Page 11 of A Lesson for Laurel

He snorted. “That sounds like my life even when I want to sleep.”

“Has its pros and cons,” she said.

They drove to a pub and parked. “I should have asked if this is okay?”

“I’m not fussy,” she said. “It’s all good.”

“I got the impression that you aren’t into fancy and fussy though you look it and it’s a nice sight.”

“I’ve got jeans on,” she said, grinning. She was glad that he’d noticed the little bit of effort she’d put in.

“It’s more than jeans,” he said. “But maybe it’s the person wearing them.”

That all sounded good to her.

“Must be,” she said, her eyes looking him over as they walked to the door.

He held it open for her, then they walked up to the hostess counter. “Two,” he said.

“You got it, Easton. Good to see you again. Been a while.”

“Guess you come in here often,” she said when he smiled and nodded his head.

“Now and again,” he said. “But I haven’t seen her in a long time.” He was talking quietly when they sat.

“You don’t remember her name, do you?”

She hoped he wasn’t like Philip and made the rounds. That just turned this lunch sour fast.

“Nope,” he said. “And before you think it’s because I slept with her or picked her up, we went to school together. I had a handful of friends who I did things with. I kept to myself more than not. If she wasn’t in my group, I don’t remember her name.”

She nodded. “Okay, that’s good to hear. I was somewhat the same way. The girls in my school didn’t like that I was a tomboy and wanted to go hiking and get rough playing sports.”

“Oh,” he said, laughing. “I’m willing to bet it was more that when you weren’t out getting dirty and the guys loving that you did that, that when you cleaned up, you put the rest of them to shame.”

“That’s sweet,” she said.

“And the truth,” he said. “You can admit it and I won’t think you’re being cocky.”

“Why thank you,” she said. “Because it most likely was the truth and I just didn’t see it back then.”

“Doesn’t matter when we learn the truth, just that we do,” he said.

4

GOTTEN SOFT

“Ifinished the front and back walkway this weekend,” Easton said to his cousin Abe later that night.

“Dude,” Abe said. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Yes, I did,” he said. “It’s been there longer than I’ve lived here.”

“You haven’t lived there in years,” Abe said, laughing.

“You know what I mean. I moved in when I was ten. So it’s at least twenty years old. But you know your father’s work lasts forever.”

“That’s right,” Abe said quietly. “The stones were wearing more than the work.”

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