Page 41 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

She laughed. “Good idea. How was your walk over?”

“Cold. I think the temperature dropped twenty degrees. But it felt good.”

“I’m ready for summer. It was cold all winter long. Our drinks are ready. Want to call Zack for me?”

“I’ll go get him,” Myles said.

Myles returned a moment later, carrying a laughing Zack.

“Found him.”

“We’ll sit at the table. It’s less chancy for him spilling things,” she said, pointing to the small round table with three chairs that served as her dining area. Sometimes Edith shared a meal with them, so Anna had three chairs.

Myles was the first guest she’d had in the apartment except for Edith.

“We went to see Edith,” Zack said. “She’s sick.”

“Did you take her cookies?”

“Yes. We make the bestest cookies,” Zack said.

“She has the flu…not too interested in cookies,” Anna added.

Myles looked at Anna.

“Will she be able to watch this young man tomorrow?”

“No. She didn’t look so good when we saw her earlier. I’ve been calling around to find someone.”

“Any luck?”

“Two of my backup women already have plans. The third is also sick. Apparently, the flu’s going around.”

“Don’t you get sick,” Myles said.

“Exactly what Zack said,” she replied. “I’ll do my best not to. But Edith has been such a help to me. I need to return the favor and help her out now. She doesn’t have anyone else. I thought I’d go down before supper to make sure she needs nothing more today.”

“Why don’t you leave Zack here when you check on her? No sense exposing him to germs if you don’t have to.”

“Thanks,” she said. “He’s been there, but stayed in the living room. I feel terrible for her—having no one to take care of her when she’s sick.”

“Who takes care of you when you’re sick?” he asked, taking another cookie.

“No one. She’d help, I’m sure. Fortunately, I’m rarely sick.”

“I want to get down. I’m finished,” Zack said.

“I should find a way to burn off some of that energy,” she said, helping Zack to the floor, pushing his empty cup away from the edge of the table.

“If it weren’t so late, we could take him to a museum or someplace indoors and let him run around.”

“But it is late, and it’s started raining again. I wish it’d rain at night and leave the daylight for kids to play outside.”

“Does this mean the preschool is leaking again?” he asked, turning to look out the window.

“I hope not. The roof was repaired. It’s the water damage from the previous leak that needs fixing.”

They finished their hot chocolate and then moved into the living room. Anna asked him to stay for dinner and Myles quickly accepted. He explained he’d never turn down a home-cooked meal.

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