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“No,” he said. “As I told you, things were just starting to get on track with us when he died.”
“You can’t carry that with you forever,” she said. “I’m willing to bet he wouldn’t want you to feel that way.”
“No,” he said. “He wouldn’t.”
She rolled and put her head on his chest. “If there is one thing to take away from that, it should be that you need to let those you love in your life know because you don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”
“You’re right,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. “But saying the words isn’t easy either if you fear they aren’t returned.”
She laughed. He was staring into her eyes and she knew he was talking about them.
“One of us has to take that step,” she said. She kissed his chest a few times waiting to see if it’d be him, but he remained silent. “It’s been me so far so maybe it needs to be again. I love you, Knox. I’ve loved you for a month or more. But watching everything you did for Blaze and his friend yesterday just reminded me again what a great human you are.”
He let out a breath and hugged her tight to his side. “Thank God you said it first,” he said. “I love you too. I have for more than a month also.”
“But have been afraid to say it?” she asked. “Why?”
“You have to ask that?” he asked, laughing. “I’ve said it before—we don’t have a lot in common. I always feel you’re way out of my league. I did years ago and do more so now.”
“Stop,” she said, grinning and pinching his arm. “How many times do I have to tell you that isn’t the case? Are you always going to make me take the first step?”
“I’ll try not to,” he said. “It will be easier now knowing that you love me.”
She could see a faint grin on his face. “I do,” she said. “As long as you believe it.”
“I do,” he said. “I should get up. I’ll try to go clean some of the driveway out before it piles up again.”
“You’re going to snow blow?” she asked, throwing back the covers with him.
“No,” he said. “I’m hooking the plow up to my truck and just pushing the snow out. I’ve got an agreement with my neighbor across the street. I can push a few piles up on his lawn to get out if I plow his for him at the same time.”
“That’s nice of you,” she said. “Did you offer that or did he ask for it in exchange?”
“I offered,” he said. “It seemed only right. I don’t have any room on the side of the garage to push it with the landscaping. Or not enough. Where are you going?”
“In the bathroom with you. I thought we could shower together and I’ll make some breakfast. I doubt your brother will be up any time soon, but it’s not like I’m going anywhere. Might as well make myself useful.”
“A shower together sounds like a useful thing to do,” he said.
They got into the bathroom and he went to the water closet and she started to brush her teeth.
They swapped out so she could pee and then when she came out, he was shutting the water off on the sink and turning it on in the shower.
They climbed in together and rather than fool around, both cleaned up fast, getting a few touches and gropes in for fun, then got out to dry off.
The minute they did, the power went off but then came back on.
“Was that just a flicker?” she asked.
“Nope,” he said. “The generator kicked on. The power stayed on longer than I thought it would.”
“So everything is working like normal?” she asked. “It’s not just for a part of the house?”
“It’s the whole house,” he said. “I got one big enough for that. I’ve got enough gas too. I doubt it’s going to be out for long, but who knows?”
When the two of them were dressed, she said, “I’ll just make eggs and toast for you. I don’t want to run too many things.”
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m not. But eggs and toast is great and probably what I’d do. Or maybe I’d take some of Blaze’s Frosted Flakes. I haven’t had them since I was a kid.”
