(Lena)
The rest of the day was quieter than I expected.
Diane went back upstairs after our kitchen conversation and I stood in the hallway for a long moment.
My phone rang on the counter.
Cole.
I picked it up.
"How are you?" he said.
"Better," I said. "I need to get to work actually. I've lost most of the day."
A pause.
"Are you sure about that?" he said. "You could barely walk this morning."
He said it the way he said everything. Calmly. But there was something underneath it that was very pleased with itself.
"I can manage just fine," I said.
"I don't doubt that," he said.
"Cole."
"I'm just checking," he said.
"You're not just checking," I said. "You're enjoying this."
"Those aren't mutually exclusive," he said.
I shook my head even though he couldn't see it.
"I have the
