for Senator Bogle's staff.'
'Sounds easy enough.'
'Balancing a dozen spinning plates on the end of sticks sounds easy,
Alex. Since I left. Net Force has trouble finding its ass with both
hands.'
He laughed.
'Got any plans for supper?'
'I could microwave some burritos,' she said.
'How about I order Chinese takeout? My treat.'
'Fine by me.'
He took a deep breath. It had been on his mind a lot lately, how to do
this, and he was nervous about it.
'Listen,' he began, 'things have been working out okay for us lately,
haven't they?'
'You have to ask?'
'No, no, I mean, / think they have, but I don't want to take anything
for granted. We're okay, aren't we? I mean, we're doing all right on
a personal level, right?'
'Except for you mixing the darks with the lights in the wash, we are
terrific.'
He nodded. Here was the hard part.
She stopped folding the towels.
'What is it, Alex?
Something's on your mind. Tell me.'
He sat down on the couch next to her.
'Okay, look, I'm not the most romantic guy in the world, but--do you
want to get married?'
Her eyes got wide and she grinned.
'Yes, of course.'
He blew out a big sigh.
'Good.'
'You thought I would turn you down?'
'I hoped not. I didn't want to think too much about that.'
She grabbed him and hugged him, and they kissed. She broke it and
leaned back.
'Anyways, it was about time you got around to asking me,' she said.
'Yeah? You could have asked me, you know?'
'Nope, I'm an old-fashioned girl. That's the man's job.'
'
'Old-fashioned'? You?' He laughed.
'You're a butt-kicking, hardheaded woman who looks over my shoulder at
work.'
'Oh, well, you won't have to worry about that much longer.'
He looked at her.
'How come?'
'I'm going to quit work.'
'What?!'
'I intended to keep the job when I took it, but something better has
come up.'
