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I have a full-sized refrigerator at the apartment. She’s talking about the mini-fridge in our office. As we fill our carts (yeah, we have two because this is the first time I actually shop for myself and I have a whole kitchen to stock), I see plenty of sexy older lumberjacks and I just want to explode. I guess it would be easier if everyone wasn’t so friendly. I guess since the whole population of the town is fewer than fifteen hundred people, everyone knows each other.
When we check out, the lady at the counter greets Kennedy by name and Kennedy says, “Reesa, this is my new partner, Anna.”
I swear it seems to me that nobody has ever been so happy to meet someone!
I love this place even though it would be a whole hell of a lot nicer if I didn’t have to see Carl everywhere. I swear I’m right on the verge of asking Kennedy where I should go to meet a man. I’m not really interested in a relationship right now but I’m sure as hell interested in being distracted from this ne obsession of mine.
Anyway, we load the groceries into Kennedy’s car and she points out with a laugh that this is the first time she’s ever parked at the grocery store. I guess when you can walk from one end of town to the other in about thirty minutes, you don’t do a lot of driving. We get in and she heads to my place. She gets a phone call as she pulls up, though. It’s a scheduling conflict. She’s disappointed, I can tell, but she’s bright in tone. “I haveanother meeting,” she says, “but when I get back to the office, we’ll reschedule.”
When she hangs up, she says, “Dang it!”
“What’s up, Kenny?” Oh, I call her that. Kenny. We think it’s cute.
“That meeting this afternoon. Something came up. He wanted it right now.”
Racoon Logging is a potential new client, and I know why she’s disappointed. This one client will earn us enough to cover my salary all by itself. “Well look,” I say, “I’m not prepared for your meeting this morning but I helped you write all the proposals for Racoon. Why don’t I handle the meeting?”
She looks at me and her expression shows something that’s almost like shock. She always shows shock when I say or do anything that suggests confidence. It’s not that she isn’t confident in me. She just lacks so much herself. “Really?” she asks. “Are you sure?”
“I’m certain,” I say, “but it’ll cost you putting my groceries away. I’ll grab everything from the office and head right over.”
She looks at me, and smiles. She says, “I’m so glad you’re here. You know I love you, right?”
“Not as much as I love you, dork,” I reply.
She smiles and says, “I’m serious. You know, there were times when you were the only person who kept me from falling apart and a big part of that is just who you are, you know. I mean, I’ve always wanted to be like you. If our positions were reversed, I’d be freaking out right now.”
I lean over and give her a kiss on the lips. It’s recurring joke for us since the first time either of us ever kissed another person was when we were both twelve at summer camp and practiced kissing with each other. I say, “I don’t need you to be like me. I need to be more like you, Kenny.”
She giggles and says, “Okay, that does it. I’m breaking up with Josh and becoming a lesbian.”
“Okay,” I say as I open the door, “I get to be the husband, though, and I better get busy and close this contract deal. You’ll be a high maintenance wife, and I better get a head start on things.”
She’s still laughing when I get in my car and drive to the office. I grab the file and look it over briefly. The only thing I need, really, is the address of the office, which is about three miles outside of town, and the name of the contact.
C. Matthews. As I drive, I go over the deal in my thoughts and send up a few silent prayers for success. The office is on a large, wooded lot with a few logging vehicles parked and a number of lumberjacks milling about. The sight of them makes me groan in frustration as I walk through the door. An elderly woman smiles at me. I say, “Hi. I’m here to meet with Mr. Matthews.”
She smiles and says, “You’re Kennedy’s friend. She called me.” She points behind her. “Go all the way down that hallway and just go on in when you reach the door. He’s expecting you.”
I’m still not completely used to small towns. The way she talks to me feels pretty charming. I can tell you that. I thank her and walk down the hallway until it ends in a door. I take a breath and crack it open. “Mr. Matthews?” I say, “I’m here for Kennedy, for the meeting.”
I hear a voice say, “Come on in.” It’s vaguely familiar but I don’t know why.
And then I do.
I open the door and step inside. The man is moving from his desk toward the door when I step in. He stops when he sees me. So do I.
What I want to do, I can’t do. Thankfully, he does it.
Carl.
Carl does it.
He crosses the distance between us and kisses me like he kissed me in the hotel room.
Chapter Four
I push him back suddenly. “Wait. Wait. Carl. What about the contract?”
