Jason had been telling her the truth. The man was a night owl, through and through, and dead to the world on the couch when Flanna crept down the stairs the next morning. At her father’s insistence, she let him sleep, resuming her daily schedule at the shop with only trace doubts about leaving Jason alone in their home. She felt foolish when he showed up mid-afternoon, carrying a message that had been left on their answering machine. Apparently, he didn’t feel right picking up a ringing phone that wasn’t his, he said. It was more of an invasion of their privacy than he was willing to currently breach.
Over the next few days, they fell into an easy routine. Flanna worked her usual shifts at the bakery, while Jason slept most of the day through. He rose mid-afternoon and proceeded to look f
