Page 25 of Unwrapping Love

He didn’t have vegetables other than in the freezer, but there were a few bricks of cheese he’d picked up, so he sliced them to put on a plate, added a handful of the pre-cut pepperoni out of the bag, then found a box of crackers.

When he returned to the living room, Saylor’s voice was lower. “I’m staying with a friend of a friend.” She looked at him and put her finger to her lips. “No, it’s fine. I put a pin of where I am so you know. But it’s all good.”

He smiled and winked at her when he set the plate down. She reached forward for a slice of cheese and took a nibble on it.

“I’m not sure when I can get a flight home. The last I checked, it looked as if this ice storm was going to last throughout the night, then turn to snow. We are in the mountains so getting down could be hard.” He heard a voice on the other end, but then Saylor said, “I’m good. They’ve got a generator here and we’ve got plenty of food and my supplies. Really, Grandma. It’s all great. A beautiful view on top of it.”

She looked at him when she said it. He laughed and pointed to himself, she rolled her eyes with a grin, then looked away.

“I’ll call you in the morning, Grandma. I promise.”

She hung up after that. “Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to make you laugh.”

“It’s fine. You’re pretty cocky, aren’t you?”

“Runs in my genes,” he said. “I’m sure your grandmother would worry if you told her you were staying with a stranger in the mountains.”

“Duh,” she said, laughing. “I hate how much she’s worried about me over the years. I’m glad that she doesn’t do it so much now.”

“Don’t kid yourself. My mother says that it’s her job to never stop worrying. I think I’m at the top of her list because I’m the furthest away and alone. Everyone else has siblings close by.”

“But you like it this way.”

“I do. I’ve got close friends. One that is like a brother my mother has met several times and even can reach if she needs to.”

“I don’t have any close friends like that.”

He could tell, but didn’t want to ask, that Sandy and Saylor might not have the best relationship.

“We can’t always pick our family, but I’ll admit I got pretty lucky with mine.”

“Do you ever feel as if people only want to get close to you for your family?”

She tucked her feet under her thighs, but reached for another piece of cheese and a slice of pepperoni. He was glad he thought to put it together.

“All the time. I feel as if I’m a pro at sussing it out.”

“I don’t care so much about your family. Not to be mean. I think I don’t want to be judged by mine, and it’s nothing like yours. So I don’t do that to other people.”

“Thanks for that. I bet in your eyes, when you’re working, everyone you come across is a clean slate.”

“That’s it exactly,” she said, pointing her piece of cheese at him. “I’m glad you see that. But you seem to see a lot of me that others don’t. Weird, don’t you think?”

“Not so weird,” he mumbled. His phone buzzed. He saw it was his mother calling and knew if he didn’t answer, she’d keep calling. He reached for it. “Hey, Mom.”

“I saw on the news it’s terrible there.”

“It is. I should send a picture of how much ice is building outside.”

“Well, I know you’re safe, sound, and probably very comfortable in West’s house.”

He looked at Saylor who was looking at her phone. “I am that.”

Saylor put her phone down and stood up, walking out of the room toward the bathroom.

“Wish you weren’t alone tonight.”

He heard the sadness in his mother’s voice at the same time he could hear the noise in the background.