“Well, yes. Maybe. And that’s not a bad thing,” she added quickly. “Goodness, no. It’s not a bad thing at all. It just explains some things, don’t you think?”
I blinked. “Uh... well, jeez, I dunno. I don’t know what to think because you just dropped this on me and I’ve had no time to process?—”
She raised an eyebrow and smiled as if I was almost connecting the dots. “Processing, overthinking, overanalyzing, meticulous organization, hyperfocus.”
“Those are... those are positive personality traits,” I replied. “And great for business management, I’ll have you know.”
She chuckled again. “They are. And I wouldn’t change one thing about you, Winter. Not one thing. I’m just saying this to help you realize that you and Deacon have more in common than you might think. So instead of trying to analyze every single thing he does or doesn’t do, just relax.”
“Oh, relax and don’t overthink,” I said flatly. “Why didn’t I think of doing that earlier? Could have saved me a lifetime of unnecessary stress.”
Ro sighed. “Don’t be mad. I’m just trying to help.”
“By telling me you think I have undiagnosed neurodivergence.”
She shrugged. “Well, me thinking that isn’t new. You’ve been like this forever.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Remember that time when you were in kindergarten and you had to make clouds on paper with cotton balls?”
I made a gagging noise and shuddered at the memory. I had to wipe my hands on my pants to remove the memory of cotton balls. “Dear god. Why would you?—”
“Or the slime at the science fair.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “That was a traumatic experience. I can still feel?—”
“Or how many fidget spinners you’ve lost.”
I put my hand up. “Okay, I think you’ve made your point.”
She began putting all the incorrect sweaters back on their hangers for me. “Um, that’s back to front,” I mumbled. “It will face the wrong way in the wardrobe. They all face the front...”
She smiled as she fixed it. “Okay.”
I sighed. “So this has been fun for me.”
“You should get going. You don’t want to be late,” she said. “They won’t notice the sweater if you miss dinner.”
I gasped and checked the time. “Oh jeez.” I grabbed my scarf and pulled on my boots and coat at the door. “I’ll be home by ten, maybe? I don’t even know. The boys have been fed?—”
“Yes, yes,” she said, shoving me toward the door. “Go, Winter. Oh, here, don’t forget this.”
She shoved the box of Christmas cookies into my hand, which I had brought to take as a thank you gift for dinner, because it was rude not to take something, which I had forgotten all about. I’d be so lost without her.
“Oh, thank you.”
“Drive safe.”
“Always do.”
I hurried to my car to get out of the cold. Now, coming from Boise, I was used to the cold and snow. But Hartbridge was in-the-mountains level of cold.
And to think Merry and Bright could have been out in this on their own if I hadn’t taken them in. Well, if I hadn’t sent their poor momma cat to kitty-heaven. But still... they wouldn’t have lasted long in this weather.
I drove to Deacon’s, trying not to think about what Ro had suggested, about me having neurodivergent traits. It didn’t bother or upset me any, it just... I wasn’t sure. I’d always had idiosyncrasies. Who the heck didn’t? I’d always found myself in the company of other quirky people. It was just who I felt most comfortable with.
Hmm.
