Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
Summer stood there, blinking, hands still full of dripping plate. That hadn’t been the plan — there hadn’t /been/ a plan. Some part of her mind, exiled behind walls of forgotten things, had made that list, taking over her hands. It was clearly an organized, disciplined part — but meeting even more people, this soon, had not been part of the plan, such as it was.
After a moment, she finished washing the plates and put them in the dish drainer. When she came back to the table, she tore the top sheet off the pad and wrote on the next page, ‘tell about the girls.’
Derek didn’t miss her pause and look of confusion. He just let her go back to the dishes and then when she sat down and wrote, he chuckled. “Say please,” he teased with a small grin, wanting her to look a little happier.
After giving him a brief look indicating she saw right through his ploy, she clasped her hands together. Once again the most transparently innocent, pleading, sweet expression came over her face. She even batted her eyelashes.