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Just then, the waitress came back to take their orders. She told the woman what she wanted and then watched Mathias place his order. Had he just told her to call him by his name because she said it was nice? What did that mean? She only called him that because she, like her sister, called people by their given names. It was only after a while that she used nicknames, if ever. Mandy had been introduced as just Mandy, so she doesn’t think of her as Amanda.
“Can I ask you some questions?” he asked when the waitress was gone.
“Sure, as long as I can ask some too.”
“Why do you live uptown? Why not a house? You have been in town for over a year. Shouldn’t you be thinking about settling in?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.
“Uptown, I like that. Sounds classy.” She smiled at him. “I moved in there because it was convenient and close to the bank. I was going to look for bigger later, but after a while, I liked walking to work and having everything right there. Why move and have to start my car on bitterly cold days and have to mow a lawn?”
“But isn’t it small?”
“Yes, but cozy, I guess. I have never had a large place. Small and cheap is what I like.”
“Except your clothes.” His eyes dropped to her shirt, or maybe her breasts. She couldn’t tell.
“You noticed? Yes, I like to dress nice. It is my money to spend,” she defended her spending habits. “Now me. Where did you come up with Juniper’s name?”
Math smiled. “Mandy came up with it. She’s really good at naming babies. Karen and I had no idea what to name her, and Mandy just started calling her that. It was her perfect name.”
“I like your sister,” Tess said, happy that Mandy was in book club with her. From the first day, she reminded Tess of Natasha—fun and caring.
“Me too. I have two others kind of like her,” he said.
“I met Kit at Easter; is it short for Katrina? Do you all look the same? You and Mandy and Kit have similar coloring.”
“Kit is short for Kristiana. Yes, we all look the same. Julia is tall like Kit.”
“Your kids look like you as well.” She wondered if the baby she was carrying would be a constant reminder of him. “Have you always wanted to farm?”
“Oh, yeah, since I was younger than Mason, but I know he has no interest in it. I didn’t even go to college; I just started to work for my father. I love it.”
“It sounds like it. I like when people are happy with their work.”
“Do you miss your family, living so far away? Julia lives in Fargo, which is too far for a regular visit.” His expressive blue eyes were on her.
“Yes, I miss them. I do talk to someone from there every day. Most days I talk to Tasha, but I talk to my mother and sister also. My brother calls too often. I have gotten used to it over the years,” she replied, though she didn’t keep track of who she talked to during the day. She was sure it was more than two most days.
“Who is Tasha? And did you talk to her today?”
“Tasha is my niece. Yes, I sent her a text right before you picked me up, so you cannot kill me since she knows I am with you.” Tess laughed at his pained expression.
“Does she know who I am?”
“Yes, we have no secrets.”
“Wait, is she the one you kept texting when you were on drugs?”
“Yes, and it was not the first time she has gotten medication texting from me.” She laughed. She had read her texts after those two days; she had quite the trip.
“But not drunk texts? Because you don’t get drunk.” He laughed at her.
“I know you do not believe me. She is the drunk texter. She cannot handle her booze, but she has Alex, so she does not have to.” She sighed at her friend’s relationship. She wanted the kind of relationship Tasha had.
“But not you?”
“I have not been drunk since I was seventeen, and I do not plan to do it again. That was a day.” She laughed at herself—Tasha’s wedding was just a blur.
“What happened that day?
