Plan by Linda; Lyle Page A

found her there a few minutes later.
    â€œWhat do you think?” he asked.
    She looked around at the half-finished room. Rolls of the wallpaper she had picked out were stacked neatly in the corner. He had finished two of the four walls.
    â€œI like it. It’s going to look really good when you add the drapes and furniture.” She waved her hand at the room, void of any furniture, except the rickety card table and two sawhorses. He laughed, but didn’t reply. She couldn’t take this anymore.
    â€œRandy, what’s wrong?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œI mean ever since our kiss this afternoon you’ve been acting funny, like you don’t want to be around me. I don’t understand.” He colored at the mention of their touch.
    â€œThis afternoon was a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that and I apologize.”
    An apology was the last thing she wanted, but she held her tongue. She swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. “Oh.” That was all she could get out. It sounded so lame. She tried again. “I guess you’re right. We are colleagues.”
    â€œRight,” he said too quickly. “We should keep our relationship professional, but friendly. Speaking of work, we’d better get to it.”
    She followed him downstairs to the kitchen, and they began discussing the details of the renovations that needed to be made to the Center. Randy made a list of materials they would need as they went.
    â€œI guess that the biggest thing is the roof, especially where the tree went through my classroom. I noticed that they had removed the tree and pulled up the stump. The inside and outside stairs need to be repaired. A good coat of paint would be nice, and the floors need stripping.”
    â€œHold on. You’re going too fast.” He scribbled a few things down on paper with his right hand while he held his left hand up like a stop sign. He lowered it and said, “Okay. Go ahead.”
    She went on with her wish list of the things she wanted to see done to the Center, and Randy continued to scribble for a few minutes, and then pulled out a clean sheet of paper. He organized the repairs to be made in order of importance, and on another sheet he listed the materials necessary.
    â€œThat should do it. We can type it up at school tomorrow. That was the easy part. Now you’ve got to decide what you want to use the Center for.”
    â€œWhat do you mean me? What about us?” She looked up in surprise.
    â€œI mean that the Center is yours, not mine. I won’t be here. Remember?” She was relieved from having to answer by the ringing of the doorbell. “Saved by the bell. Again.” He went to the door to get the food.
    She remained at the kitchen table, a wave of nausea flowing through her. He was really going to leave. The kiss this afternoon meant nothing to him. He was still leaving her. It stunned her how much it hurt to think of him leaving. Just when she realized what a wonderful man he was, he was moving out of her life. She struggled to gain her composure when she heard his steps in the hall.
    â€œHere we are. Lasagna for two.”
    He placed the food out on the table and they ate in silence. Randy tried once or twice to talk of school or the weather, but she couldn’t get words past that lump in her throat. She put her fork down a few minutes later, and pushed the half-eaten plate away.
    â€œI’ve had enough.”
    â€œYou’ve barely touched it. Are you all right?” The concern in his eyes was almost her undoing, but she swallowed down the tears.
    â€œI’m just not hungry tonight. I had a big lunch.” It was a lie, but it was better than telling the truth. She wasn’t hungry because the only man she had ever loved was about to walk out of her life. “Let’s get back to work.”
    Randy took the plates to the kitchen sink and wiped off the table. Sitting down at the