There was something about his confidence that soothed her. She’d been expecting Barney Fife and they had instead gotten Danny Reagan from that show Blue Bloods. It was wrong of her to assume the authorities would be slack-jawed locals with a badge. She’d never been so happy to be so wrong in her life.

“Thank you so much.”

His leather belt creaked as he fished out a card and handed it to Andrew. “You call me if it happens again. But like I said, this should be the end of it. Feel better.”

He’d been true to his word. No more rocks. No more strange noises.

“You want half or a whole cheese sandwich?” Andrew said.

“Half, with lots of Miracle Whip, please.”

Andrew made their sandwiches and put her plate, napkin, small bag of chips, protein drink, and soda on a flat piece of wood he’d fashioned into a bed tray.

“For the queen,” he said.

“I don’t feel very royal today.”

He kissed her forehead. “You also no longer feel like the Human Torch, so that’s a step in the right direction.”

She took a bite of her sandwich and said, “You know, you can go out and do something today. There’s no reason to be cooped up in here when you don’t have to be.”

He devoured half his sandwich in two bites. “Don’t you worry about me. I’m happy right where I am.”

“But I do worry about you. When we’re home, I don’t want you to look back at this summer with regret. Why don’t you try some fishing? You said you used to love to go fishing with your grandpa when you were a kid.”

He smiled at the memory. “Yeah, that man loved to fish. Unfortunately, he handled everything and I was so young and dumb, I never bothered to pay attention. I wouldn’t even know how to tie a line or set up a reel.”

“Then go out for a drive and find a better pizza place. I just don’t want you stuck in here with me every day. It’s bad enough one of us is glued to the bed. I give you permission to find a bar and drink with the locals.”

“The only bars around are VFW halls. I don’t think I qualify for membership. The closest I got to the military was playing Call of Duty.”

Kate took another bite of her sandwich and was done. She wasn’t feeling very hungry today, though she knew her appetite could be revived by a slice of Milano’s pizza. She’d have to wait until September for that.

See you in September.

Now she understood the longing and promise in the old song her father used to sing around the house. It figured that for her, it would be over pizza and not a boy.