“On what?”
“Are you going home or staying here for a nice bowl of chili?”
“Well, I’m not going out there now!” he fumed. “We’ll let out all the warm air.”
I patted my blanket. “Hence, all the cozy blankets for snuggling.”
“I’m not snuggling.”
“Oh, I would never suggest we snuggle,” I laughed. “Nope, but I have plenty of other cozy, fleece-lined throws, comforters, and various other spreads that will keep you toasty for the duration of our endeavor.”
Sighing, he walked over, plopping back on the couch. “So…what does one do when the power goes out?”
“You mean, other than gorge on food?”
“Don’t you get bored?”
“Hardly ever.” Leaning forward, I pulled out the long drawer along the base of my coffee table and showed him my collection of crosswords, mind benders, and other games that kept me thoroughly entertained in times like this.
“You want me to do a puzzle?”
“Or play tic-tac-toe. That’s one I hardly ever get to play when I’m flying solo.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Your loss.”
I grabbed my favorite book that I nearly got through the last time the power was out and flipped it open, starting in on a new puzzle. I quickly got lost in the game, but it only took ten minutes for me to realize that JR was just staring at me.
“What?”
“This is really what you do?”
I shrugged, going back to my puzzle. “Why not?”
“Well…I just never took you for an old lady.”
My jaw dropped at that one. “I am not an old lady. Just because I like doing crosswords doesn’t mean that I’m of an elderly age.”
“No, but you don’t see many young people with a stash like this,” he said, gesturing to my horde.
“That’s because they have no taste.”
“So…” He jerked his head at my puzzle. “What’s one of the hints?”
Gasping, I pressed the book to my chest in horror. “You want me to share my crossword with you?”
“Not if you’re going to get upset about it.”
“Well…I guess it wouldn’t be terrible to do the crossword with someone, but you have to take it seriously.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Alright, the first hint is…Sow chow.”
“Sew chow?”
“Yeah, like sowing a seed.”
