“It’s one of my least favorite things to do,” I confessed. “It’s up there with dirty laundry.”
He laughed. “I don’t mind washing dishes, but I’m with you on the laundry.”
“We seem to have a lot in common.”
“Yeah, I noticed that too,” he agreed, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
With both of us tackling the kitchen, we were finished in no time, and so were the dirty snowballs. And even though I’d gotten him to stay for another hour, I still wasn’t ready for him to go.
“I’ll never be able to thank you for everything you did today, but I’d like to start with these,” I said and handed him a bag with two containers filled with cookies and treats.
He smiled, though I could see the sadness in his eyes. “I should be the one thanking you. This is the most fun I’ve had in a while.”
“Same here. We should do it again sometime,” I said before my brain could stop me. “I mean, unless there’s a completely obvious reason we shouldn’t that I’ve somehow missed.” Like a girlfriend or a wife. I’d assumed he was visiting Batta’s mother’s grave, but it hadn’t occurred to me until that very moment that he could have a significant other. And likely would, considering the time frame.
He covered his mouth in a weak attempt to hide his amusement. “Like what?”
“A woman,” I said flatly.
The humor vanished from his face, replaced with understanding. “Ah. There’s nothing for you to worry about there,” he said and fixed his eyes on me. Somehow, without him uttering a single word, I knew he was waiting for me to verify the same about myself.
“Hey! There’s another thing we have in common. I don’t have a wife or girlfriend either.”
“Think we can go two for two?” he asked without missing a beat. “No boyfriend, no husband. You?”
“No boyfriend, no husband,” I laughed.
When Bear opened the front door and came to a sudden stop, the warm and light-hearted atmosphere surrounding us vanished into the cold night air.
I stepped closer and pressed my forehead against his back. “What’s wrong?” I whispered, even though I was terrified to hear his response.
“Sorry,” he said quietly and placed his hand on my thigh. “Nothing to worry about. Just a little snow.”
“Snow?” I blurted and peeked around his side to see my front yard covered in a blanket of white. “When did that happen? Was it supposed to snow tonight?”
“I don’t think so,” Bear said and continued outside, seemingly unconcerned by the unexpected weather.
“Wait!” I said louder than I intended to, causing my voice to echo through the quiet night. “The roads are probably bad. Why don’t you stay here tonight and drive home tomorrow?”
“Brrr!” I shivered and rubbed my arms in a weak attempt to get warm. “Come on, Bear. Even without the snow, it’s way too cold to ride.”
“Hold that thought,” he said and ushered me back inside the house. “No sense in standing out in the cold when we can discuss the weather and road conditions inside where it’s nice and warm.”
“There’s no sense in you driving home in the freezing cold on treacherous roads when I have an extra bed that’s nice and warm.”
“Are you sure it’s no trouble?”
“It’d be more trouble if you didn’t stay. Because then I’d have to stay awake until you got home. And then it’d be another hour or two before I’d be calmed down enough to even think about falling asleep. So really, you’re doing me a favor by staying.”
“I don’t know what kind of mind sorcery you just pulled on me, but I’ll let it slide if you promise me right here and now that you will never, ever teach my daughter-in-law any of your tricks.”
“I make no promises,” I laughed before I yawned and covered my mouth. I was exhausted, but I still needed to move Brinkley to her room. I was standing there weighing the options of risking her being awake for the next hour or two versus leaving her where she was and crashing on the sofa. Either way, my quality of sleep would suffer.
“Have you tried moving her with a blanket?” he asked.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Slide a blanket or sheet underneath her. You can use it as a sling to carry her or slide her down the hall to her room.”