Page 24 of Challenged By the Ex-Military Lumberjack
"I should check the road," Eli says, standing and taking both our plates to the kitchen.
I follow him, because apparently I can't help myself. "Do you think it's clear?"
"Won't know until I look."
He opens the front door and we step out onto the porch. The air is fresh and clean, that particular smell that comes after rain. The sky is still gray, but the clouds are breaking up.
The road, however, is a mess. Mud and standing water everywhere. My little sedan is sitting in it, looking deeply unhappy about its life choices.
"That's bad," I say.
"Yeah."
"How long until it's driveable?"
He studies the road. "Few hours, maybe. Depends on how much sun we get."
I look up at the sky. The clouds are thick, but there's light behind them. "So, I should probably just... wait?"
"Probably."
We stand there for a minute, both of us looking at the muddy disaster that's keeping me here.
"I really didn't plan this," I say. "I swear I'm not trying to—"
"I know."
"You do?"
He looks at me, those storm-gray eyes steady. "You're not the scheming type."
"How do you know?"
"Because if you were, you wouldn't have brought terrible lasagna."
I laugh, surprised. "Fair point."
The corner of his mouth twitches. Not quite a smile, but close. And I realize that this is the most I've seen him relax since I met him. Like maybe, just maybe, he's not hating this as much as he thought he would.
"Come on," he says, heading back inside. "Might as well be comfortable while you wait."
I follow him in, and Ridge immediately comes over to greet us like we've been gone for hours instead of minutes.
"What do you usually do on Saturday afternoons?" I ask.
"Work."
"On what?"
"Whatever needs doing. Firewood, repairs, maintenance."
"Sounds thrilling."
"It's quiet."
"Right. Because that's the goal." I sit back down on the couch, tucking my feet under me. "Do you ever just... relax? Do something for fun?"
He looks at me like I've asked him to explain quantum physics. "This is relaxing."
