Chapter 47: Late for lunch

Steve was looking down at his watch when she walked in. He looked up, saw her, and smiled. He looked a little annoyed, but by her count, she was only about fifteen minutes late.

“Sorry,” she said, gasping for breath.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I was just getting worried that you’d overslept or something.”

“I was in the shower,” she said. “Thinking.”

He nodded and shrugged. “Good a place as any, I guess. Did you get to read the last bit that I wrote?”

She gave him a weak smile. She was tired, and not just from the running. “Yes, Steve. I did.”

“And?” He was so hopeful. How did he manage to have this much passion? Why couldn’t she have that kind of passion?

“You’re improving,” she said. Autumn noticed her voice sounded almost resigned. She felt like shrugging. She had no idea what else to say. She couldn’t tell him the truth.