"Wrong again."
He laughed.
"Then where?"
"You kissed me beside this oven."
Gideon thought.
"Did I?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"After we repaired the chimney."
"I don't remember."
"I do."
"What happened?"
Martha smiled.
"You were covered in soot."
"So were you."
"You said I had soot on my cheek."
"I probably did."
"You tried to wipe it off."
"And?"
"You kissed me."
Gideon smiled.
"That sounds like me."
"It was."
She leaned back.
"You were nervous."
"I was always nervous around you."
"Still?"
He looked at her.
"No."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?"
"Because I know you now."
"Do you?"
"I know enough."
She smiled.
"And what do you know?"
"I know when you're pretending to be angry."
She laughed.
"I know when you're worried."
Her smile softened.
"I know when you're tired."
She looked away.
"I know when you need me to sit beside you."
She looked back.
"And?"
"I know when you want me close."
Her cheeks warmed.
"Gideon."
"What?"
"You're getting bold."
He smiled.
"After all these years?"
She shook her head.
"Some things never change."
"That's what I like."
She rested her hand against his chest.
"Me too."
They remained beside the oven until the fire burned lower.
Eventually Martha stood.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"Bed."
Gideon rose.
He took her hand.
They walked toward the small bedroom.
At the doorway, Martha stopped.
She looked back at the oven.
The fire still glowed.
She smiled.
Gideon noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You keep doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Looking at that oven like it means something."
"It does."
He waited.
She squeezed his hand.
"That's where I stopped being afraid."
Gideon understood.
He kissed her forehead.
"Then I'm glad we built it."
She looked up at him.
"Me too."
They went into the bedroom.
The storm continued outside.
The cabin stood against it.
Strong.
Warm.
Lived in.
Years later, Martha would still remember that night.
Not because anything extraordinary happened.
Because nothing needed to.
The chicken had been good.
The fire had been warm.
The snow had fallen.