bag and head to the kitchen to sit at the table to do my hair and makeup, using my phone as a mirror.

I quickly run my brush through my blonde locks and throw my hair into a high ponytail before applying some foundation and mascara. The lighting in the kitchen is shit but from what I can see through the front facing camera on my phone everything looks fairly blended.

Just as I begin dabbing on some blush a text from Rhodes pings on my phone letting me know he's here. I quickly dab on the rest of the blush and nearly trip over my own two feet trying to put my tennis shoes on and rush out the door.

I race to his truck and climb in, buckling up. "Sorry," I breathe out in a rush.

"Don't worry about it," he assures with a small chuckle. "I think this is the first time I've picked you up to not find you bouncing on the curb with anticipa–" his words taper off and I turn my head to look at him.

"What?" I ask, finding him staring at me with confusion.

"Did you get sunburn?" he asks, pointing at his cheeks.

It's my turn to look at him confused, until I realize, "The blush!"

I quickly flip down the passenger visor to look at myself in the tiny mirror, groaning at my reflection in embarrassment. The blush is definitely too heavy. I look like I just laid out in the sun all day or ran a whole damn marathon.

"Stupid bathroom," I grumble, harshly swiping at my face to try to get rid of the blush.

"What?" Rhodes chuckles, clearly amused by my current crisis.

"My stupid bathroom," I repeat more audibly. "The bulb blew and I had to quickly do my makeup in the kitchen, using my phone as a mirror."

"Do you need to go buy new bulbs?" he asks.

"No," I sigh, flipping the visor back up, the blush still a bit too heavy. "I have replacements. I'm just too short to put them in."

Rhodes frowns for a moment before unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door, jumping out.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"To go change your light bulbs," he states, as if it's the most obvious, simplistic thing in the world.

I scramble out of the truck after him. "You don't have to," I object.

He huffs out a small noise of amusement, the corner of his lips twitching up. "I don't mind," he insists, standing at my front door, waiting for me to unlock it.