Page 47 of Something Borrowed

“I’m in the back,” Carrie called. “I’ll be right with you.”

“It’s just me,” he yelled back.

“Okay, forget it then. I’m sitting on my butt, having an extended lunch break.”

Cal laughed dutifully but was distracted. Despite telling Vic he was still happy to do the repairs and maintenance they’d discussed, he hadn’t called her. Now it was too close to Christmas. Or was it?

“Hey, Cal here. I know you’re probably busy,” he started to type, then deleted the whole message.

“I’m sorry I haven’t texted or come over to get started. I’ve been super busy—” Delete, delete. They’d already established that he would get a hold of her during slow times or whatever, so she’d just assume he was busy.

“Hi.” He added a smiley emoji. “I have time tomorrow to replace the weather stripping around that side door. I can come by around 12:30? Does that work for you?” The emoji was ridiculous, maybe. But it was more ridiculous to type out fifty text messages about such a simple thing and keep deleting them. He hit Send.

A reply pinged back immediately. His stupid heart did a weird little anticipatory jump.

“That would be great!”

Another ping.

“I’ll take my lunch then, so I can let you in and get set up.”

Another ping.

“And run interference with Audra for the first bit anyway. ”

Cal sent a laughing emoji and a thumbs up. Then, “Sounds good. SYT.”

Wow, he thought. Look at me using abbreviations and everything.

“What are you grinning about?”

Shoot. Carrie. Busted.

“Nothing,” he said and slid his phone into his pocket.

“Uh huh,” she said, but didn’t press. Instead, she handed him several sheets of paper.

“What’s this?

“Quotes on the snow equipment you were thinking about.”

“The problem with snow equipment is that you invest all that cash and what if there’s no snow?”

“True—and honestly, you’re busy enough. Unless you wanted to hire a couple of seasonal employees.”

“Well, if we did, we could probably keep them on all year. We always get calls for lawn and yard stuff that we turn down.”

“True.”

“Well, it’s food for thought anyway. I can’t believe we haven’t been hit harder with the white stuff already.”

“You should buy the equipment,” Carrie stated decisively.

“Oh, why’s that?”

“Murphy’s Law. I want a green winter, and like you said, if you invest a bunch of money into snow removal equipment, I bet another flake won’t fall.”

“Gee, thanks for wishing such good things for the business.”