Page 30 of Things You Save in a Fire

She nodded, then, after a second, said, “I just wanted to invite you to come to crochet club.”

Crochetclub? I gave it a beat.

“It’s right next door,” she said, gesturing. “At my friend Josie’s house.”

“I don’t crochet.”

“You don’t have to crochet. You could knit. Or wind yarn balls.”

“You want me to wind yarn balls?”

“It’s very soothing. Or sew something. Maybe a little potholder?”

“I don’t sew potholders either.”

“The point is, it’s more about hanging out and visiting.”

“I’m just not really a joiner. Of clubs.” That was true. Human connection had its upsides, but it sure was a lot of work. The risk-reward ratio was low, at best.

“You joined the fire service,” she pointed out, as if she might win this conversation.

“That’s not a club. That’s a job.”

“Pretty clubby for a job, though.”

She wasn’t wrong. “I avoid the clubby parts.”

“Just come for ten minutes. You’ll love it.”

Did she really think she could tempt me with the phrasesew a potholder?

“And it’s not just crochet,” she went on. “We usually put on a rom-com, too.”

She was not helping her case. I shook my head. “I have one day left to finish memorizing all the streets and fire hydrant locations in Lillian.”

“Good grief,” she said.

“It’s called knowing the territory.”

“You have to memorize themall?”

“I’ve been working on it ever since I got the job. I’ve got flash cards. Maps.”

She nodded, sighing with resignation.

I took my plate to the sink, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher. She watched me the whole time. Did she really think I’d come here tocrochet? Or watch rom-coms? This was exactly what I’d feared. She wanted to bond. But I didn’t bond. With anyone.

I walked toward the staircase.

She followed me.

“It’s not going very well, is it?” she said, as I started up.

“What?” I asked.

“This. Now. Tonight.”

“It’s an odd situation. We’re suddenly living together after ten years of…” What to call it? “Notliving together.”

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