Page 16 of Her Braun
His laughter deepened. "Yeah. It's a nice picture."
She stretched out her legs and her low-heeled shoes slipped off of her heels, so they were only dangling from her toes. "It's been a long day. And I've only been here for a few hours. What about you? Don't tell me that you're sitting around the firehouse looking for something to do."
"Actually, I just finished that job-"
Ugh. She dropped her chin down to her chest. "Yeah. I'm sorry. I forgot."
"No need to apologize. I know you're tired. I'm just glad you called me."
She sighed and leaned against the wall at her side. "I like hearing your voice."
The instant she said it she grimaced.
That was a little forward.
And made her feel like she'd said too much.
"I like hearing yours, too."
She smiled at his words, but there was something odd about the way it sounded. Almost as if there was an echo or something changing the sound reaching her ears.
"But I like seeing your face, just as much."
That, she heard twice.
Kay turned toward the set of doors to her left and smiled when he walked into the courtyard.
"Gibson?"
He put his phone in his pants pocket and walked closer. "Yeah. Sorry. I was in the area and when you said you were on a break, I thought I'd just stop in and say hello."
She shook her head. "I just... I can't believe you're here."
She moved to stand up, but he gestured for her to stay seated.
He sat down beside her and smiled, pointing at the phone in her hand. "Sorry. I ended the call."
Smiling at him, she chuckled softly. "Yeah. I'm not the sharpest tack in the box right now."
He shrugged and she put the phone down at her side. "Everyone needs some down time. It's kind of why I like painting. I get in the groove and just paint back and forth. Up and down."
She started laughing but she didn't think she was making any sound. "You watch a lot of Karate Kid growing up?"
He paused for a moment and then laughed out loud. "I never thought about it, but yeah! I think I did."
Gibson stretched out his arm. "What was it, up and down to..."
"Paint the fence." She giggled and felt the tension in her body fall away. "Then side to side was-"
"The house, I think."
She smiled and sighed. "I haven't seen that movie in..."
"Forever," he finished. "Me, too."
"Maybe..." "We should watch it-"
They laughed and he stretched out his legs beside her.
