What now?
It was too early in the morning to contemplate the next steps, let alone actually discuss them with Anna.
The ferry ride came to an end. They spoke little while waiting to disembark, and even less for the first half hour of the ride home.
He spotted a line of fast-food restaurants approaching. “Are you hungry?”
“Maybe something small and another coffee.”
“Any preference where?”
She pointed ahead. “If you need to fill up, we can stop there. I believe they have a small deli area inside with grab and go foods.”
“I can go another seventy miles, but I might as well put gas in now.” He left the highway and drove onto the service road.
Anna went in ahead of him. After he pumped gas, he pulled into a spot in front of the store and walked inside to meet her.
An elderly woman spoke to her at the coffee machine. He stood back, observing the interaction. Anna patiently listened as the lady laid out her entire life story in a five-minute version. Not only did Anna listen, but she also interacted and participated with the conversation, smiling as though she enjoyed the random conversation with a stranger.
Knowing Anna, she did. She loved stories, which is what made her a great historian and teacher. He’d never told her, but some of the youth he coached for basketball had spoken highly of her. To be honest, he hadn’t paid much attention to them because she hadn’t been on his radar at the time beyond being Kelly’s friend. He wished he’d listened more carefully.
The lady left, and Jack approached Anna. “Made a new friend, huh?”
She and her husband recently moved here after retiring from civil service in New York. Can you believe they both worked together at the same company for over fifty years?”
“Wow. That’s a long time.” He blinked in surprise. “They must really be in love to spend that much time together.”
“I guess so.” The mood between them shifted with the mention of theLword.
“Did you see any good food?” he asked, attempting to navigate the conversation to neutral territory.
“There are the usual sandwiches, some donuts, and French toast sticks. I saw yogurt in the cooler. I think I’ll get one of those.”
He grabbed a cup from the dispenser and poured his coffee. “I’ll grab a sandwich.”
Once inside his truck again, the silence returned.
At a quarter to nine, she pulled out her phone. “I should let my family know I won’t be at church. They’ll worry and spam my phone if I’m not there.”
“I should probably do the same.” He pointed to his phone in the dash tray. “Would you mind sending a text to my mom from mine so I’m not texting and driving.”
“What should I say?”
“Keep it simple. Just write,Won’t be at church. I’m fine. Will call you this afternoon.”
She reached for his phone. “What’s your lock code pattern?”
“AJ.”
“Really? Because that’s not obvious.”
He threw a grin her way. “You didn’t guess it, did you?”
“If I tried figuring it out a few times I would have gotten the correct one.” She tapped his phone to send the message, then laid it on the dash. “Done.”
The interchange broke the ice between them and cut the tension.
“What are your afternoon plans?”
