“Then hold on to that.” She squeezed his hand then pulled hers away. “We can’t let it go any further.”
Simon hung his head. “And if Lana weren’t here, would you be telling me the same thing?”
She opened her mouth then closed it, unsure what to say. “I honestly don’t know.”
Simon nodded gently as he came to his feet. “I’ll see ya around, Vee.” He paused at the door. “I want to tell you that I love you,” he took a long, shaky breath, “I just don’t think I could stand not to hear it back.”
She watched him open the door and disappear. She sat down heavily and held her head in her hands. “I do.”
15
Roger watched as the sun began to dip on the horizon. He unclipped his tool belt and slung it over his shoulder.
“Calling it a day?” Candy asked. “There’s still light out.”
“Not for much longer. The days are getting shorter.”
She waved him towards their house and slipped her arm through his. “I saw Vicky today. She said junior is doing well.”
“What about the nausea?” he asked as he opened the gate for her.
“It’s letting up. Vicky said it could go away on its own or I could have it all the way up to delivery.”
Roger groaned as he set the tool belt on the workbench in the garage. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Kiss me.”
She leaned back playfully. “You’re all sweaty and smell like a boy.”
Roger laughed as he pushed her away. “I’d rather smell like a boy than a stinky girl. They have cooties.”
“Cute.” She slapped at his butt then turned towards the door leading into the house. “Supper is light tonight. Mostly veggies.”
“That’s fine.” He followed her into the house and washed his hands at the sink. “We only have three more houses to convert over.” He turned off the water and snatched the kitchen towel to dry his hands. “Will says he’s looking at supplementing some of the solar with wind, but I don’t know exactly what he means.”
Candy snorted as she poured him a drink. “Knowing him, he’ll have windmills up on top of all of the houses.”
Roger fell into the chair and sighed as she slipped behind him and rubbed his shoulders. “Have you wondered where we go from here?”
Roger groaned under her skillful hands and shook his head slightly. “One day at a time, sweetheart.”
“Has anybody tried Mike’s radio setup lately?”
Roger shook his head. “We’ve been too busy getting these houses ready. Maybe somebody at the retirement home has messed with it.”
“But no word? From anyone?”
Roger chuckled and patted her hand. “I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Who?” Candy tried to play ignorant.
“Nice try.” He turned in the chair and gave her an optimistic smile. “Hatch handled himself just fine when all of this went down. He got everybody set up at the warehouse. He kept them safe.” He pulled her around to face him and he kissed the knuckles of her hand. “I’m sure he’s fine.”
She nodded slightly then pulled a chair next to him. “I can’t help but worry.” She sighed heavily and stared out the window. “He’s the only reason I’m alive right now.”
“You’ve told me.”
She turned back to him and shook her head. “I never knew Shelly. He rarely spoke of her.” She lowered her eyes and her voice softened. “I know she meant a lot to him. What if he doesn’t…”
“He’s a big boy, Candy.” Roger pulled her closer and held her. “He’ll come home when he’s ready.”
“And if he doesn’t?” She looked up at him. “What if he gets hurt? Or decides to stay?”
“If he decides to stay, that’s his choice.”
“And if he’s hurt?”
Roger shook his head. “There’s nothing we could do to help him if he was. He’s just too far away.”
She sighed and slowly came to her feet. “This light duty crap is too much for me,” she said. “I know Vicky has my best interest at heart, but if my hands aren’t busy, my head has too much time to think.”
“And we don’t want you thinking,” Roger added playfully. He barely dodged the rag that she threw at him.
“You’re not funny.”
“Am so.” He grinned at her as he reached for the fork. “Funny looking, anyway.”
“Eat your food.” She kicked at his chair. “And speaking of, Hank said that Will wants them to start going out past the ‘burbs to look for livestock.”
Roger forked a mouthful of fried zucchini into his mouth then nodded. “Meat would be nice.”
“I was thinking chickens. Fresh eggs would be awesome.”
Roger leaned back in his chair and gave her a crooked smile. “You ever think we’d become farmers?”
She laughed as sat back down. “Not me. I planned to chase bad guys my whole life. If I wanted a chicken sandwich, I’d just drive through Chick-fil-A.”
Roger flexed his hands as he studied them. “I wonder how you milk a cow?” He turned and smiled at her. “Would you let me fondle another gal’s boobs?”
“Still not funny.”
“We could name her Elsie. I’ve always wanted to grope somebody named Elsie.”
“Eat your food.” She slapped at him. “I’ll make you raise pigs.”
“Ooh…I’d kill for bacon.”
“And you’d have to. Pigs don’t lay bacon like chickens lay eggs.”
He gave her a ‘duh’ look. “Goats?”
“They don’t lay bacon either. Besides, they’re too cute to eat.”
“Says you.” He shoved another forkful into his face. “At this point, I think I could eat just about anything.”
“You’ll be eating my fist if you don’t straighten up.” She paused and shook her head. “I already sound like a mom.”
Roger chuckled as he pulled her close. “You’re gonna be a great mom.”
“Keep talking about fondling another gal’s boobs and I’ll be raising this brat as a single mom.” She glared at him. “A widow, in fact.”
Roger paled slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Tammy and David oversaw the loading of the trucks while Irene and Randy went over
