Was he right? Would adopting a kitten provide that?
You could be that for him,a little voice inside me whispered as I took another sip.All you need to do is stay. Permanently.
I choked on my coffee, then coughed as the thought reverberated in my brain. Daniel snapped a wide-eyed and worried look my way until I waved him off, still coughing to clearmy throat. Was the answer to my stubborn melancholy standing right in front of me? Could it really be that easy?
My mind raced as it explored different options. Staying here in Rockdale would mean I’d have to find a job. What could I do? What did Iwantto do? Nothing in an office, that was for damn sure.
I’d also have to find a place to live, although I had a sneaking suspicion Rose would try to convince Daniel to let me live here with them. While I wasn’t opposed to that idea, how much would that impact any relationship I might end up having with Daniel?
Would he even want me living here?
Would he even wantme?
The only way I’d know for sure was to talk to him and find out what he thought. As much as he’d talked earlier about not minding me staying longer, presumably that was only about me staying a few more days. He hadn’t said anything about me moving permanently to Rockdale or even taking things further than a single frotting session. Hell, he might be looking forward to seeing the back of me.
I had to talk all of this out with him. It was the only way I was going to get answers to at least some of my questions.
I coughed one final time to clear my throat before I said, “Daniel—” only to be interrupted by Rose and Bucky coming back inside. Bucky stopped right in front of me and Daniel before he shook out every bit of moisture he’d collected whilst outside and coated us with it.
“Sorry! Sorry!” Rose said as she darted around the island to get a towel from the space under the sink. “Give me a second to get… this!” She held up her ragged prize in one hand and then chased Bucky around the wide-open space to dry him. Barking happily, he led her on a merry dance until she dove over the corner of the sofa and grabbed him, wrapping the cloth around him like a burrito when he wriggled to get away from her.
“Thanks, Bucky,” Daniel said dryly as he flicked stray water droplets from his arm. “I didn’t think I needed another shower today, but I appreciate that you’ve given me one anyway.”
I chuckled as I placed my cup on the counter, grabbed two clean cloths from the same space Rose had found hers, and tossed one to Daniel. Bucky hadn’t gotten us too badly, but there was enough for us to need something to pat ourselves down with.
One thing Iwascertain of was that staying with a twelve-year-old and her dog was never boring. My questions about everything else would just have to wait.
When the rain finally decided to settle in for the day, we collectively made the decision to stay inside and play classic two-player games like Connect Four and Battleship. Whoever wasn’t playing would work on the thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle Rose had sourced from somewhere and set up on the otherwise-empty dining table. By the time night had rolled in, the jigsaw was about a quarter of the way complete, and Rose and I were on equal footing as leaders on the overall game count.
I had a sneaking suspicion that Daniel had been purposely losing so he could work on the jigsaw more.
Popular music had been playing quietly in the background as we battled it out, which meant Rose would occasionally get up and dance, either with me or Bucky, in the middle of her games.
Daniel would laugh and roll his eyes at us, claiming he was “too old for such shenanigans,” preferring to sit and muse over whatever game he was playing or the puzzle. When it got closer to six, he got up and started making dinner, waving me off when I offered to help so I could keep Rose occupied.
It was honestly one of the best, most relaxing days I’d had in recent memory. It reminded me of when I was a kid and used to play games with Anderson, until he’d turned fourteen and deemed such things as “too childish.”
Maybe they were, but I missed those carefree days. I missed that connection to another person.
Daniel hadn’t told Rose about getting the kitten. I assumed that he wanted to surprise her or that he was still tossing up whether to get him or her. I figured time would tell.
I wondered if I’d still be around to find out. A growing part of me was telling me that I would be, but the logical part of me was adamant that I needed to talk to Daniel before making any decisions.
It wasn’t until later that night, once Rose had gone to bed, that I had a chance to bring my thoughts up with Daniel. We were sitting at the dining table, poring over the still-unfinished jigsaw, when I started with, “Were you serious about letting me stay longer? Once my Jeep is fixed, I mean?”
He paused, hand hovering over the puzzle, ready to test the fit of the piece he held in his fingers. “Of course. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Rose and I would be thrilled to have you here.”
Concentrating on the random pieces of the puzzle still littering the outside of the frame, I nibbled on my bottom lip nervously. “But only for a few days, right?”
He sucked in a breath and sat back, his hovering hand dropping to the tabletop with a slight thud. He turned the piece over with his thumb and forefinger before he responded, “How long were you thinking of staying, Marshall?”
Purposely not looking his way, I leaned over the table to grab a random piece from the other side. “I don’t know.” I tapped the edge of the piece as I settled back in my seat, carefully studying the puzzle so I wouldn’t chance seeing any alarm or worry onhis face. “It’s one thing to stay for an enforced holiday. It’s something else entirely if I stuck around for a few months.”
I felt the air shift as he sat up straighter. “You’re thinking about staying for a fewmonths?”
I shrugged, testing the piece in my fingers against what had already been fixed in place. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t fit, as I honestly wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. “I’d need a job if I did that. Plus, a place to stay…. I know you said I could stay here for as long as I liked, but I can’t imagine that meant a few months….” I trailed off with a chuckle and a shake of my head. “Do you know of anyone who’s hiring? And if there are any rentals available?”
“Do I know anyone…?” he muttered under his breath. “Marshall, you can work here. With me. On the farm.” He paused for a moment before continuing with an unsure, “Unless you don’t want to work outside…? I know farmwork isn’t for everyone.”
