Chapter 18
OWEN
From: George Knight
To: Owen Wilde
Re: NOT an emergency
I don’t think we know each other well enough to be discussing the wetness of our wood.
Alone in George Knight’s kitchen, I feel my face turn what must be crimson.
Before I can even begin to consider how I could possibly respond to that, another email comes in.
From: George Knight
To: Owen Wilde
Date: December 21, 8:13 AM
Re: NOT an emergency
God, I’m sorry. I am so sorry.
Occupational hazard. Words pop into my brain, and I tap them into the nearest electronic device. Plus, I haven’t had coffee yet today.
Can we please just pretend I didn’t say that?
Now I’m blushing and laughing in the man’s kitchen.
From: Owen Wilde
To: George Knight
Date: December 21, 8:17 AM
Re: NOT an emergency
Say what? Did you say something? I remember nothing.
Also, I feel responsible for your lack of coffee. I didn’t leave you much.
Aaaanyway… regarding fires, if the pile got rained on, just give the wood time to dry out. But that’s going to take a while, so in the meantime, you might want to head to town and grab a couple bundles at the general store.
There. That’s good. See? I can interact with someone like George Knight like a normal person. At least as long as Knight isn’t hurling innuendos at me first thing in the morning.
I start laughing again. Good God.
From: George Knight
To: Owen Wilde
Date: December 21, 8:20 AM
Re: NOT an emergency
Noted. Much appreciated.
- George
PS: Lack of coffee is all me. It’s here. I just haven’t made any yet. Went out for supplies yesterday. Could not survive in wilderness without it. As you have probably guessed from my setup there.
I glance at the intimidating machine in front of me, which I had, in fact, been trying to figure out when the first email had come in.
I—clearly—don’t have the same kind of dependent relationship with coffee that George has.
But I wouldn’t mind knowing how to fix myself something with this thing.
And while I’d never have contacted Knight just for something like this, I realize now that we seem to be emailing each other, there’s no reason I can’t just ask.