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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.
    Her
gaze followed him as he walked away. She looked down at the bag of
candy and allowed herself a small smile.

    3. Safety In Twos
    Juan handed Jenni
the bag of Doritos. Seated on the wall, side by side, they could see
the final shift mopping the floor of the Dollar Store. Night had
come and the air was cool as it ruffled their hair and dried the
sweat on their tanned limbs.
    “ Are
we really ready? ” Jenni yanked the top of the bag open and pulled a chip out. The
smell was amazing and she breathed it in deeply.
    “ Yep.
Eric gave the okay on the bricked up windows and the reinforced
doors. And it doesn't smell so much like zombie in there anymore, ” Juan said, and grinned.
    “ Yum.
The smell of Doritos is so much better. ” Jenni pulled a chip out and munched it down with relish.
    Juan
laughed and shook his head. “