His head went back and forth. “I could. I’m trying to put the story together in my head. I’ve got some notes.”
“You do? Can you talk about it?”
She had the tuna in a bowl, added the mayo, then some salt and pepper.
“Where is the bread?” he asked. She pointed to a drawer, so he got it out. “I was thinking about having the small town be here. I haven’t decided fully. It’s going to depend on the outcome of things in the next few weeks.”
She turned to look at him, her hand stilling as she mixed the tuna. “What does that mean?”
“It means a few things,” he said. “We don’t know if or when this is going to end or how it will. I won’t be forced out, I can tell you that much.”
“Good,” she said.
“But if it ends soon, maybe you’ll want me to leave. I mean, I can rent another place easily enough.”
“I’d like you to stay as long as you want, but if you get sick of me, the cabin on the farm is available.”
As if her family would let him stay there if he and Gale went south.
The thing was, he didn’t want that to happen.
What they had was so foreign to him, but he was trying to learn the language as quickly as possible.
“I’m good here,” he said. “It’s just whether or not you’ll be. You know, having someone in your space.”
He had the bread on plates, and she was spreading the salad, then found chips and grabbed two bottles of water.
They sat at the island and ate. She still hadn’t made a comment about having someone in her space.
He was just ready to tell her not to feel pressured when she said, “You’re the first person I’m living with for more than a vacation.”
“The same. I have bad habits when I’m writing. Normally late nights. But I’m not in that headspace right yet. Maybe soon.”
He had to be more focused on Rene’s case and keeping Gale safe before he could let his guard down enough to truly write the way he was used to.
“I’m sure you’ll get there when you’re ready.”
They ate their lunch in silence. It felt as if she had more to say but was struggling to get the words out.
Maybe what they had experienced in her room was too much for her.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“You’re quiet. From what I know of you, it’s not normal. If having me here is too much, I can go back to the cabin next to Clay.”
“Then I’d have to go with you, so no, thank you.”
If she weren’t smiling he’d think she felt trapped by having him here. As if it were the lesser of the two evils, here or there.
It didn’t make him believe she wanted to spend the time with him though.
“I can sleep in the spare room if you want.”
She stopped chewing. “Why would I want you to do that?”
Her confusion was almost comical. Her mouth was open, her chewed food showing, her eyes wide.
