Page 94 of Getting Wrapped Up

“It was like a little black cloud crawling across the road,” Conrad added.

Levi saw Kate shudder. “Why do you call them wooly?” she asked. The look on her face said she almost didn’t want to know.

“They’re fuzzy,” Larry said.

She shivered again.

“Well, not reallyfuzzy,” Thomas said. “They look fuzzy, but they’re prickly. Like a hair brush.”

“Okay,” Kate said loudly, turning in her seat to face the table again. “That’s great.” She reached for her coffee cup.

“They make these kind of brown cocoons—”

“Okay,” Kate said again, even louder. “Interesting. Thanks.”

Levi grinned. City girl.

The men weren’t offended by her lack of interest in the cocoons.

“You’re a scientist who doesn’t like bugs?” Albert asked.

She took a drink of coffee and grimaced again. It was bad coffee when it was hot. It was terrible when it was cold. She nodded. “I am, indeed, a scientist who doesn’t like bugs. I like things like wind and waves.”

Levi felt some of his smile die. There was plenty of wind here. It was the plains, after all. But they were very short on waves.

“So you like fish then?” Ben asked.

Levi looked at Kate. That was a good question. He knew about her work from the conversations he’d overheard her having with politicians at the dinner in DC, but those discussions had been more about policies that were needed to protect the oceans from industry. They hadn’t talked much about fish.

“I like a good salmon fillet once in a while,” she said.

The men didn’t laugh at that. She sighed about her unappreciated joke.

“My work isn’t directly with ocean life, though certainly a lot of the things we’re trying to accomplish will help to protect the things that live in the oceans,” she said. “But no, I wouldn’t say I like fish all that much either.”

It was clear the guys didn’t really know what to say to that.

It was quiet for several long seconds, which Levi hadn’t experienced inside of Dottie’s even once.

“Who’s your team?” Conrad finally asked.

Ah, there were the men Levi knew and loved. When all else failed or there was a disagreement about something, someone would pull out football. In that, at least, they were all united.

Kate shook her head. “I don’t…” She looked at Levi. She didn’t even understand the question. “I have a team of about eight other scientists and—”

The guys laughed. “Football,” Larry said. “Who’s your football team?”

“Oh.” She shook her head again. “Don’t have one.”

Levi wasn’t sure if the men would count that in the plus or the minus column for Kate. It could easily be a minus, but it wasn’t as serious as someone who knew football but did not cheer for the Huskers. Pure ignorance was easier to forgive than stupidity. Levi knew them well enough to know that her legs, her smile and her sense of humor about California would go in the plus column. He was sure they’d also made note that she’d finished her cup of coffee. That would get her some points. “Real men” drank the coffee in Dottie’s. Her intolerance for insects and her lack of knowledge about the weather-predicting skills of the wooly caterpillar hadn’t gotten points though. And she hadn’t eaten a fried green tomato.

That was on Levi, but it also wasn’t helping her win them over.

“Let me ask you this,” Ben said, giving her a serious look. “How many points do you get for a safety?”

Kate shook her head and said honestly, “I have no idea.”

“Are you on offense or defense if your team is punting?” Larry asked, leaning in and watching her carefully.

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