their chatter, he smiled. The girls were
playing in Aunt Olivia’s guest room, which was full of
things that Cassie and her friends loved; a real china tea set,
trunks full of hats and shoes, fancy dress up clothing
specially altered for six year olds, and a big old-fashioned
dollhouse that had been Aunt Olivia’s as a girl.
“No nightcap with friends tonight, Jake?” Olivia asked
from the hallway, coming down from getting the girls
settled.
“I think I’ll stay in, Aunt,” he answered, pretending to
study the headlines.
Alice was taking Tess to Green Forks tonight, to
introduce her around. Best keep my distance for the time
being. He couldn’t forget the way she’d felt in his arms, but
her welcome had gotten way more involved than he’d
intended.
Vicki had never stopped complaining about poky old
Green Junction, reminding him what she missed about
California. He wouldn’t put himself through that. He’d wait
to see if Tess made it through winter before kissing her
again.
Aunt Olivia brought the silver coffee service in, set it
on the little table, and took the sateen damask wingback
chair next to him. “We had our Ladies Auxiliary luncheon
today. Bea Harnes said the vet they were expecting arrived
Thursday night.” She handed him a filled cup set in its
fancy bone china saucer.
So Tess is a veterinarian. Why hadn’t she mentioned
what her job was? Two small dessert plates, each with a
slice of chocolate layer cake, sat on the tray, dessert forks
and napkins at the ready. His aunt handed him a plate, and
he took a napkin from the tray. “She’s a young woman, a
very nice girl, from a fine Philadelphia family.”
“Really? A lady vet, now that’s a first for Green
Junction,” he mused politely, in the most detached voice he
could manage.
“It certainly is. She studied at the University of
Pennsylvania. Apparently she’s very bright.” Aunt Olivia’s
refined voice warmed with approval. Jake remembered the Penn stamped on Tess’s white knit pants. They’d hugged
her firm little butt so nicely. He put a forkful of cake in his
mouth to hide his grin, while his aunt continued.
“Apparently she smashed her car getting into town,
poor thing. Bea doesn’t know exactly what happened. I do
wish they’d do something about that exit ramp coming off
the highway. It’s a disgrace how many accidents have
happened there.”
“It is.” He put his cake plate down quickly, and picked
up the newspaper, to hide behind. The baby powder scent
of Tess’s curly blonde hair came back to him, and blood
began to pool in his abdomen. He tried to focus on the
article about the new sewer plant improvements.
“Bea got her a place in Elmer Freethy’s Victorian, over
on Chambers Street, near Cassie and Vicki. She’s already
been to the thrift store to outfit her apartment. Gertrude said
she was absolutely delightful.”
“Hmm, really?” Gertrude was tight-lipped. He was glad
she hadn’t mentioned he’d been helping Tess.
“Now, she’d be a lovely role model for our Cassie,”
Aunt Olivia said, plumping the pillow behind her
innocently. “Perhaps I’ll invite her to join us for dinner next
Saturday night. I hate to think of her getting lonely, here,
not knowing anyone.”
Jake lowered the paper, raised his eyebrows and eyeballed his aunt. Glowering slightly, he warned,“Auntie O,
while I appreciate the generous intention of your meddling,
you will do no such thing. I can’t imagine a more strained
attempt at matchmaking than dinner date with you, Cassie,
and the new girl in town.” His aunt was a headstrong
woman, but she did respect him. “I’ve already met Tess,
and I’ll likely be bumping into her again at some point.
Meanwhile, Cassie is certain to see her at the veterinary
office.”
He put his head back behind the newspaper, but not
before he caught the gleam in Aunt Olivia’s dark,
intelligent eyes. “Wonderful!” his aunt enthused. She’d
tried her best with
playing in Aunt Olivia’s guest room, which was full of
things that Cassie and her friends loved; a real china tea set,
trunks full of hats and shoes, fancy dress up clothing
specially altered for six year olds, and a big old-fashioned
dollhouse that had been Aunt Olivia’s as a girl.
“No nightcap with friends tonight, Jake?” Olivia asked
from the hallway, coming down from getting the girls
settled.
“I think I’ll stay in, Aunt,” he answered, pretending to
study the headlines.
Alice was taking Tess to Green Forks tonight, to
introduce her around. Best keep my distance for the time
being. He couldn’t forget the way she’d felt in his arms, but
her welcome had gotten way more involved than he’d
intended.
Vicki had never stopped complaining about poky old
Green Junction, reminding him what she missed about
California. He wouldn’t put himself through that. He’d wait
to see if Tess made it through winter before kissing her
again.
Aunt Olivia brought the silver coffee service in, set it
on the little table, and took the sateen damask wingback
chair next to him. “We had our Ladies Auxiliary luncheon
today. Bea Harnes said the vet they were expecting arrived
Thursday night.” She handed him a filled cup set in its
fancy bone china saucer.
So Tess is a veterinarian. Why hadn’t she mentioned
what her job was? Two small dessert plates, each with a
slice of chocolate layer cake, sat on the tray, dessert forks
and napkins at the ready. His aunt handed him a plate, and
he took a napkin from the tray. “She’s a young woman, a
very nice girl, from a fine Philadelphia family.”
“Really? A lady vet, now that’s a first for Green
Junction,” he mused politely, in the most detached voice he
could manage.
“It certainly is. She studied at the University of
Pennsylvania. Apparently she’s very bright.” Aunt Olivia’s
refined voice warmed with approval. Jake remembered the Penn stamped on Tess’s white knit pants. They’d hugged
her firm little butt so nicely. He put a forkful of cake in his
mouth to hide his grin, while his aunt continued.
“Apparently she smashed her car getting into town,
poor thing. Bea doesn’t know exactly what happened. I do
wish they’d do something about that exit ramp coming off
the highway. It’s a disgrace how many accidents have
happened there.”
“It is.” He put his cake plate down quickly, and picked
up the newspaper, to hide behind. The baby powder scent
of Tess’s curly blonde hair came back to him, and blood
began to pool in his abdomen. He tried to focus on the
article about the new sewer plant improvements.
“Bea got her a place in Elmer Freethy’s Victorian, over
on Chambers Street, near Cassie and Vicki. She’s already
been to the thrift store to outfit her apartment. Gertrude said
she was absolutely delightful.”
“Hmm, really?” Gertrude was tight-lipped. He was glad
she hadn’t mentioned he’d been helping Tess.
“Now, she’d be a lovely role model for our Cassie,”
Aunt Olivia said, plumping the pillow behind her
innocently. “Perhaps I’ll invite her to join us for dinner next
Saturday night. I hate to think of her getting lonely, here,
not knowing anyone.”
Jake lowered the paper, raised his eyebrows and eyeballed his aunt. Glowering slightly, he warned,“Auntie O,
while I appreciate the generous intention of your meddling,
you will do no such thing. I can’t imagine a more strained
attempt at matchmaking than dinner date with you, Cassie,
and the new girl in town.” His aunt was a headstrong
woman, but she did respect him. “I’ve already met Tess,
and I’ll likely be bumping into her again at some point.
Meanwhile, Cassie is certain to see her at the veterinary
office.”
He put his head back behind the newspaper, but not
before he caught the gleam in Aunt Olivia’s dark,
intelligent eyes. “Wonderful!” his aunt enthused. She’d
tried her best with
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