seeing him much. Said he was too juvenile for him. So Jim started hanging out with Nate. Neither’s ever married, so they are still in that single guy mode.’
Kyle looked at her. ‘What’s a single guy mode?’
‘You know, hook up until he’s bored, move on to the next conquest. No commitment.’
Is that how she’d see him? He was thirty five years old and never married. Except to the job. It wouldn’t be fair to a wife and family to have him disappear for weeks at a time if the job called for it. He didn’t want her to think he was commitment shy–just dedicated to his job.
Before he could argue the point, she stood. ‘I’m going in. Shasta likes to get up early and so do I. Even if I want to sleep in, he rarely lets me.’
Kyle rose as well. Despite his nap, he was tired. The doctors had told him to take it easy. But it had been three weeks. He’d hoped to be back in shape by now.
‘Thanks for agreeing to help,’ he said as they walked to the back door.
‘I hope I’m not making a mistake.’
‘Why would you?’
‘I can’t help thinking if someone I know is doing this, what would the repercussions be when it’s all over?’
‘I’d think you’d get a medal or something.’
She laughed. ‘I doubt that. I just hope you’re wrong and it’s someone from another area that I’ve never even heard of.’
‘We’ll see. Good night, Jenny.’
***
As she prepared for bed that night, Jenny decided her opinion of Mr. Brownley's plan wasn't as high as it had been. It was one thing to pretend an agent was more feeble than was true; another matter entirely to send someone who was so incapacitated that a walk up the stairs was exhausting.
Crawling between her sheets, she thought back to the first night Kyle had spent beneath her roof. He’d be no match for her in his present state, and Jenny was suddenly overwhelmed with compassion for him. His temporary weakness must be frustrating for him.
She considered all she’d learn this evening. It wasn't fair that he knew all about her, and she knew nothing about him.
Well, she reasoned, he'd be here for a while; she could learn as much as she could during that time. She’d given up expecting to see him again, and here he was, staying with her indefinitely. It was now up to her to find out what she wanted to know.
***
Jenny was in her den the next morning, doing the accounts for a local attorney when she heard his tread on the stairs. She paused and looked up, gazing out of the window, her attention focused on his step. He passed by the open door without seeing her and went to the kitchen. She returned to her accounts, only to be interrupted when Kyle came back.
'Do I get breakfast?' he asked, pausing at the door.
Jenny swiveled in her chair. 'Sure, at a reasonable time. It's after ten, am I to cook all day?' She rose, glad to see he had a little more color in his face today.
'Sorry, what time is good for you?'
She went back to the kitchen, sorry for snapping at him, yet not ready to let him know that. Normally even-tempered, she didn't know why she was so on edge around him. Or maybe she did–it was purely physical.
Kyle followed and sat at the big farm table that sat to the side of the sunny kitchen.
'I usually eat around seven. If that's too early, let me know what you want and I'll fix it and leave it in the oven to be heated.'
'No. Seven's fine,' he said meekly.
Jenny glanced sharply at him, but his face was open, innocent. She didn’t trust his look for an instant.
'Lunch, if I'm home, is usually sandwiches and fruit shortly after midday. I like to eat dinner around seven in the evening. Unless I go out.'
'Out where?' His voice was sharper, his eyes narrowed a little.
'Visiting, out with friends.' She shrugged as she poured the beaten eggs into the pan. 'Just out. I'll let you know in advance so you can plan for your own meals.' She turned to him. 'You do know how to cook, I take it?'
‘Sure.'
'Do you live alone when not on a
Kyle looked at her. ‘What’s a single guy mode?’
‘You know, hook up until he’s bored, move on to the next conquest. No commitment.’
Is that how she’d see him? He was thirty five years old and never married. Except to the job. It wouldn’t be fair to a wife and family to have him disappear for weeks at a time if the job called for it. He didn’t want her to think he was commitment shy–just dedicated to his job.
Before he could argue the point, she stood. ‘I’m going in. Shasta likes to get up early and so do I. Even if I want to sleep in, he rarely lets me.’
Kyle rose as well. Despite his nap, he was tired. The doctors had told him to take it easy. But it had been three weeks. He’d hoped to be back in shape by now.
‘Thanks for agreeing to help,’ he said as they walked to the back door.
‘I hope I’m not making a mistake.’
‘Why would you?’
‘I can’t help thinking if someone I know is doing this, what would the repercussions be when it’s all over?’
‘I’d think you’d get a medal or something.’
She laughed. ‘I doubt that. I just hope you’re wrong and it’s someone from another area that I’ve never even heard of.’
‘We’ll see. Good night, Jenny.’
***
As she prepared for bed that night, Jenny decided her opinion of Mr. Brownley's plan wasn't as high as it had been. It was one thing to pretend an agent was more feeble than was true; another matter entirely to send someone who was so incapacitated that a walk up the stairs was exhausting.
Crawling between her sheets, she thought back to the first night Kyle had spent beneath her roof. He’d be no match for her in his present state, and Jenny was suddenly overwhelmed with compassion for him. His temporary weakness must be frustrating for him.
She considered all she’d learn this evening. It wasn't fair that he knew all about her, and she knew nothing about him.
Well, she reasoned, he'd be here for a while; she could learn as much as she could during that time. She’d given up expecting to see him again, and here he was, staying with her indefinitely. It was now up to her to find out what she wanted to know.
***
Jenny was in her den the next morning, doing the accounts for a local attorney when she heard his tread on the stairs. She paused and looked up, gazing out of the window, her attention focused on his step. He passed by the open door without seeing her and went to the kitchen. She returned to her accounts, only to be interrupted when Kyle came back.
'Do I get breakfast?' he asked, pausing at the door.
Jenny swiveled in her chair. 'Sure, at a reasonable time. It's after ten, am I to cook all day?' She rose, glad to see he had a little more color in his face today.
'Sorry, what time is good for you?'
She went back to the kitchen, sorry for snapping at him, yet not ready to let him know that. Normally even-tempered, she didn't know why she was so on edge around him. Or maybe she did–it was purely physical.
Kyle followed and sat at the big farm table that sat to the side of the sunny kitchen.
'I usually eat around seven. If that's too early, let me know what you want and I'll fix it and leave it in the oven to be heated.'
'No. Seven's fine,' he said meekly.
Jenny glanced sharply at him, but his face was open, innocent. She didn’t trust his look for an instant.
'Lunch, if I'm home, is usually sandwiches and fruit shortly after midday. I like to eat dinner around seven in the evening. Unless I go out.'
'Out where?' His voice was sharper, his eyes narrowed a little.
'Visiting, out with friends.' She shrugged as she poured the beaten eggs into the pan. 'Just out. I'll let you know in advance so you can plan for your own meals.' She turned to him. 'You do know how to cook, I take it?'
‘Sure.'
'Do you live alone when not on a
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