Page 39 of Solo

“Oh, possible. Very possible. Hey, would you mind popping some bread in the toaster for me?” he asks, nodding toward a fancy looking four slicer and a loaf of multigrain on the counter.

I get up and do as he asks.

“So, I could be here, with you…”

“For a while yet,” he finishes my thought. “You okay with that?”

I glance at him over my shoulder, but his back is to me as he flips the bacon and pushes the potatoes around. Am I? I don’t have a choice either way.

He reads my thoughts.

“I’m sure the snowplow will be through here today, just to get a jump on clearing before the next hit comes. We won’t be able to get your car out, but I’ve got a four-wheel drive truck in the garage. It wouldn’t be easy, but I could probably get you home this afternoon. If you really wanted to go.”

I consider this. I consider him.

“I don’t know which would be less of an inconvenience to you,” I admit, grabbing a plate for the toast and setting it on the table. “Having me here or asking you to go out there.”

He doesn’t say anything as he offloads the cooked food onto platters and brings them all to the table. He nods for me to have a seat while he serves us both. Once he’s sitting, he faces me again.

“Having you here isn’t inconvenient. It’s a little awkward, all things considered, but not entirely unpleasant. That being said, I will find a way to get you back to your apartment if that’s where you want to be.”

“Oh, huh,” I consider. Do I want to be there? All alone with no supplies?

“Do you have food at home?” he asks, reading my thoughts. “You could be snowed in for another few days, easy. And nothing’s open right now.”

“I think a couple cans of soup…” I mutter, trying to visualize the contents of my tiny kitchenette.

“Does your building have an emergency backup generator if the power goes out? Otherwise you might be without heat. And you’ve been sick.”

“You think I should stay here,” I deduce.

He nods.

“I do.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, okay. What? You expected a fight?” I snicker.

He grins as he spears a potato with his fork.

“Well, yeah, actually. You’re never this accommodating. In fact, I think you enjoy being a pain in my ass during class.”

I feel my face grow warm with the blush that I know is spreading across it.

“I can neither confirm nor deny that statement, Dr. Markham,” I say enigmatically and take a sip of tea.

He smiles and we chew in companionable silence for a minute.

“Can I ask you something?” he asks.

I shrug, picking up a piece of bacon with my fingers. “Sure.”

“Why didn’t you just walk up to the door when you got stuck?”

Oh. I pause, bacon halfway to my open mouth.