Chapter 10 Lissa #3
“So, it wasn’t just your husband you missed, but how he made you feel.
” Cam stopped shuffling, but he didn’t deal the next hand.
“I’m sorry you lost that feeling. I can relate.
When my friend Lewis died, I lost the only person who gave a shit where I was and what I did.
Like you, I spend a lot of time alone.” He shuffled one more time, then dealt.
“Would you consider moving somewhere like xTerra if the opportunity arose?”
She shook her head. Not a chance. “I like the peace and my freedom out here. I don’t answer to anyone or have to worry what others think.
” She huffed out a breath of air. “The Refugee Center was difficult. Unsavory. I always had to guard my possessions and be wary of people who would take advantage of someone on their own, like me. I dealt with unwanted attention, theft, and intimidation.”
Lissa flicked a glance at Cam. “That got heavier than I expected.” She surveyed her next hand. “Maybe we need to go back to simple questions, like what’s your favorite color?”
He grinned, a dimple appearing on the right cheek. She wanted to touch it but restrained the urge. “Blue, like the summer sky.” He glanced around the room. “You like bright colors.”
She nodded. They made the world more cheerful.
“I like pink, blue, yellow, and purple the best.” She spoke more quietly.
“There’s a field near here that’s gorgeous in late spring, filled with the most amazing tangle of reddish paintbrush, purple clover, prairie roses, wild sunflowers, and larkspur.
” She hesitated a moment before continuing.
“Along the edges of the field is also the best place for wild strawberries. They’re what gives my jam its incredible flavor. ”
“I love wild strawberries too,” he said. “Even if you have to collect a bucket’s worth to get enough to preserve. You must be patient.”
“Sun-warmed wild strawberries are my favorite thing in the entire world.” She looked up.
“The real struggle is not to eat them all the first day.” The first spring here, she’d gorged on the berries on the first day.
Afterward, she’d learned to enjoy a few and save the rest for fall and winter when she needed the vitamin C.
He grinned, probably because they’d found yet another piece of common ground.
They played five games of crib, splitting the first four, with Cam winning the final game by less than three points.
Over the course of the remaining games, they discussed their favorite books.
Like her, he’d read most of the classics but enjoyed a few other titles from the 2020s before everything normal had ceased.
They shared several childhood favorites, ones often considered outdated that few of her acquaintances had read, like The Call of the Wild, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Kavik the Wolf Dog.
With their impromptu tournament complete, Lissa tossed her cards onto the table since he pegged out. “You’re lucky it was your turn to count first. I had enough to go out too.” She yawned. It must be well after midnight, hours past her usual bedtime.
“Next time.” When he smiled, faint creases appeared beside his eyes, and her stomach flip-flopped. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m beat. I need to call it a night.” Spending time with Cam made him more attractive, not less.
“You can get ready for bed first,” she said as she gathered the cards into a neat pile.
“I’ll throw extra wood on the fire, but just to warn you, it will get cool inside.
Even with the flue adjusted, when the fire burns down to embers, the extreme cold outside sucks out much of the heat.
We won’t freeze, but it won’t be warm overnight. ”
“I’ve got my sleeping bag.” Cam’s expression said he wasn’t concerned.
She eyed his pack tucked into the corner by the couch. Unless it held a top-of-the-line bag, it wouldn’t be enough to keep the arctic chill at bay. Not with the way the temperature dropped when the cold snaps hit. Maybe he was putting on a show of false confidence.
“I’ll get you an extra blanket.” Besides her winter duvet, she’d have her cats to keep her warm—each one a furry bundle of heat.
She and Cam had been like friends playing cards, but suddenly some of her awkwardness returned.
For all they’d had a pleasant evening, it was like the end of a date when you didn’t know whether to hug, kiss, or just leave.
She opted for the latter, tidying their dishes while he brushed his teeth and got ready to sleep.
Lissa kept her eyes averted when he emerged from the bathroom in black boxers and a pale blue T-shirt before slipping into bed, his sleeping bag rustling as he shifted on the couch until comfortable.
She brought him a pillow, handing it to him without speaking. Before she turned away, she spread one of her extra blankets, an afghan she’d crocheted, over him.
He smiled and repositioned himself on the couch. “Night, Lissa. Thanks again for letting me stay.”
“Good night, Cam.” She ducked into the bathroom to wash up and brush her teeth. When she emerged, his deep, even breathing indicated he was already asleep.
It was late enough when Lissa slipped under her covers on the bed where Mira and Luna already slept. She didn’t have long to analyze her unusual day before she also dropped into a deep sleep.