"School teachers don't drink before sundown."
"You're on vacation."
"I'll wait. You go ahead, though."
Nancy set a cup in front of him and backed away. "You really have a tent in that little suitcase? You're not trying to get me to put you up here?"
"It's one of those monofilm ones." He pulled the cup closer to him and it rattled in the saucer. "I told you my intentions in my letter. And you said okay. So here I am to court you." Holman started to rise.
Nancy nodded him down. "I supposed it will be all right. I don't know." She went back to the stove.
Holman stood and started toward Nancy. He was distracted by a clicking sound in the hallway outside. As he turned to the entrance-way, a large tan lion came in, its black-tipped tail swishing slowly.
Holman stopped as the lion crossed the kitchen between him and Nancy. "Don't panic, Nancy," he said in a calm voice. "If nobody moves, it'll go away."
Nancy smiled. "Why should he go away? It's only Shandy."
The lion nuzzled his head over the backs of Nancy's knees and made a growling, purring sound. The tip of his tail flipped against the smooth white stove.