Page 52 of Unrivaled Love
"Sure you will."
"Listen, I might not have the biggest contract in the NHL but I make enough to replace your mom's yarn stash." I look around the room. "And a lamp, and a hanging light thing."
"And a car?"
"You want me to buy you a new car?"
"Well, you did wreck it."
"Can't we get insurance to do it?"
"I'm sure insurance will be interested to know the car was totaled as the result of a prank."
"You wouldn't."
"I need a car, Bryson." She says with an adorable little shrug that doesn’t tell me she wouldn’t do it. I'm not sure I'm willing to risk her tattling on me.
"Okay fine, I'll buy you a new car."
Her eyes kind of bug out as she continues to look down at the mess we're cleaning up. My money manager and I chat often. He’s more than an accountant, he helps me plan for larger investments. Last year Aiden’s home search had me thinking about starting my own. Doug and I decided to wait since the mortgage rate on my condo was locked in for another couple of years.
With the bag full, I tie the ends and then walk over to the corner of the room where I set it down. Under the sink is a dust pan so I grab it and start to sweep up the broken glass and lightbulb fragments now that the yarn is out of the way.
"I just realized something," Jo says as I dump the dustpan into the trash.
"Yeah? What's that?"
"Well, the sun is going to go down."
"Yeah?" I lead.
"And we won't have electricity."
"Right."
"So it'll be dark."
"Yes. What's the problem?"
"I'm not afraid of the dark or anything but it's going to be weird."
"I guess so, we'll have to see just how dark it gets. Hopefully the clouds don't come in and we can use some moonlight."
"Okay," Jo says quietly. I rinse off my hands and then turn to get two glasses out of the cabinet. I fill one for her, and one for me. I take a sip as I hand her the water and she takes a sip and looks out over the patio.
We drink next to each other and look out at the woods.
"So, what are we going to do now?" She asks me and I shrug.
"We could sit outside and read next to each other." I suggest because I wouldn't mind getting lost in the book again.
"Okay," she says quietly. "But I'm still pissed you spoiled it for me."
"It was an accident! You're the one who picked up my copy!"
She chuckles to let me know she is almost ready to find this funny. I head outside while she gets her copy.
When she joins me I look her up and down. I'm dying to know why she doesn't have other clothing here but I don't want to push her either. She has expertly deflected any time I try to ask and I don’t want to send her running again.
