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“Hey! Y’all behave,” Candace, our server, drawled. She’d been working at Frosty Mug Tavern for a few years and knew all of us well. “What can I get y’all to drink?”
Frank and I took gave Candace our drink orders, then took a seat at the table. Charlie was chewing on his thumb, and his eyes bounced between his phone and the people in the room.
“What’s up?” I asked him.
“Huh?” he asked, lifting his head from his phone. “Oh, I’m waiting for someone.”
“Who?”
“Someone who’s interested in renting the spare room at my house. Remember how I put an ad in the town paper for a roommate? Well, I finally had someone respond. They should be here by now.”
“The roads are shit. I doubt they’ll be coming today,” I said.
“That’s what I’m worried about because they didn’t call to reschedule, and I can’t get a hold of them.”
I frowned. “Is it someone from town?”
“That’s what’s weird, I don’t know. I never got a name. Just a number. The applicant requested we only communicate through text or email. I thought it was weird, but I haven’t had any other interest, so I thought I’d give it a shot.”
“Do you want me to run the number?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. If they don’t show up today, I’ll email them and find out what’s going on.”
Conversation moved to how we were going to continue to keep the town clear and how long the storm was going to last. Candace dropped off our drinks and took our lunch order while the conversation continued.
“I need your help, guys,” I said when there was a break in the conversation.
“With the barn?” Peter asked.
I’d been working on Mr. Thompson’s barn whenever I had time and when the weather was nice. It was a good distraction from what was going on with Kat. But the weather had been bad for the last few days, so I hadn’t been able to do any work. That meant my brain had been solely focused on Kat and all the ways I was screwing things up with her.
I was still bringing her food and driving her to and from work, but it wasn’t enough. She still kept me at arm’s length. No matter how many times I asked, she wouldn’t agree to dinner. I even asked her to meet me at the park for a jog, but she never showed.
I knew I could do more, but I couldn’t figure out what that was. Which was why I was reaching out to my buddies. Three of whom were already happily married. I knew they would have some good advice.
“No, the barn is on hold till the weather turns. I need help winning Kat back.”
Jacob clicked his tongue. “That’s a tough one.”
“You haven’t even heard what’s been going on.”
All three looked guilty. Frank was the first to laugh, of course, and even Charlie chuckled.
“We’ve all heard about what happened. The women talk and then they talk to us.”
“How did you hear about it?” I asked Charlie. I was irritated.
“Mindy.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, then help me out. I’ve been dropping off pastries and coffee with notes like you two told me to do.” I pointed at Jacob and Frank. “I’ve been driving her to and from work and asking her out. She won’t meet me for a jog or a walk in the park. She’s reluctant to get in the car, and she told me I have to stop with the food or she’s going to gain weight. So now what?”
Peter leaned forward. “What is it that she wants?”
“She said time. I asked if that meant I couldn’t talk to her, and she said no, that I could still continue on with what I’d been doing.”
Peter scratched at the winter beard he’d grown. He looked like a different man since he was usually clean cut and wearing suits. The look he had going on this winter was more lumberjack, and I was surprised the older folks in town hadn’t complained. They were the ones who forced him to wear suits as the mayor. It was brought up in town meetings.
“From what Kate said, she feels like she can’t trust you. She’s afraid that you’re going to run again if things get serious. She’s also afraid to open up to you again after what happened at Thanksgiving, and I can’t say I blame her. That was rough to watch.”
