Page 11

Andrew

Ihad the distinct feeling that Katy was trying to avoid me. As soon as we got home from my mother’s house Saturday she disappeared into her room and I didn’t see her again the next morning, or when I came home between church and snowshoeing. When I drove up after snowshoeing I saw her by the front window, but by the time I got into the house she was gone again.

After putting the bone broth that Mom had sent with Andrew into the refrigerator and taking a shower, I decided to send her a text.

Andrew: Hey, are you awake?

Katy: Are you texting me from inside the house???

Andrew: I didn’t want to knock in case you were sleeping.

Katy: Thank you, that’s nice of you. But please don’t fuss on my account.

Andrew: Maybe I want to fuss.

Katy: ……

Andrew: How’s your hand feeling?

Katy: It’s fine. I took some ibuprofen.

Andrew: Is it really fine or are you just saying that?

Katy: It hurts a little and this stupid splint is really annoying. It makes me want to break that guy’s nose all over again.

Andrew: LOL. I was thinking about picking up a pizza for dinner and watching a movie. You in?

Katy: Sure. That sounds fun. Can I pick the movie?

Andrew: As long as it’s not a romcom. Or one of those sappy movies where someone has a long lingering death. And no dogs die. I hate movies where dogs die.

Katy: Right, so we’ll pick one out together then. Let me know when you’re heading out, I’ll go with you if that’s okay. I’ve been inside the house all day and it’s making me twitchy.

Andrew: I’ll call in the order when they open at five.

I resisted the urge to pump my fist in victory. Pizza was a good lure. I’d have to remember that.

I did a little cleaning until it was time to order the pizza, then Katy and I headed downtown to pick up the pizza. The term ‘downtown’ was relative here in Lawson, it was a five minute drive from one end of town to the other. Katy insisted on buying the pizza to thank me for letting her stay at my house and I didn’t argue.

“If you’re buying, let’s get chocolate chip cookies too,” I said, pointing at the giant cookies stacked up on the counter.

“Oh God, I’ll have to run for an hour to burn all this off,” she said, but I noticed she still grabbed us each a cookie.

I resisted the urge to tell her that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her figure. She was in much better shape than most people our age, men and women alike.

We had a good night eating pizza, drinking beer, nibbling on our cookies and watching two movies in a row. By the time the credits ran on the second one it was ten o’clock and we were both yawning.

“I’ll leave for the office around eight thirty tomorrow,” I told her as we put away the rest of the food. “Make yourself at home and text me if you need anything. Anything at all.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m completely self-sufficient and used to living alone.”

“You’re never alone in a small town,” I told her.

She just smiled but soon she was going to learn what it was like to be adopted by the good citizens of Lawson. I was activating what my mother was calling “Project Make Katy Fall in Love with Andrew” and I was pulling out every tool in my arsenal to make it happen.

I thought about Katy all day Monday, making it hard to concentrate on my work. I left the office around four, and when I got back to the house Katy was on the couch reading on her tablet. Her splinted hand was propped up on a pillow on her lap.

She looked relaxed lounging on my couch in old sweatpants, thick wool socks and an oversized sweatshirt with her dark blonde hair twisted on top of her head in a messy bun. I loved coming home to find her in my living room.