Page 31 of Crossing the Line
Bixby nodded. "Okay, I'll let them know."
She turned to head back in but looked back at him over her shoulder.
The smile he saw on her face warmed him from the inside out.
Crazy?
Maybe.
But he felt it.
Even after the door closed, he found himself enjoying the feeling.
He lifted the phone to his ear. "Hank? Janice said-"
Hank's laughter was infectious. "We heard. Jennifer's already heading out to the truck. We're on our way."
His next call was to Wallace Malone. "Wallace?" he spoke when the call picked up. "I'd like to order a dozen of your specials if you haven't sold out."
The older man chuckled. "I have enough to make them. Are you coming to pick up?"
"Do you have someone who can deliver?"
"Sure! I've got one of the local high school boys who makes deliveries for me on the weekend."
"Good! I'll have a big tip ready for him when he gets here."
"Do you want him to call when he leaves the diner?"
"We're in no immediate rush."
"Good to know. I'll get started on your order."
"Thanks, Wallace."
"Anytime, old friend."
Six
BIXBY
Bixby knew that he was losing his mind. He'd basically opened his mouth in front of a whole collection of friends that he and Janice shared that he was going to help Janice build a chicken coop.
He... himself... was going to help build a coop for Janice's chickens.
Yeah, he knew how crazy he sounded saying that.
Lucky for him, Hank, ever a good friend, offered to help him build it.
Which meant that Hank was going to save his ass.
Which had earned Hank a forever discount at the butcher counter.
So while Bixby was worried that he'd make an even bigger mess of things using a hammer and a nail, Hank had invited him over to his construction office to learn the basics. It was there, over a few sodas and sandwiches, Bixby had practiced his newfound and resurrected skills with basic tools.
Resurrected in that he'd built a few things as a child in Cub Scouts and the year or two he'd been in the Boy Scouts. But those skills had fallen to the wayside years before.
He'd hung a few things at home over the years and tried unsuccessfully to fix a leaky pipe under the sink when they'd been married.
