Katie turned around and looked up into his face as he leaned over them. Stacey sat back on her butt and let out a long, tired breath.
“You two have been in here long enough. Why don’t you finish up your boxes then take a break?”
Katie nodded her head. Stacey looked relieved.
“Thanks, Travis,” Stacey said and swept as much of the remaining casserole boxes into the box with one stroke of her arm. “Done!”
Travis laughed and helped her tape up the box and heave it onto the pallet. Katie quickly stacked as much of the cans as she could into her box, anxious to get out of the smelly store and take a break.
“I'll see you on the next shift,” Stacey said to Katie, and jogged out of the store into the bright sunlight.
Katie hurriedly packed her box and waited for Travis to move on.
But he didn't. He squatted down next to her and helped her pack the box. She didn't know what to say, but it felt awkward not to talk to him. She searched for words, but all the ones that felt ready to slip off her tongue where not ones she was ready to say.
“It looks like we'll be able to get this area secure by tonight,” Travis finally said. “So we can go into the hotel tomorrow or the following day. ”
“It will feel good to get into it and spread out. I adore Nerit, but I need my own space,” Katie confessed.
“It is hard to find actual alone time around here, isn't it?” Travis smiled at her warmly. “But it's kinda lonely at the same time. ”
She finally looked up at him and saw his hazel eyes were staring at her flushed face. “I'm sorry. ” It was all she could think to say.
“I miss you,” he said. “We rarely talk. ”
“I have a lot on my mind,” she answered lamely.
Travis started to say one thing, then visibly changed his mind. He closed his mouth, thought for a second, then said, “I just want to be your friend. ”
“No, you don't,” Katie corrected him in a soft voice. She was painfully aware of all the people in the store, packing boxes, breaking down shelves, and cleaning up. This was not a conversation she wanted overheard and repeated around the fort. She was scandalous enough with the whispers going about that she was a lesbian.
He winced, but nodded his head in agreement. “But I can settle for being your friend. ” He folded the box flaps over and reached for the tape.
Katie rested her hands on the box and leaned toward him. “I need time to think. ”
“Being friends with me is not a threat to your memory of your wife,” Travis whispered.
She couldn't answer him without giving herself away, so she busied herself by grabbing the marker and writing in bold letters on the side.
She could feel Travis' gaze searching her expression for clues, seeking to understand. It made her nervous. She wanted him to walk away before he figured it out.
“Or is it?”
Her green eyes flicked upwards and she saw that he was suspicious of her silence. Maybe something in her gaze gave her away, because he took her gloved hand in his. She started to yank away, but only managed to pull her hand out of the glove. Travis caught her fingers gently in his and held her hand. He didn't seem to mind that they were sweaty.
“Katie, I'm not a threat to the memory of your wife, am I?” Travis asked in a whisper.
She could feel tears in her eyes and it was hard to speak. At last she was able to say, “Please…”
The word could mean many different things, but, surprisingly, Travis seemed to understand. “Okay. ”
There was a spark of hope in his gaze now and she averted her eyes quickly. She knew she had opened up the door to her heart. It may have been just a crack, but she was terrified.
“I better go check on how things are going,” Travis said finally. He let go of her hand. He pulled out a bag of M & Ms from his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “It's a bit mushy still. I have a feeling there will be a run on the chocolate soon, so have this. ”
Katie couldn't help but smile despite herself. “Giving me chocolates now, huh?”
“I'm just a romantic kinda guy. ” He winked.