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“I think most men like the couch when they are alone,” she said. She was done mixing her salad together and separated it into two containers, then put them in the fridge.
Everything was lined up by food and looked perfect. She supposed she should be happy that when Sawyer helped himself to water at her house, her fridge had been empty of her meal planning. She did it on Sundays for the week. Saturday was her let-loose day.
She found it funny and it let her assure her parents that she didn’t live every moment of her life with structure.
Even if she wanted to, she knew that it was healthier to have a day where she could just do what she wanted without thought. Maybe she thought it was fun and that made her seem strange, but again, her life, no one else’s.
“I spent too many days of my life eating on the couch,” he said. “It’s for some and not others.”
“Your childhood?” she asked.
“Yeah. My father was on the road a lot. He’s a truck driver. My mother wasn’t around or left things for me to eat while she was out. As a kid I did what I wanted. I’m not a kid anymore.”
There had to be more to it, but she wouldn’t ask. She’d bet there were some harsh feelings there for sure that he was doing something completely different than his childhood.
“Thank God we aren’t,” she said. “I had enough of petty girls in school to last me a lifetime. I’d rather be an adult and make my own decisions in life. I can own them. I mean I could in high school too, but kids are less forgiving and more easily swayed to join in a pack.”
“We think alike,” he said. “At least on the pack mentality. I’m good on my own and have no problem with it. So, dinner work for you on Friday? I got thinking that you might be off. Most places probably have Friday or Monday off for the holiday.”
“Actually,” she said, “I’m working. We don’t get as many of those holidays in the hospital. It’s always open.”
“Same with me,” he said. “I’m working too. Do you work weekends ever?”
“No,” she said. “That’s a lie. I did when I was first hired, but now I don’t have to unless someone is on vacation or there is a backlog of tests. It can happen during certain times of the year of sicknesses going around. Maybe even some cases that others are working on. But again, not often or at least part of my normal schedule.”
“I work a lot,” he said. “Just saying. During the week. On the weekends. When the job calls, I go. I do work mainly days, but if a case is active and it bleeds into the weekend, it does. Or if another one I’m working on has something going on, I can’t say it has to wait.”
“Or when you’re chasing down muggers,” she said.
“Yeah, that too,” he said.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I’m not one of those clingy women who needs to be talking to someone nonstop. I’m too busy at my job to do it. My family knows if they reach out to me during the day they might not get a response anytime soon unless it’s an emergency.”
“The same,” he said.
“Good.”
“We already have an understanding there then.”
She smiled. “Perfect. Well, you tell me the time and place for dinner on Friday or we can wait until the day if you want. Maybe you’ll get held up at work and have to cancel.”
“Are you for real?” he asked.
“Last I looked I was full of blood and bones.” There was silence. “Sorry. Poor joke. Yes, I’m for real. Why?”
“Not many are understanding of that. Or they’d worry I was blowing them off.”
“We’ve established that you’ve got an important job. We haven’t even been on one date. If you blew me off or canceled more than twice, then I’d think it was for the best.”
“So two is the magic number?” he asked. “I’ll have to make a note of that.”
She giggled. “Put it in your calendar so you know for sure. This way we are on the same page there too.”
“I’ll do that,” he said. “Crap. My phone is ringing and it’s work.”
“Go take it. We’ll chat again before Friday. No worries.”
“Thanks. Bye.”
