“Hello, Mr.Collins, this is Jim from Columbus Heating and Air.How are you today?”
“I’m well, thank you.”
“I was just calling to confirm our appointment for this afternoon.”
“Yes, I will be here.”
“Okay.I’ll see you about one then.I’m looking forward to it.”
“Thank you.See you then.”Joesph disconnected the call just as Salzy sat down with two cups of coffee.He looked at Salzy.“The HVAC guys are coming today.You might want to tidy up your apartment.”He looked at the two cups of coffee in front of Salzy.“Are we doubling-fisted drinking this morning?”Joesph asked as he scribbled a note on the pad of paper next to his laptop.
“I always have two cups of coffee.I got two before they pulled the drink station apart.When is it going back in?Do you know?”
“Probably not for a few days.”Joesph looked up.“They have to do the wall that it’s going on first.”
“I guess I’ll have to go buy a coffee maker.”Salzy gulped his first cup.
“I told Jamie that we needed one.”He leaned forward.“I cannotdomornings without caffeine.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Jamie stripped offthe wet shirt and shorts and dashed into the shower.How did I let myself kiss Mike?What was I thinking?He dried himself off.What was Mike thinking?He did kiss me back.
“Jamie?”
“I’m coming.”When he started down the stairs, he saw Joesph, Mike, and Salzy sitting at one of the tables, a sack from a local fast-food joint next to them.
“One of the guys doing the drywall was going to get some breakfast, and I got him to pick us up a few things,” Mike indicated the large bag.“I wasn’t sure what anyone would prefer, so I got a variety.”
“Tank you,” Salzy said around a mouthful of biscuit and what looked like sausage and egg.
“That...was nice.Thanks.”Jamie sat down, his coffee now cold.
Joesph dug around in the bag.“There’s a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit.Just an egg and cheese biscuit, a container of grits and...oh, here, a country fried steak and gravy plate.”
“I’ll just have an egg, sausage, and cheese biscuit, please,” Jamie said, taking it from Joesph.
