dog here before. I guess I’ll learn to deal with it in time.”
“Thank you, Stephen. I promise he won’t be any trouble.”
Emerging from the woods Stephen decided to issue one little stipulation of his own, partly for fun, but mostly because he wanted her back here as soon as possible. “You have two days.”
“For what?” she asked wide eyed and confused.
“You have two days to be back here; five o’clock Tuesday.” The twinkle in his eyes told Kelly that he was only partly serious.
“Or what?” She teased.
“I come to get you.” Kelly had no doubt that he would do exactly that.
Chapter 7
Kelly woke early as usual but Stephen was already out of bed. She dressed and made her way to the kitchen. He was busy at the stove and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. She chose a cup from the cupboard and filled it for herself, before topping off his mug.
“You’re up early” she inquired.
“I have a lot of work to catch up on today.”
It occurred to Kelly that she had no idea what Stephen did for a living but before she could ask him he handed her a plate with steaming hot eggs and bacon. Just as they sat down to eat there was a knock at the front door. He stood and went through the hall to answer the door. Kelly heard the muffled voices of two men on friendly terms greeting each other. Two sets of footsteps came back down the hall and into the kitchen. The second man entering behind Stephen, to Kelly’s discomfort and surprised was the familiar face of Jim McAllen. Jim owned a small farm on the edge of town, not far from her house. She knew him from the hardware store, and his wife from the market.
She was somewhat taken aback that she had been discovered here in Stephen’s kitchen so early in the morning. There was no way to explain away why she was there, and no way to make it look like it was anything else other than what it was. In a town the size of Hanlon, her secret would soon be common knowledge, a thought she had not previously entertained.
She hadn’t yet decided, or even considered what she was going to tell people about her move to Old Henry Road. That she had so quickly moved in with a man she barely knew was not the story she would want people to spread but what else could they say? Five years of building a reputation as a recluse destroyed in a flash. Now she would be known as something else entirely.
“Kelly, how are you” Jim said, obviously just as surprised and uncomfortable with the situation as she was.
“Good Morning, Jim. I think we are going to have another fine day.”
“Would you like a cup of coffee while I finish my breakfast?” Stephen offered with complete oblivion to the other’s discomfort. When Jim nodded yes Kelly got up to pour it for him.
They made small talk for a few minutes, mostly about the weather and the prospect for a decent growing season this summer. When Jim had finished his coffee he put his cup on the counter cleared his throat awkwardly and announced “Thank you Kelly that was a good cup of coffee. Well, I guess I’ll go get that gate out of the truck.”
“Just put it in the shop, it’s already unlocked.” Stephen mumbled between bites, “I will be right out”.
“Nice to see you Kelly, I can let myself out.” Jim McAllen disappeared back down the hall.
Stephen finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink. Kelly said “I’ll take care of the dishes before I head for town. Maybe if I’m lucky I can get there before the gossip hits.” He stopped for a moment, contemplating her meaning, and then chuckled. Leaning over to plant a kiss on her cheek as his hand caressed her beautifully rounded bottom as he replied “who cares”.
In a more serious tone he added “remember, five o’clock tomorrow or I’m coming after you. Then they’ll have more to gossip about than just who
“Thank you, Stephen. I promise he won’t be any trouble.”
Emerging from the woods Stephen decided to issue one little stipulation of his own, partly for fun, but mostly because he wanted her back here as soon as possible. “You have two days.”
“For what?” she asked wide eyed and confused.
“You have two days to be back here; five o’clock Tuesday.” The twinkle in his eyes told Kelly that he was only partly serious.
“Or what?” She teased.
“I come to get you.” Kelly had no doubt that he would do exactly that.
Chapter 7
Kelly woke early as usual but Stephen was already out of bed. She dressed and made her way to the kitchen. He was busy at the stove and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. She chose a cup from the cupboard and filled it for herself, before topping off his mug.
“You’re up early” she inquired.
“I have a lot of work to catch up on today.”
It occurred to Kelly that she had no idea what Stephen did for a living but before she could ask him he handed her a plate with steaming hot eggs and bacon. Just as they sat down to eat there was a knock at the front door. He stood and went through the hall to answer the door. Kelly heard the muffled voices of two men on friendly terms greeting each other. Two sets of footsteps came back down the hall and into the kitchen. The second man entering behind Stephen, to Kelly’s discomfort and surprised was the familiar face of Jim McAllen. Jim owned a small farm on the edge of town, not far from her house. She knew him from the hardware store, and his wife from the market.
She was somewhat taken aback that she had been discovered here in Stephen’s kitchen so early in the morning. There was no way to explain away why she was there, and no way to make it look like it was anything else other than what it was. In a town the size of Hanlon, her secret would soon be common knowledge, a thought she had not previously entertained.
She hadn’t yet decided, or even considered what she was going to tell people about her move to Old Henry Road. That she had so quickly moved in with a man she barely knew was not the story she would want people to spread but what else could they say? Five years of building a reputation as a recluse destroyed in a flash. Now she would be known as something else entirely.
“Kelly, how are you” Jim said, obviously just as surprised and uncomfortable with the situation as she was.
“Good Morning, Jim. I think we are going to have another fine day.”
“Would you like a cup of coffee while I finish my breakfast?” Stephen offered with complete oblivion to the other’s discomfort. When Jim nodded yes Kelly got up to pour it for him.
They made small talk for a few minutes, mostly about the weather and the prospect for a decent growing season this summer. When Jim had finished his coffee he put his cup on the counter cleared his throat awkwardly and announced “Thank you Kelly that was a good cup of coffee. Well, I guess I’ll go get that gate out of the truck.”
“Just put it in the shop, it’s already unlocked.” Stephen mumbled between bites, “I will be right out”.
“Nice to see you Kelly, I can let myself out.” Jim McAllen disappeared back down the hall.
Stephen finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink. Kelly said “I’ll take care of the dishes before I head for town. Maybe if I’m lucky I can get there before the gossip hits.” He stopped for a moment, contemplating her meaning, and then chuckled. Leaning over to plant a kiss on her cheek as his hand caressed her beautifully rounded bottom as he replied “who cares”.
In a more serious tone he added “remember, five o’clock tomorrow or I’m coming after you. Then they’ll have more to gossip about than just who
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