Page 12 of Rain Delay

I went back into the kitchen and pulled two plates out of the cupboard and grabbed a couple napkins.

“Do you need a drink?”

“No, thank you. I still have wine.”

I picked up my beer and walked into the living room, setting everything down before sitting cross-legged next to the coffee table. My hips protested and I made a mental note to stretch them out before bed.

“These look amazing. Like something you’d get in a restaurant,” she said, surprising me when she sat in the space between the couch and table adjacent to me.

I handed her a plate and napkin.

“I added a jalapeno to the leftover steak, but I took out all the seeds and cooked them a little so it shouldn’t be too spicy.”

She reached out and dragged a bunch of nachos onto her plate then looked at Finn and stood.

“I think I’m going to give him the bone you got him.”

Her leg brushed my shoulder as she walked by. I filled my plate with chips and shoved a couple into my mouth. As I heard her approach, I braced myself for contact again and was disappointed when there wasn’t any.

“Here you go,” she said, handing the bone to Finn who had settled on the other side of her. “Rusty got this for you today. Wasn’t that nice of him?”

His eyes shifted to me before he took the bone from her and placed it between his paws and went to town on it.

“How was it out there?” I asked.

“It’s a mess.” She shoved a nacho into her mouth and chewed. “Mmm, these are amazing. The perfect amount of spice.” Meeting my gaze, she said, “You’re a really good cook.”

“Thanks. I have a few go-to things I can make, otherwise, I’d have to either go out or order in all the time. And I do that enough when I’m on the road. It’s nice to stay in and cook for myself when I’m home.” I took a drink and directed the subject back to her venture out into the storm. “I’m guessing Finn didn’t want to go out alone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Back home, he has a fenced yard so he’s able to wander to his heart’s content and take his time. But he doesn’t like going in new places or when I have him on a leash so it takes forever and a lot of cheerleading on my part. He’s very peculiar about doing his business.”

“I guess it’s like someone who doesn’t like using public restrooms.”

“I’ve never thought of it that way, but I suppose it is.” She finished her wine and grabbed the bottle she’d stashed next to the couch and refilled the glass. “Do you want to watch something while the power is still on?”

“Sure,” I said. The homerun derby is on but I’m not even going to suggest watching it. It’ll make me feel too shitty about not being there and I don’t want to ruin my good mood. “You pick something.”

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. “What if I pick some sappy chick flick?”

“Finn and I will deal with it.”

I stood and walked to the kitchen to get another beer while she flipped through the channels.

“Oh, I love this movie.” I looked up and saw the opening credits toTrouble with the Curve. “Is this okay?”

Setting back into my spot at the coffee table, I nodded. “It has baseball and Clint Eastwood. What’s not to love?”

After she put the remote down next to her, she picked up a chip.

“Don’t forget Justin Timberlake.”

“And Amy Adams.” I waggled my eyebrows.

She looked up at the ceiling and shook her head.

“Such a guy.”

“Hey you started it.”

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