The Dead Past (28 page)

"I've learned more about you now, and I think I know you a lot better than I did."

"And?"

"And I don't like when you kick yourself for being a brave man who does what has to be done."

"Fair enough."

We walked the short course towards the lake and stayed off the running paths. The kids weren't afraid of the dog, and he chased skaters across the ice, flopping wildly onto his side a few times. Katie said, "You're going back to the city tonight?"

"I've got an eight o'clock flight."

She went, "Hm."

"You just said a lot with that, but I need a little help with the interpretation."

"I have faith you'll eventually figure it out on your own."

"So does this count as our second date?" I asked.

"Maybe after you take me home and we cuddle on my couch and you whisper sweet romantic nothings in my ear."

"I'd prefer to whisper sweet
somethings
."

She swung into my arms. "You just think you can coerce me into the bedroom with talk like that.”

“Hm," I said.

We kissed, taking our time, long and deeply, and kids whistled in the distance. When we broke apart she asked, "Will you be visiting much?"

I thought about phone calls at four in the morning, either from Michelle or Anna, involving guys named Noose or not, and about books I needed to sell and buy and how much of a bonus I should pay Debi when I returned, and whether or not the goulash really did have sentience and was at this moment plotting its gray escape from the fridge, and how Lowell had looked at me, and
Broghin
and Lisa and Doug, and how good it felt to have a woman I cared about stitch me up when I bled and help keep me from further scarring, and how much better it would be to coerce her into the bedroom.

"Yes," I said.