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"Probably ten, if that works for you? We could hit one of the farmer's markets up there too."
"Cool. I'll come over here."
"Great." Erin tried to think of another topic. "Oh, and Deb wanted you to come out with us on Saturday night. Are you doing anything?"
"Uh, no, I'm not doing anything. Who is 'we'?" Ryan looked wary.
"Me, Deb, and Sam, usually. Sometimes we meet up with people by chance. We start at the brewery, and sometimes we stay there, sometimes we move on to other places. Depends on how we feel."
"I like the brewery. Other places..." Ryan grimaced. "If it's some noisy club or something, I'll pass. I... have a hard time with flashing lights and loud, crowded places." He turned away, swallowing hard.
Poor Ryan. "No problem. We'll hang out and have a few beers and some bad-for-you food."
"Or I can drive on my own." He raised both brows.
"If you want to leave early, you can drive my car home, and I'll get a ride with one of the girls."
Ryan looked away. "Sure."
Back to one-word non-answers again. "Is there something bothering you, Ryan?"
"No." He turned the TV on and flipped through channels.
Classic male avoidance technique: watch TV until the female stops trying. Michael used that one too. Erin sighed, got up, and loaded the dishwasher. Then she hand-washed the few things that needed it and surfed the internet a little. Maybe she'd find a car to work on or something interesting would be in her email.
She clicked on an email from the Wilderness Institute. Rats, she'd almost forgotten the trip in all the fuss. She forwarded it to Ryan. "Ryan?"
The TV sound turned down. "Yeah?"
"I forwarded you an email about the backpacking trip."
"Okay." He nodded.
Erin kept herself from rolling her eyes. Sometimes Ryan reminded her of a teenage boy. The trip leaders would expect her to make sure he was prepared. "Do you have breakfasts, lunches, and snacks figured out?"
"I was going to bring oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, and trail mix. Are they hardcore vegetarians, or are they okay with people bringing meat?"
"The leaders are fine with whatever you want. Some folks who go on these trips are definitely more on the new-age, vegan side, but then they tend to stereotype us military types, too. Usually we all end up a little more tolerant at the end of the trip."
Ryan snorted.
"I'll email you a website I use for recipes. They've got a great one for oatmeal that you make in a Ziplock freezer baggie." Wait, that was silly. "Actually, I was going to pick up everything for the trip tomorrow, and I can make oatmeal for you, too. Twice as much as I eat, I'm sure."
"Thanks. I'll pay for my share and help you make it."
"Sure. We can do that on Sunday afternoon, unless you have other plans."
"Nope. That's fine."
"We can figure out where to put that pullup bar too."
"Okay."
The TV volume came back up. Erin sighed again. Men.
There wasn't anything in her email that couldn't wait and nothing on social media. No cool cars she could afford that weren't piles of rust. She had to find something to work on. Soon. The coffee business was good, but for a real profit, she needed to restore cars. And a project would keep her busy. Erin looked down at Ryan on the couch. And keep her mind off of things she couldn't have.
Sometimes, when Ryan slumped on the couch giving her one-word answers, it was easy to remember how much simpler life was without a man around. And it was easy to remember how much younger he was when he sulked. But then he'd say something thoughtful, and she'd be off in fantasy land again. Or she'd look at him. His body was worthy of fantasies, regardless of the arm. Erin smiled. Might have to get a little creative, but ooh. Creative with him would be fun. Erin tore her attention away from him, back to her computer. I need a car.
