Page 107 of Out on a Limb
Not Andrew.
“You show up every day.” I could set my watch by him.
“You pay attention to the people around you.” That might be my favorite thing about him. Andrew’s focus was rarely on himself.
One more way he was as different from my granddad as it got.
“I have to pay attention to the people around me, Collette.” Andrew barely shook his head. “If I don’t pay attention then I make mistakes.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Not like this.” Andrew looked so serious. Even more than normal. “If I make mistakes then everyone thinks I’m an asshole.”
It was the second time he’d said something like that. “You’re not an asshole.” The thought of someone accusing Andrew of being an asshole pissed me off a little. “And who is everyone?”
If they worked for the garden I’d fire them.
Or maybe kick them in the nuts.
Burn down their house—
That last one might be a little extreme.
I’d fill their house with chickens.
His head barely tilted to one side and he almost looked like he might smile. “Plenty of people.”
“Who, specifically?”
“It doesn’t matter. I deserved it.”
He sounded so sure. “What did you do?”
Andrew watched me for a second before taking a deep breath. “I don’t really understand the way other people feel, Collette.” He paused, making me wait for the rest of his explanation. “I try to figure it out, but sometimes I can’t.”
If I don’t pay attention then I make mistakes.
That made more sense now.
“How do you try to figure it out?” The way he watched the people around him made more sense now. I assumed he was just being courteous. Aware.
And in some ways he was.
“There are some things that most people do when they feel a certain way.” He lifted one shoulder. “I try to look for those things so I can tell how someone’s feeling.”
“So,” I decided to stop fighting the urge not to move closer to him, “what you’re saying is, even though it doesn’t come naturally and you have to put in extra effort to achieve it, you still manage to be one of the most considerate and thoughtful people I’ve ever met?”
He didn’t answer me, but his eyes locked onto mine as I continued easing closer.
I stopped right in front of him, my body almost touching his. “In light of this new information, I’m going to make things very easy for you.” I braced for the rejection that might be coming my way.
Again.
But I was a big girl, and if this was what it took to land a man like Andrew then I was willing to take that risk.
“I like you.” I powered through the natural desire to hold back out of self-preservation. “A lot. I like that you work hard. I like that you like plants. I like how you look in your work shorts.” I dipped my eyes between us. “And while you do fill these pants out really well, they look like a costume.” I stood a little taller as the words flowed a little easier. “I like that you realize my granddad is an ass. I like that you took a splinter out of my boob without getting a boner.”
“That’s not true.” He said it completely straight-faced, which made me laugh out loud.
