Patience laughed, good-naturedly amused by his fear of accidentally insulting her. "Don't worry, Zach, I didn't take it that way," she said. She didn't have a fragile ego, and she wasn't about to be insulted by his forgetfulness. "It's easy to let people slip out of your life for a time, isn't it? It happened to us already!"
She moved toward the icebox, glancing over her shoulder at him. "Want a cool drink? I made lemonade the other day. I know it's more of a summer drink, but I had a craving."