"For what?"
"For making this weekend... easy. I was so nervous about coming here, but you've made it really comfortable."
Comfortable. That's not exactly what I'm feeling, but I appreciate the sentiment.
"You make it easy," I tell her. "You're... you're good company, Iris."
"So are you." She pauses. "Better than I expected, honestly."
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know. Grumpy, maybe. Silent and brooding. Instead, you're..." She trails off.
"What?"
"Kind. Thoughtful. Funny when you want to be. Protective."
"Is that good or bad?"
"It's perfect," she says softly.
The word hangs between us, heavy with meaning.
"Hungry?" I ask, needing to break the intensity before I do something stupid. "I can make lunch."
"Starving."
We move to the kitchen, and the moment breaks. But I can still feel it, that pull. That connection. And I know she feels it too.
It's only a matter of time before one of us stops fighting it.
Chapter 6 – Iris
Lunch is grilled cheese and tomato soup, simple and perfect. We eat at the counter, shoulders almost touching, and I'm hyperaware of every movement he makes. The way he brings the spoon to his mouth. The way his throat works when he swallows. The way his eyes keep finding mine.
"You're staring," he says without looking up from his soup.
"So are you."
His lips twitch. "Fair point."
After lunch, he suggests a hike through the woods. "There's a viewpoint about two miles up. Best view in the area."
"Lead the way."
We bundle up again and head out into the brilliant afternoon. The trail is narrow, forcing us to walk single file with Silas in front, breaking the path through the snow. I watch the way he moves, confident despite his limp, completely at ease in the wilderness.
"You do this a lot?" I ask. "Hiking, I mean."
"When I can. Helps clear my head."
"What do you think about when you're out here?"
He's quiet for a moment. "Depends on the day. Sometimes nothing. Sometimes everything." He glances back at me. "What about you?"
"Lesson plans. Student evaluations. Whether I remembered to lock my back door." I smile. "Exciting stuff."
"Responsibility. That's what you think about."
