Page 122 of Smooth Sailing

“Listen, I’m sorry. I need to take tomorrow off too.”

“You’re not here?”

See what I mean?

“Yeah. Remember? I called you this morning asking for a personal day.”

“Yes, yes. I forgot,” she mumbled.

“So is it okay if I take tomorrow off? I’ll explain when I come into the office on Wednesday.”

“Of course, Di. Whatever you need. Wait. Where are you with the Galligan’s painting?”

“Still working on it. But I’ll have it done by the time you promised it to them.”

“And the Harris’s icon?”

“That’s up next.”

“Fine then,” she said distractedly. “See you Wednesday.”

And then she proved how distracted she was by hanging up on me so she could get on with whatever she was doing.

I tossed my phone aside and announced, “I’m good at work.”

“All right. So are you good to go out there and get some time in with Maddy before she goes?”

I was, absolutely, and I wasn’t, also absolutely, but the latter bit was only because we’d have that time knowing she was going.

“Let’s go out.”

Hugger cupped the back of my head so he could bring it down to his for a bristly lip brush and then he rolled us both out of bed.

“You think Emmylou will make me a man sandwich?” he asked as we walked hand in hand to the door. “I didn’t get lunch.”

“I think Emmylou would craft an entire Thanksgiving dinner in half an hour if one of the men who looked after her girl asked for it.”

His deep voice held humor when he agreed, “I think you’re right.”

He opened the door and the scent of sugary goodness wafted down the hall.

“See?” I asked Hugger upon being assaulted by that smell.

He smiled down at me.

Damn, but he had a great smile.

We hit the living room to see Big Petey gabbing with Elias in the living room, and Emmylou and Madison in my kitchen, making cookies.

And sandwiches.

“Pete says you two didn’t have lunch, Hugger,” Emmylou called. “Dinner is only a couple of hours away, but I’m making you boys something to tide you over.”

“Obliged,” Hugger replied on a beard twitch.

“What kind of cookies are those?” I asked.

“Mama’s famous almond cookies,” Maddy answered.

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