“I like to fish if they’re biting, and they definitely were, along with the giant mosquitoes that also live in Canada. I spent three months being eaten alive. Anyway, the Shelby is not a car that is quickly repaired. It took a week to get the necessary parts and get her back on the road. In the meantime, I explored the area and decided it was as good a place as any to hang out for a while. It was August, so the cold wasn’t a factor. The city was big enough, and I figured I’d be gone by the time the snow arrived. Then this beautiful woman crashed into me on the sidewalk on Halloween. I stuck around.”
“Aw,” she said. “That’s very sweet. If you hadn’t broken down, where were you planning on heading?”
“I hadn’t really decided other than I wanted it to be someplace warmer.”
“I feel compelled to point out that it’s only going to get colder here.”
He sighed. “So I’ve heard. I guess we’ll have to spend our time inside. I sure hope I can think of something for us to do.”
“Something tells me you won’t have any problem.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The sun hadn’t yet risen when Ian woke Kate up to tell her one of his clients had a problem that required his urgent attention. His phone had been on the nightstand, and she’d groggily remembered the call coming in and a few minutes later him kissing her good-bye and tucking the covers tightly around her. When her alarm went off at eight, she got out of bed, took a hot shower, and bundled up against the arctic air that seemed destined to stay until spring.
She sent the first text at nine, shortly after she arrived at the food pantry.
Kate: I missed you in the shower this morning. I actually had to wash myself, which is not nearly as fun as when you do it.
Half an hour later, she was still waiting on a response.
Kate: Really? You’re usually lightning fast regarding messages that contain even the slightest mention of my body parts.
She’d sent a final text around eleven.
Kate: Wow, they’re not letting you come up for air at all.
Although he often worked for hours without a break, his silence was unusual. It wasn’t like him not to check in with her throughout the day, and he’d never gone this long without responding. She ignored the slight prickle of unease and continued on with her day.
Her phone finally chimed an hour later.
Ian: Had to fly to DC. Not sure when I’ll be back in town. Probably won’t be able to call or respond to messages. Miss you already.
Kate had been under the assumption that Ian’s hacking was confined to the private sector. But if he’d flown to Washington, did that mean he was also hacking for the government?
Which he’d never mentioned.
Kate: Must be very important. Don’t worry about calling or texting. I’ll see you when you get back. Miss you too.
Kate had gone to Pilates after work. Now it was almost six and there’d been no more texts from him. The refrigerator held their restaurant leftovers from the night before, and Kate ate the rest of her pasta while sitting on the couch, her phone beside her.
So he had to travel unexpectedly for work. It’s not a big deal.
But Kate wondered what kind of work required flying to DC with such little notice? And when would he return?
She spent the evening watching a movie. Finally at eleven she turned off the TV, locked up, and got ready for bed. In the bathroom she took off her makeup and brushed her teeth. On the nights Ian stayed over, they would shower together in the morning, and then he’d go home when it was time for her to head to the food pantry. He’d recently left a few duplicate items at Kate’s so he wouldn’t have to bring them every time, and though she’d tried to play it cool, she liked seeing another toothbrush in the holder next to hers and his shampoo in the shower.
After changing into her pajamas, she reached for a book but set it back down on the nightstand five minutes later and turned out the lamp. She’d skimmed the same page three times before deciding she wasn’t in the mood to read. She tossed and turned, and it took her a while to get comfortable because her bed felt too big without Ian in it.
A few days ago, she’d had a breakfast meeting with her board of directors. Ian had been lounging on her couch, working on his laptop and drinking coffee, when it was time for her to go.