to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Diva jumped onto the bed with a harsh
meow
that turned into a loud purr as she stroked her furry cheek along Brooke’s neck.
“We did it, baby.” Brooke smiled through her tears. “I got so many compliments on my jewelry today, and I even booked my next ornament class full. Aren’t you happy for Mommy?” Diva answered with a scratchy lick to Brooke’s jaw. She laughed and stroked her fur until she fell asleep curled up to Brooke’s side.
Today was a good day, good enough to make her forgot about the previous day and that sexy Alex Coleman. She hadn’t thought about him at all, she’d been so busy being successful. Okay, she’d almost barely thought about him.
FOUR
Tuesday morning Alex flipped through the radio stations in his rental car as he drove through Preston. He stopped on a rock station but quickly turned it off when he realized the beat of the drums matched the quick pounding of his heart. The silence was almost worse but would have to do. This morning’s meeting was taking place at his grandmother’s house, which he hadn’t stepped foot in for over fourteen years, not since right before he moved away for good.
He tapped his fingers nervously on the steering wheel. Coming back to Preston had been hard, but he was looking forward to seeing his grandmother. It’d been five years since he’d last seen her. They’d met for lunch in Preston the last time he’d been in town. He was a little ashamed that he hadn’t made more of an effort, but it had been hard to keep in touch with his own busy schedule and the fact that he’d never been welcome to just drop in to the house. At least he had never felt welcome.
He’d called her a few times over the years, and his grandmother had always acted like they’d seen each other just the week before. She never made him feel guilty, or below her. No matter how cold and contentious Alex’s relationship with his grandfather had gotten, Beverly Coleman never treated Alex as anything less than her grandson, and he loved her for that. If there was anyone he’d truly missed while avoiding Preston, it was his grandmother.
Once on the other side of town and out in the country, he turned down Eby Road. The white Victorian house came into view, blanketed in snow and morning light. His hands instantly went clammy on the steering wheel. As a child he’d been in awe of this house. It represented everything he wasn’t and would never be. And yet, he’d always known these people were his family, and when his grandmother had started seeking him out secretly, the wealth and status of the Colemans had been something so close yet so far away.
Today there was a Cadillac at the end of the long drive. Alex parked next to it, grabbed his cell phone, and got out of the car. He rang the doorbell and took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets. Movement came from deep in the house, and despite the cold in the air and the snow on the ground he felt a sweat break out on his temple. The old highly polished door creaked open, and his petite grandmother smiled brightly at him.
“Alex, look at you. You’re as handsome as a movie star.” She pulled him into a hug, her petite body so fragile in his arms. She pulled back after a moment and looked up at him, a tiny hand on his bicep. “My goodness, look at all these muscles. What in the world do you use these for? And the beard, my goodness.”
“The beard has gotten a lot of comments.” He ran a hand down his chin. “Not sure why.”
“You look mysterious. I always liked a man in a beard.” As she grinned, some of the tension fled his body. This woman was safety and happiness. He leaned down to let her kiss his cheek, the scent of her favorite perfume filling his nose.
“I missed you, Grandma.”
“I missed you, too, but nobody is forcing us to miss each other you know.” She led him into the house and shut the door. It had been so long since he’d stepped into this
Diva jumped onto the bed with a harsh
meow
that turned into a loud purr as she stroked her furry cheek along Brooke’s neck.
“We did it, baby.” Brooke smiled through her tears. “I got so many compliments on my jewelry today, and I even booked my next ornament class full. Aren’t you happy for Mommy?” Diva answered with a scratchy lick to Brooke’s jaw. She laughed and stroked her fur until she fell asleep curled up to Brooke’s side.
Today was a good day, good enough to make her forgot about the previous day and that sexy Alex Coleman. She hadn’t thought about him at all, she’d been so busy being successful. Okay, she’d almost barely thought about him.
FOUR
Tuesday morning Alex flipped through the radio stations in his rental car as he drove through Preston. He stopped on a rock station but quickly turned it off when he realized the beat of the drums matched the quick pounding of his heart. The silence was almost worse but would have to do. This morning’s meeting was taking place at his grandmother’s house, which he hadn’t stepped foot in for over fourteen years, not since right before he moved away for good.
He tapped his fingers nervously on the steering wheel. Coming back to Preston had been hard, but he was looking forward to seeing his grandmother. It’d been five years since he’d last seen her. They’d met for lunch in Preston the last time he’d been in town. He was a little ashamed that he hadn’t made more of an effort, but it had been hard to keep in touch with his own busy schedule and the fact that he’d never been welcome to just drop in to the house. At least he had never felt welcome.
He’d called her a few times over the years, and his grandmother had always acted like they’d seen each other just the week before. She never made him feel guilty, or below her. No matter how cold and contentious Alex’s relationship with his grandfather had gotten, Beverly Coleman never treated Alex as anything less than her grandson, and he loved her for that. If there was anyone he’d truly missed while avoiding Preston, it was his grandmother.
Once on the other side of town and out in the country, he turned down Eby Road. The white Victorian house came into view, blanketed in snow and morning light. His hands instantly went clammy on the steering wheel. As a child he’d been in awe of this house. It represented everything he wasn’t and would never be. And yet, he’d always known these people were his family, and when his grandmother had started seeking him out secretly, the wealth and status of the Colemans had been something so close yet so far away.
Today there was a Cadillac at the end of the long drive. Alex parked next to it, grabbed his cell phone, and got out of the car. He rang the doorbell and took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets. Movement came from deep in the house, and despite the cold in the air and the snow on the ground he felt a sweat break out on his temple. The old highly polished door creaked open, and his petite grandmother smiled brightly at him.
“Alex, look at you. You’re as handsome as a movie star.” She pulled him into a hug, her petite body so fragile in his arms. She pulled back after a moment and looked up at him, a tiny hand on his bicep. “My goodness, look at all these muscles. What in the world do you use these for? And the beard, my goodness.”
“The beard has gotten a lot of comments.” He ran a hand down his chin. “Not sure why.”
“You look mysterious. I always liked a man in a beard.” As she grinned, some of the tension fled his body. This woman was safety and happiness. He leaned down to let her kiss his cheek, the scent of her favorite perfume filling his nose.
“I missed you, Grandma.”
“I missed you, too, but nobody is forcing us to miss each other you know.” She led him into the house and shut the door. It had been so long since he’d stepped into this
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