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“I’m not so sure about that as much as when the weather is nice I do. It’s freedom of sorts. I didn’t have a lot of space to move around before. Chicago felt congested. My grandparents’ home and my rented ones had no outdoor space. And when I did get outside it was loud. Quiet is a nice thing.”
“It sure is. Eventually I moved around in the office, but it was more cramped workspaces. Then they decided to have those spaces taken up by more important positions and asked if anyone wanted to go remote.”
“I bet you had your hand up first,” she said.
“You bet your sweet little butt I did,” he said.
She laughed. “You think my butt is sweet?”
Ah, there went the flush again. She was enjoying doing that to him. “From what I’ve seen of it, yes. Are you going to lie and say you haven’t checked me out? Maybe I’m reading this all wrong. I will admit I’m pretty rusty.”
“Not as rusty as me, but no, you aren’t reading anything wrong.”
“You didn’t answer about checking me out,” he said, his eyebrows wiggling slightly.
“Oh...if you must know, I might have watched you walk out of the salon over a week ago.”
He smirked and it made him so attractive. His eyes were almost glowing with mischief, his lips curved and looked very kissable, the red on his face now a combination of his sunburn and a flush. “What about in the store?” he asked.
“Maybe in the store too,” she said, remembering that she thought his shorts fit him so much better that day.
“Now that we’ve established vocally we have eyes for the other, moving back to my boring job, I got my wish and could work remotely. Knowing that, why would I stay in Brooklyn when it cost so much and I had no room?”
“I don’t blame you. So you moved in with your friend?” she asked.
“Rob was an officer with White Plains PD at the time. He had a small place and wanted something bigger. I figured sure, let’s get a place where we both had room and split the costs. It was still cheaper than us being on our own. It was almost like the good old times again.”
“So you knew him in school prior?” she asked. “You said he saved you before, so I’m going to assume it had to do with Maureen?”
“Yes. We were friends in high school. He was there pushing me after Maureen died when others kept their distance. I’ve found there are two kinds of people in life. Those that charge into a burning fire and those that stand and watch. He never stood back.”
“Don’t forget about those that run away or turn a blind eye. There are a lot of those in life.”
She knew. Her mother was one. Her mother stood by her father’s side and until the day she died insisting he was set up. That he’d never do anything wrong. The thought of losing everything they had and the lifestyle they’d been living was more than her mother could cope with.
“Okay, three kinds of people in life.”
“I bet you’re the first one, though you want people to think you’re the second,” she said.
“I guess it depends on the situation,” he said. “I could charge in if I need to but most times I stand back and watch and wait.”
“You watch and wait for the right time to charge in,” she said.
“You’re right. I do. I think the same could be said for you.”
“Maybe. I haven’t had to put it to the test, but I think if the right situation came up, I would.”
“You took control today. I’m sitting in your backyard waiting for dinner. I’d call that charging in, but in a different light.”
Her head bobbed back and forth. “Then you’re right. There are a lot of things in life we can’t control. I prefer to take the lead when I can because I know there are plenty of times it’s taken out of my hands.”
She wanted to take those words back when he held her stare, but only nodded and then changed the subject to pets and training. Had she ever had a dog before, did she know how to train one, or if anyone did it locally?
Her answers to all his questions had been no.
She put burgers on the grill and opened a bottle of wine.
“That was a great dinner,” he said. “Let me clean up for you.”
