Ch.6, Pt.4: A few days later, a pickup truck…
A few days later, a pickup truck loaded with split wood pulled up the driveway beside the kitchen window. Katherine opened the door to let Rick in, noting with approval his casual red and black checked jacket and brown cap.
“Hello,” he said, his glance brushing her face. “Brought you some wood.” As he stepped toward her, she backed into the kitchen to keep from giving him a kiss. Keep it slow, she warned herself.
“I see that,” she said. “That’s great. Let me check something on the stove.” She turned and stirred a pot, taking a breath to calm her pulse.
“Smells good,” Rick said right behind and above her ear.
“It’s a pretty basic meal,” she said lightly. “You did say you liked Italian.”
“That’s right.” While Katherine busied herself with all the pots on the stove, he asked “Where do you want the wood?”
She turned and looked into his soft brown eyes. “You’re the country boy, what do you suggest?”
“As close to the door as possible,” he said inclining his head. “You don’t want to go far for wood when it’s blowing outside.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go out and look. Coming out, Noodle?”
Rick held open the door while Noodle scampered out and Katherine slid past his arm. She turned and indicated the exterior wall of the mudroom. “So along here then?”
“That’s perfect,” Rick said as he went to the truck.
“I’ll get my jacket on and help you.” Katherine stepped back inside briefly while Rick backed the truck up close to the house.
Rick came around to the back of the truck and lowered the tailgate. “Let’s get stacking then,” he said with a grin.
Katherine watched him take a piece of wood in each hand, bend and lay them down next to the house wall, and then did the same. At first the manual work felt strange and she felt incompetent, but after some moments of silent stacking she began to relax and enjoy the swinging motion. Just then she glanced at Rick and saw him smiling at her. “What?” she said. He just shook his head and continued staring at her while his hands reached for more wood. Steadily the pile grew higher at her feet, and she had to reach further in the truck for more wood. Suddenly Rick sat down on the tailgate, slid far back and swung his knees. “Here. I’ll hand you the wood.” And reaching behind him, he brought forward two pieces which he held out to Katherine. She took them and stacked them neatly on the pile. When she turned back, he was watching her with two more pieces in his hands. The third time, he held onto the pieces until Katherine looked up at him in surprise. When he smiled, she did too, and he let go.
“It seems to me,” she said taking the wood and swinging to the pile, “that I’m doing all the hard work.”
“You are. I was just seeing how much you would take.”
“I can take a lot more, if this is some kind of test. I’m made of sturdy stuff, as you can see.” Katherine floated that with a challenging tilt of her chin.
“I’m sure you’re very strong. But why not come here and take a rest?”
“Okay, I will.” She turned her back to the edge of the tailgate and hopped up. They sat in silence a moment, admiring the small woodpile along the old stone wall. Suddenly Rick’s boot nudged Katherine’s.
“So Kate, have you ever sat with a man in the back of a truck before?” And his boot knocked hers.
“Oh, sure, lots of times,” she began, knocking his in return. “No, actually never. I’m a town girl.”
Suddenly Rick caught her ankle with his foot and began swinging their legs together. “Well, town girl, how do you like country living?”
“It’s my favourite decorating magazine,” she said grinning and leaning over to nudge him with her shoulder. At once his arm came up around her and he held her close, crying “Oh, how clever this famous radio personality is! Isn’t that right, Noodle? She’s cute, bright, successful, and witty!” There was a sudden pressure on her head and before she could figure out if it had been a kiss, he had jumped to his feet and moved to the back of the truck. “Break’s over,” he called. “Let’s get this stacking done, because I’m starved and I want to see if you can cook, too.”