Derek Shepherd had been home for four full days now. He had been so busy going over everything with George he really had not had time to visit with many of his friends. Addison called him to give him hell for not stopping by when he got home so he promised her that he would stop by one day next week...
He was staying at the guest house for the next few months until he got his house built on the ranch. He knew the perfect spot for it and his mom and dad agreed it would be great. He always dreamed of having a house down by the lake with a balcony coming out of the master bedroom, upstairs overlooking the lake and the mountains behind the lake.
Since the night he came home, his mother insisted on making him dinner every night but tonight he just wanted to go the store and get a deli sandwich and a salad . . . He figured that as long as he was there he might as well pick up a few other things as well... He loved his moms cooking but he was so use to living on his own and doing his own thing that he knew eating with his Mom and dad every night would get old . . . very soon . . .
He was picking up some muesli for the morning when he heard the voice . . . the one he heard at Darby's retirement party over a month ago now. This voice . . . was much different than he had heard before . . . She was stressed . . .
"It's OK Addie I understand, Alex is busy this week . . . I will find someone else to help and if not, it may just have to wait until next week. . . OK thanks bye . . . See you next week . . ."
She frustratingly hung up her cell phone and tossed it in her purse . . . Then she picked up a box of Frosted Flakes and tossed it in her cart without even thinking . . . She did not know why she did it. . . She does not even eat cereal in the mornings . . . She is more of a left over grilled cheese or cold pizza breakfast type of person . . . if she even ate breakfast . . . But right now Frosted Flakes sounded good . . .
She needed help . . . He was not for sure what she needed help with but if it was something Alex could help with he figured he could also. But how . . . How was he going to ask her what she needed without sounding like he was ease dropping?
"Hello Meredith." He said from about 10 feet away.
Meredith looked up . . . and for the first time she saw how deep blue they really were . . .
"Derek . . . Oh . . . Hi . . . I was just getting some stuff . . ." She said looking down not wanting to look into the eyes that she felt herself getting lost in seconds before.
"How are you Meredith?" He asked trying to let it be casual and not one out of concern.
She smiled . . . she was stressed, but was giving her best effort . . . She needed someone to help her fix the leak on her roof . . . it was a small leak but she knew nothing about roofing and then there was the garbage disposal thing in the kitchen.
"Oh I am fine just fine . . . How is your dad? I haven't been able to get out there since dinner a few nights ago. Things have been very busy . . . at the office . . . yeah . . . the office." She rambled a little.
He smiled even bigger at her . . . He knew she was changing the subject, but he would play along, "My dad is doing great . . . Thanks to you . . . You really did save his life."
"That's good and I was just doing my job." She said nonchalantly, it was her job.
They stood there for a few seconds in total awkwardness . . . Then he got it . . . "My dad said you bought the old Miller's place . . . How are things coming along?"
She looked up . . . Something in his eyes . . . that told her he cared . . . really cared . . . "Oh fine everything's fine... You know it's just old but fixing it up . . . It's been fun . . . You know putting in new floors . . . and the carpet . . . and blinds . . .Yeah all the blinds . . ." She stopped . . . She was rambling . . . rambling was something she use to do . . . but she has not done the rambling thingy since . . . Well, in a long time . . .
He smiled . . . then let out a small laugh . . . "You know if you need help...I am pretty handy with a hammer and a screwdriver. . ."
She could not ask him . . . She did not even really know him . . . She would like to get to know him . . . But No she was not ready . . . definitely not ready . . . And without even thinking . . . "its ok...Its just the garbage disposable thingy. . ." She closed her eyes . . . She knew he would be right over to fix it now and she couldn't let him . . . If only Alex was not busy . . . Why did he have to be busy . . . Why did that thing have to stop working . . . and why did the roof start leaking. She should have thought twice about buying a house that needed some work, but she wanted a house with character and her house had that for sure. It was already looking so much better though.
He smiled at her . . . he knew she didn't want to ask for his help. . . "Meredith, I am going to come by tomorrow . . . and I am going to fix your garbage disposal . . . is there anything else you need me to look at while I am there?"
"I couldn't let you do that. . . I know you are busy with your dad and the ranch and getting accustomed to everything. . . I will just call someone. It really isn't a big deal."
He just sighed; he knew she was going to be frustrated about this. . . But, she needed help and he just couldn't . . . he couldn't let her take no for an answer . . . this was the woman he . . . wanted to marry . . . have children with . . . and he had to help her . . . be her friend, which is what he was told. "Meredith, look . . . you need help. It won't take long and then you can repay me by showing me what my mom has taught you in the kitchen with a homemade apple pie . . . "
Meredith immediately looked up at him like he was nuts. . . "Ahhh Apple pie . . . I don't know . . . I don't cook . . . That is your mom and Krista . . . But what I could make is a grilled cheese sandwich."
Derek could not help but laugh . . . He actually thought the pie she made was as good as any his mom made, but it was her recipe, still it was wonderful. . . "Grilled Cheese . . . sad . . . and for the record, the apple pie. . . as good as any I have ever had of mom's."
She could not help but get caught up in his eyes . . . She figured everyone did when they looked at him. But, she didn't know why he had her attention as much as he did. She bit on her lower lip . . . It was a habit she had when she was thinking . . . "I suppose you would think apple pie is a better dinner? And the pie . . . no way was it that good."
"I'll tell you what. . . You make the grilled cheese. . . I will pick up some tomato soup . . . and I will bring a desert of some kind and I will work on the things you need help on in the house and the pie . . . it was great." He said, taking charge of the situation, not allowing her to say no to this. He knew she was going to try. . .
She shook her head . . . She could not have him come over and fix things and bring dessert and soup . . . "Derek its ok . . . I know you must be busy . . . I can just call a plumber or someone . . . I am sure you have a plumber here in Laramie."
"Meredith, you know my dad would kill me if he found out that I knew that you needed help with the garbage disposal and I did not help you out . . . You don't want something to happen to me know would you . . . Because I am pretty sure my dad would kill me." He said hoping she would give in.
She took a deep breath and smiled . . . she knew William would kill Derek for not helping . . . it seemed this kind of thing was common in Laramie, everyone helped everyone out . . . She really could not find anything wrong with Derek coming out to see if he could fix the disposal . . . But her cooking dinner for someone . . . She wasn't sure about that part . . . What if she made him something and he got sick . . . His mom would kill her . . ."Fine you can come over . . . but, I am ordering pizza or something . . . not cooking . . . definitely not cooking." She said emphatically.
Derek shook his head and smirked, "Oh no I want a home cooked meal . . . even if its grilled cheese . . . but, mom said you have become quite the little chef and I want to see for myself."
"Fine. . . But, I do have patients in the morning and early afternoon until 3ish . . . so I can meet you at 4 at the house." She said feeling strangely happy that he would be coming over tomorrow . . .
"I will see you then . . . with my tool belt and all . . . ready to work . . . so, make me a honey-do list." He said smiling at her. . .
"A what?" She said looking at him like he was nuts.
"You know . . . a list of things you need a man to do. . .I am a man and I can do them." He said laughing.
"Whatever you say, Derek. . . See you around 4." She turned around and went on about her shopping having a minor freak out about her impending meal with Derek tomorrow afternoon/evening. What was she going to do?
