Page 38 of My Enemy Biker

I stand, walk over to where she's reorganizing the entire top rack. She's wearing one of my shirts over leggings, hair pulled back, barefoot on the kitchen tile.

"The mugs were fine where they were," I say.

"The mugs werefunctionalwhere they were. Now they'll be optimal." She shifts a bowl to a different angle. "There's a difference between adequate and correct."

"You realize you sound like you're arguing case law about dishes."

"I realize you loaded the dishwasher like someone who doesn't care about efficiency."

"I loaded the dishwasher like someone who has other things to think about."

"Clearly." She closes the top rack, opens the bottom. Stares at my plate arrangement. "Oh no."

"What?"

"You put a cutting board on the bottom rack."

"Where else would it go?"

"The side! Vertically, along the side, so it doesn't block water flow to everything behind it." She's pulling the board out, repositioning it. "This is basic physics. Water needs to reach all surfaces."

"Anna."

"Don't 'Anna' me. You're the one who loaded this like you were in a hurry."

"I was in a hurry. Had a call with Clint in ten minutes."

"Being in a hurry doesn't exempt you from doing things correctly."

I lean against the counter, watching her rearrange the bottom rack with the same focus she brings to contract review. "You want to redo the whole thing."

"I want it done right." She glances up at me. "Unless you think your way is actually better."

"I think my way gets the dishes clean."

"And my way gets them cleaner, more efficiently, using less water and energy." She closes the bottom rack, straightens up. "But if you prefer waste—"

"I don't prefer waste."

"Then you'll load it correctly next time."

"Your way."

"The correct way." She's trying not to smile. I can see it in her eyes, the way her jaw sets when she's holding back.

"Say it," I tell her.

"Say what?"

"That you win."

"I don't need to say it. The improved dishwasher efficiency speaks for itself."

I pull her closer by the hem of the shirt she's wearing. My shirt. Has been wearing my shirts around the house and it still does something to me every time.

"You researched dishwasher loading strategies," I say.

"I read one article."