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“Well,” Thea sighed. “That’s certainly a problem.”
The sound of the front door opening, followed by dog nails tapping against hardwood traveled upstairs.
“Shit, Andy’s back, and I need to put clothes on.”
“Were you talking to me naked? Still in bed?”
I gasped. “I’m not dignifying that question with a response.”
“Nora, you vixen. We’ll catch up later.”
I hung up the phone and slipped out of bed. With no clothes to be found, I pulled one of Andy’s shirts over my head and made a break for my bedroom. Much too slowly, though, because Andy called me to a stop as I passed the steps.
“Good morning.”
“Hey,” I greeted him, neck tensing as I gave a lame wave, my feet still pointing to my bedroom.
“Come down. I have breakfast.” He held up a bag and two coffees as the dog lunged for me, his legs skittering across the floor even as his leash held him tight against Andy.
With one last look toward my bedroom and the bra and underwear I should wear, I padded downstairs to join them in the kitchen.
“How’d you sleep?” Andy set down the coffee and pulled two breakfast sandwiches out of the bag. When I slid past him, he gripped my hip and pulled me in for a kiss.
“Good,” I said, flustered and breathless. I sat, fiddling with the lid of my coffee as Andy squeezed in beside me.
He placed his arm over the back of the bench, his fingertips grazing my arm and leaving goosebumps in their wake. “How’s your wrist feeling?”
“Fine.” As if to prove it to myself, I held it up, bending it back and forth. “I don’t have another physical therapy appointment until next week, but it’s getting stronger.”
He kissed the side of my head, sending my mind spinning, before taking his arm off my shoulder and opening his breakfast sandwich. “Is this the last week? If it’s still bothering you, even a little, book some more appointments.”
“I’ve got an appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday. I’ll see what she says.”
“I can go with—” He stopped short, cheeks flushing. “You’ll have to let me know what she says.”
“I will,” I promised before sipping my coffee. Extra Creamer and two sugars. Exactly how I liked it. “So, what are you up to today?”
He tossed a piece of bacon onto the floor, and our dog happily scarfed it down in a single bite. “I’ve got some admin things to do at the gym before I leave town, so I’m making a trip to Pierce. And then sometime this weekend, I’ve got to run down to Manchester to check in on the new gym’s progress.”
“Oh,” I said, picking at my sandwich, oddly disappointed. Not that we’d spent our weekends together before. Besides family dinner on Sunday, I mostly stayed around Franklin Notch, catching up with friends or taking Mags for walks. Meanwhile, Andy made weekend trips to the gym and worked in his office.
“Did you and Trashcan want to come with me?”
“Yes,” I said, jumping at the chance to spend more time with him. “But that dog’s name is not Trashcan.”
“It fits him. Isn’t that right, Trashcan?” To make his point, Andy threw a bit of English muffin on the floor only to have the dog hoover it up instantly. “Besides, your classes start next week and you need books. We can pick them up at the campus bookstore while we’re in Pierce.”
I pursed my lips. Buying books had been on my to-do list, but I had planned on ordering used copies online. If I let Andy take me to the bookstore, he’d buy new, plunking down his credit card before I could say no. Still, my pride could take the hit if I got to spend some more time with him. “Okay.”
“Great!” he said, casually eating the last of his breakfast and finishing the food with a slug of coffee. “I need a shower. How about we head out around ten?”
I nodded as he wadded up his wrapper and stood from the table. He gave me a tilted grin before running up the stairs, Trashcan following along behind him.
* * *
“Please tell me these are wrapped in gold or something.” I turned over the wrapped book, the three-digit price tag on the back giving me something akin to the vapors. “I thought community college was supposed to be cheap.”
Andy laughed, pulling Trashcan away from a pile of sweaters. He had charmed the bored-looking young woman manning the counter into letting us bring the dog inside, claiming it was too hot inside the car to leave him, despite the fact the weather hadn’t broken fifty degrees in days.
