I want to offer to pay for one for her but I’m not sure how thatwould go over. Would she be insulted? It’s hard to tell. I don’t know her that well yet.
“Maybe we could take one together sometime,” I say instead, keeping my voice casual. So I don’t sound desperate. Or like a guy who hasn’t dated in over a year and wants to dip his toes in the waters carefully. Because I really don’t want to date a redhead but the idea has already started to take root.
“Maybe,” she agrees noncommittally, as if she’s in exactly the same boat I am, trying to figure out what to do about a situation we want to avoid but are probably going to jump in anyway.
We finish the dishes and I look out the window.
Still sleeting. Maybe freezing rain. I’ve never really understood the difference.
“I should go talk to Rudy,” I say. “See if he needs help with that tree or get some more wood.”
She nods. “Thank you.”
Grabbing my windbreaker off a hook by the door, I slip my feet into my sneakers and open it to find a stack of wood on the porch, Rudy walking in the opposite direction.
“Rudy!” I call out. “Can I help with anything?”
He shakes his head. “The weather isn’t letting up. It’s too cold to work on that tree. Maybe we’ll try tomorrow.”
Well, I guess I’m not going anywhere.
Like it or not, I’m slowing down today.
With a pretty redhead and a wood stove.
Chapter
Eight
Serena
Without electricity, everything takes longer, so the day passes quickly.
I can’t use the dishwasher so we have to do it by hand. In frigid water. But West is a gentleman and switches off with me while we’re washing the lunch dishes, and it feels like he’s always lived here.
We could shower, but the water’s way too cold, so we have to settle for sponge baths. I do my best to clean up, lamenting the condition of my hair, but there’s no help for it, so I braid it to get it out of my face.
For dinner, West and I split what’s left of the stew while Joey eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich since he prefers it anyway. Not the healthiest but these are extenuating circumstances.
West goes outside to get more wood while I play a game with Joey and then when Joey’s finally in bed, we settle in front of the stove again. In the same spots on the couch, covered with the same blanket.
It’s colder tonight, after a full day without heat other than the stove, and I shiver a little.
“You cold?” West asks, moving closer to me.
“A little.”
To my surprise, he wraps an arm around my shoulders and pullsme against him. I hesitate for a fraction of a second and then allow myself to snuggle against his shoulder.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
How long has it been since someone held me like this?
Way too long.
I hate admitting how good it feels. How much I’ve missed it. I can tell myself I don’t need a man all day long—and my life proves that I don’t—but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy it. Even a few innocent moments like this.
“You were cold last night too,” he says after a moment, his voice soft.