Shoe Strings

with a scanner.”
    “You’ve come to the right place.”   He drew her behind his desk to the
credenza where his scanner and printer sat side by side.   “Just got this puppy a year or so ago.   Have to say I haven’t used it all that
much, so you’d be doing me a favor by taking her for a spin.”
    “It’s not too much to ask?”
    “Not at all.   As
a matter of fact, you probably know more about how to use it than I do, so I’ll
just leave you to scan away.”   He
moved from behind the desk, but not before noticing how good she smelled.   “Can I get you something to drink?”
    “Water would be great—but only if it’s not too much
trouble.”
    “Headed that way myself.   Be right back.”
    When he returned a few minutes later, the scanner was
chugging away and Lita was standing next to the wall gazing at his diplomas.  
    “Here you go.”   He handed her a bottle of water he’d retrieved from the house’s small
kitchen.  
    “Oh, thanks.”   She took the bottle and smiled at him.   “I’m really impressed.   UNC undergrad and Emory Law.   You’re breaking stereotypes left and
right.”
    “I don’t know if I should be proud or offended.”
    “Proud, definitely proud.”   She tucked an errant curl behind her ear
and moved back to look at the progress the scanner had made.   “I just never imagined someone with an
Emory Law degree practicing in Sequoyah Falls.”
    He’d gone away to college, unable to stay close to home and
watch his best friend marry the woman of his dreams and raise a family
together.   He’d stayed away during
law school for the very same reason.   “It was a good experience, but there are things here I can’t live
without.”
    “I can understand that, I’m just surprised.”   She moved to the scanner and placed a
new sheet on the screen, pushed start.   “So you’re familiar with Atlanta?”
    “I guess, when I wasn’t knee deep in the library, I did
manage to get around the city every now and again.   It’s a great place.   Lots of good restaurants, great music,
beautiful women.”
    “And yet you chose to set up shop here.”
    Bryce took a deep breath.   He’d thought, early on in his quest for
both knowledge and the peace separation and time can bring, he’d meet someone
during those years who would make him forget about Kerri Ann and the pull she
had on him.   And there were women,
many more than he’d expected, especially after he’d filled out the body that
had always seemed two sizes too big growing up.   But none of them doused the embers of
desire for a woman who, after a bitter divorce, was single once again.   “I’m tied here, to the area, the
people.   I considered living
somewhere else, anywhere else, for awhile.   But this place pulled at me while I was gone.   College was, for me, my chance to
explore other areas, other options.”
    “No, I get it.   Every day I spend here I wonder how much longer I’ll be able to hide
away.   I’m going back, eventually,
but I can see how it gets in your system.   It’s solid.”   The last of her
scans went through.   “Would you mind
e-mailing these files to me?” she asked.
    “No problem.”   He
moved behind the desk, took a seat in his old leather chair, and hit send to
the address she’d given him.   “All
set.”
    “I can’t thank you enough, Bryce.”   She leaned down to give him a hug and
her mass of curling dark hair felt like feathers against his cheek.   “I owe you big time.”
    “Work on that men’s line and we’ll deal.”
    At the door, she stopped and turned to face him.   “How would you like to come to dinner
tonight?   I’m a pretty good cook.”
    Hum.   Beautiful
woman, home cooked meal.   He should
be more interested, but, truth was, he was in too poor a mood to be good
company.   “I’ll take a rain check.”
    She looked seriously disappointed.   “You’d actually be doing me a
favor.”   She moved toward his
desk.   “Jesse’s coming and I’m not
sure I want to be alone with him.”   She scrunched her nose, as if waiting for him to comment.
    Bryce sat up in his chair and put his elbows on the
desk.   “How’d Jesse finagle an
invitation, especially if you’re not sure about him?”
    “He changed my tire today and I was feeling especially
generous.”   She moved opposite him
and sat in one of the Chippendale chairs.   “Any words of advice?”
    Take him to bed so Kerri Ann will get over him.