Page 45 of Same Difference

---

Delta jolted awake.

Bang, bang, bang!

“What is happening?” she whispered, kicking out of the tangled covers.

Someone was banging on her door! But when she shoved the door open, the only thing there was the wooden plank Nathan had rested against the door last night to keep the wind from blowing it open.

The snow was cold against her bare feet as she made her way around the house to see what the noise was.

Nathan’s truck was parked out front, and when she looked up at where the banging sound was coming from, he was on the roof. There was a stack of shingles next to him, and he was slamming a hammer into each nail like he was a dang professional roofer.

“Nathan?” she called.

He stopped and looked startled as he saw her down below. He pulled earphones off his ears and said, “Good morning.”

Delta looked around the frigid landscape in shock. It was still early in the morning. “Did you stay here all night?” she asked.

“No.”

“Oh. Well, did you sleep at all?”

“Also no.”

She rubbed her eyes and then wrapped her arms around herself. She wasn’t really cold, but she wasn’t wearing a bra. “What time is it?”

He stayed knelt on the roof and pulled out his phone, checked it. “Eight.”

“Whoa, I slept in. I have an interview at ten. Wait, what are you doing out here so early?”

“Working on your den.”

“Nathan! I don’t need you to take care of me!”

He pulled his headphones back into place and said, “I can’t hear you over all the death metal.”

“All the death metal?” She rolled her eyes closed and made her way back inside.

“Hey, Delta?” he asked.

“Yeah?”

“What interview?”

She was four percent grumpy that he was still fixing stuff for her, and wanted to say something sarcastic, but he was looking down at her like he was actually interested.

“Floral shop.”

He smiled. “The one from yesterday?”

“Yeah. I’m actually starting to get really nervous.”

“Don’t be. They’ll love you.”

“Yeah. Listen, can I borrow your hotel room while you’re here? I need a shower.”

“No need.”

“I assure you I do need a shower before an interview.”

---