He took the bag away from her and stowed it in the bedroom. “I’ll have to find a place that sells new books for you, my fragile flower. Boy, I remember when I used to brag to my friends that I was dating this super low-maintenance chick.”

“Oh? And what do you say to them now?”

He chuckled as he filled the fridge with soda, water, and beer. “That I was deceived, tricked, and bamboozled.”

She smiled. “That’s right. Boys are suckers.”

Once he had everything put away, he ushered her back to the bed and found the remote that had been underneath Buttons.

“I really need to take a shower,” she said, feeling her body melt into the bed.

“You’ll live without one for now. I can tell you’re beat.”

He poured himself a scotch and added some ice. “I got you a nice protein shake.”

“I’d rather that than scotch. At least it doesn’t burn.”

“There are good burns and bad burns.” He held up the glass, tinkling the ice. “This is a good burn.”

Andrew sat in the chair opposite her, taking a long sip.

“I didn’t realize how much I needed this until we got here,” he said.

“A drink? You could have one anytime.”

“No, all of this. And some scotch. I still feel all bunched up inside, but I know it’s going to loosen up soon. It’s weird how you don’t know how wired you are until you take a step back.”

Kate was surprised to hear him talking so candidly. Normally he told her he was just fine, no worries, everything was under control. Not that she believed a word of it. He’d have to be a robot or sociopath not to be deeply affected by their situation.

His words hurt her more than she could tell him. It was her turn to put on a happy, brave face. She knew he didn’t mean to make her feel bad, but she did just the same. She was the reason he was so balled up and stressed, and there was nothing she could do to make it better.

“Well, you have three whole months to unstress yourself,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow. “Unstress?”

Kate blushed. “Isn’t that what people say?”

“Not any people I know.” His laughter was infectious.

She drank her shake and he had two more scotches. They played cards until eight, when her eyes started to roll up in her head. At one point she came to with cards still in her hand. Andrew’s attention was on the TV.

There would be no red bra tonight. She couldn’t even cut through the fog in her brain to tell him she loved him.

* * *