You caught me. See you at one.
He had over an hour to kill, so he went to his bulletin board to check over his lists. He was on track so far, as usual. He could even check off find a date, although it probably didn’t count.
Not only was it a mock date, but it didn’t get him any closer to the goals he may have crossed off, but still wanted to achieve. A girlfriend to eventually—though not too eventually—become a wife.
By the time Tori arrived, he’d gotten restless enough to venture outside. Raking leaves was a good way to burn off energy and there was certainly no shortage of them. He didn’t have the patience for bagging or burning them, so he usually raked them into the tree line that bordered his lawn. Some drifted back on the breeze, but most didn’t. Good enough.
She got out of her car and leaned against the fender, watching him get rid of the last pile before putting the rake away.
“I guess that’s one good thing about not having a lawn,” she said when he was done. “No mowing or raking leaves.”
“I don’t mind mowing. And some years I just ignore the leaves, but it was too nice to be inside. We won’t have many of these days left.”
“We can sit outside if you want. Enjoy the sun while it lasts.”
It sounded lovely, but he only had two patio chairs and he’d already put them in the shed for the winter. “All I have is the front step or the grass.”
“Let’s sit on the grass.” She walked toward the center of his lawn, where the sun was bright and not shadowed by trees or the house. Before she sat, though, she pulled a short stack of small index cards out of the back pocket of her jeans.
She really hadn’t been kidding. “Let me just grab a couple of waters.”
Max couldn’t remember the last time he’d sat on the grass—probably when he was a kid—but it wasn’t so bad. It probably wouldn’t be comfortable for long, but being outside was nice.
“You ready for this?” She fanned the index cards, the same smile she’d given his cell phone camera lighting up her face.
“What are we doing?”
“I have here a variety of random interests. You’re going to ask me what I like to do in my free time and I’m going to pick one. And you’re going to practice being interested in my hobbies until you can converse about them without straightening the silverware or staring off at the wall sconces.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” She leaned forward so she could put her hand on his arm. She did that a lot, he realized. And he liked it. “I know it sounds weird, Max, but I think it’ll help. If nothing else, it’ll force you to be aware of how you respond in a conversation.”
He wasn’t sure it would help, but it would keep them outside on the grass in the sunshine for a while longer. “Let’s do it.”
*
“I like to play Bingo.”
He didn’t even hesitate. “That’s wonderful. How many cats do you have?”
“Max!” Tori threw the index card at him, trying not to laugh. “No.”
“I was quick, though. No awkward pauses this time. Okay, next.”
She pulled a card out of the stack. They’d been at it awhile and the pile was getting thin. “Gardening.”
“Flowers or vegetables?”
“That’s a good question. Flowers.”
He nodded. “Are you more partial to annuals or perennials? Do you grow them from seed or buy them from nurseries? Do you make an effort to attract hummingbirds or butterflies?”
“Perfect.” She turned the card over, since there were multiple words on each. “Though not all the questions at once. Ask one, then let her talk. If necessary, ask another. Knitting.”
“My grandmother knits. When I was young she made me hold my arms out so she could wind her yarn around them.” When she nodded, he gave her a cocky look. “I’m much better at small talk than I thought I was.”
It was time to shake it up a little. She pulled another card, but ignored the benign suggestion written on it. “I like to have sex in public places.”
Max opened his mouth. Closed it again. Then he shifted his gaze to something over her shoulder for a few seconds before looking back at her. “Is this public enough or would you like to step out to the sidewalk?”
It was the last thing she’d expected him to say, having anticipated a recap of town ordinances and decency laws, and she almost choked. “You would not say that.”
The grin he gave her was pure naughtiness. “You said yourself it’s the quiet ones you have to watch.”
She laughed and set down the cards to pick up her water bottle. “I guess I did.”