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seemed to care about her. Perhaps he simply was
being manly. Then she recalled Sharon’s advice after the grocery store fiasco. Maybe if you show you want Jim and need him,
he’ll give himself and you a chance . An idea worth contemplating?
    In a natural disaster like the blizzard, people are shaken
out of their routines. Friends or strangers, they jostle around, roll and
tumble like dice against one another and their environment, become more
spontaneous and natural. Relationships get pushed to their limits and are
either strengthened or broken. Despite their propinquity during the blizzard,
neither Rachel nor Jim gave voice to what they thought might be coming, but
they certainly were off balance. By the next morning, when, by the way, the
power returned to Rachel’s apartment, both had plenty to think about.

CHAPTER SIX
    Accustomed to doing most of talking when he phoned his
mother, Jim dwelled many minutes on the storm, describing the weather patterns,
the heaps of snowbanks, the frigid and glittering beauty of nature, and,
incidentally, the rescue of Rachel, et al.
    “And this was the disorganized messy woman, with the flyaway
hair?”
    “I don’t know that I’d describe Rachel like that.”
    “Well, every time you’ve talked about her, seems like she’s
having some kind of problem. She got into a tussle with the soccer coach. Blurts
out anything that crosses her mind. Spills all the time.”
    “She’s also bright and funny. And very attractive in a
casual sort of way. And has a great son.”
    “Really. Sounds like she’s captivating you. Careful you
don’t get caught.”
    Jim protested. “Rachel is not trying to catch me. Anyway, I
thought you wanted me to settle down.”
    “Yes. With someone appropriate. Like that other woman,
Donna. She sounds so well groomed and together. Such a good mother. With a
great job.”
    “All right. Enough.” He suddenly realized just who Donna
reminded him of. His mother. Like her, Donna constantly was offering unwanted
advice.
    “I just want you to think about your ideal. Which woman
comes closer? Even when you were a little boy, you said you were going to marry
a blonde. All your serious relationships have been with thin blondes, not plump
brunettes. I just want you to give this Donna a chance.”
    “All right, Mom. I’ll do that. Now can we change the
subject?” He silently gave thanks that he’d never set up the Skype connection
with his mother so she couldn’t see his expression.
    * * *
    Friends. Rachel kept remembering Jim’s text message and his
timely appearance during the blizzard. He not only talked the talk of
friendship, he walked the walk. Maybe she’d moved too fast at Christmas, or
maybe she moved too slowly, even defensively, since then. Something was off
between them, but Rachel might be able to fix it. Take a chance, don’t wall
yourself off, she instructed herself. What had Sharon labeled the condition?
Heart-strong, not headstrong.
    On the bus rides to and from work, Rachel pondered. What
should she do? Valentine’s Day was just over a week away. She could send him a
light, humorous card. No, too much room for misunderstandings. She could ask
him over for a candlelit dinner. No, too much pressure for romance. A phone
call could be perfect. Personal contact yet adequate scope to retreat and deny
if need be. Rachel bounded off the bus and tore into the apartment without
removing her coat, seizing the instrument’s receiver as if it were a life
preserver.
    Unfortunately, she’d forgotten that no one answers home
telephone calls anymore. Voice messaging is the rule. With the first failed
attempt to connect, she simply slammed the phone down.
    With the second try, she managed to croak, “Um, uh, Jim,
Rachel here. Give me a call.”
    On the third and final effort later that evening, Rachel
made a valiant effort to sound sociable yet undemanding. “Hi, Jim. This is
Rachel. Thought we could get together for cup of coffee. Or toast