AllFreeNovel
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“Agree to disagree on how fascinating you are.”
“You’re supposed to stop being so nice, remember?”
“Totally forgot. My apologies.”
“An obtuse jerk wouldn’t apologize.”
“Damn, I screwed this up again, didn’t I?”
“It’s okay. I’ll let it go this time.” She stands and stretches her back while I shamelessly stare at her. Pointing to the window, she says, “I think my plan of waiting out the snow isn’t going to work.”
I look out to see that, if anything, it’s snowing harder.
She looks at me. “Come on. Let’s go get kitted out. This is going to be the coldest pump change in history.”
“Awesome. Let’s do this.”
Thirty minutes later, we’re bundled up in borrowed winter gear and we’re out in the shed where Allie has gathered all the tools and parts we need to replace the pump. I smile down at her. “If you need me to use the tools for you, just let me know. You know, since you’re a woman and all.”
She grins up at me, immediately catching on. “Nice.”
“I thought being sexist would be the fastest path to pissing you off.”
“You thought right, but it’s not going to work since you’re only doing it because I asked you to.”
“This is a no-win situation, isn’t it?” I ask, glancing down at her lips.
“I’m afraid so.”
“In that case, maybe I should just go back to being myself.”
She slings the tool bag over her shoulder, then I reach up and slide it off. “Here, little lady. Allow me.”
Allie bursts out laughing. “What are you going for now?”
“Old timey western gentleman?”
“Nailed it. All right? Should we brave the cold?”
“Do we have a choice?”
“Not really.”
“Then, yes,” I tell her. “Oh, and I need to get some pics of me out there next to a telescope to send to Brittany. According to her, if it’s not documented, it might as well not have happened.”
“In that case, let’s go feed the beast.”
As soon as she opens the door, we get a blast of frigid air. I follow her out and soon, we’re trudging through knee-deep snow as white flakes swirl down and stick to us. “Is it far?”
“Yup. Unfortunately, it’s one of the ones at the very end.”
“But once we get out there, it’ll go fast, right?”
“I wish.”
“Dammit, this just isn’t going to tighten,” she says, twisting the screwdriver to the right.
“Want me to give it a try?”
