far. She still had a half dozen people to buy for.
“ Do you have a large family?” She leaned back and took a sip of her coffee. It was lukewarm, but she didn't mind.
He shook his head. “Just my folks and my sister. My grandparents died when I was young. I have some cousins in Texas but have never really been close to them.”
“Is your sister older or younger?” She realized she didn't know much about him.
“Younger by two years.” He smiled. “Married her high school sweetheart. Jake went to the same boot camp as I did.” She watched a frown cross his lips. “He was stationed just a few clicks from where I was in Iraq.” He smiled. “They have a four-year-old and a two-year-old. Boys, both of them.” He pulled out his phone. “She sent this last week.”
When he was done flipping through his pictures, he turned his phone towards here. Two smiling faces looked back at her. They had on matching pajamas and were sitting in front of a large Christmas tree. They shared that smile with Allen, the eyes too. But instead of dark brown curly hair, they had bright white hair, bordering on translucent.
“They're beautiful.” She smiled and handed him back his phone.
“Yeah. Dawn—that's my sister—spoils them rotten. So do my folks. They all live back in Rockwood, my hometown in Maine.”
“I've never been to Maine. I hear it's a lot like Oregon, but colder.”
He smiled. “I'd choose Pride over Rockwood any day. Not that it was a bad place to grow up, it just wasn't as friendly as Pride is. I guess I've just grown used to being a part of something bigger than just me. Besides, I really enjoy my job.”
She got up and took their plates to the sink. When she turned around, he was standing and putting on his coat.
“Well, I have an early morning, so I'd better get going. It was nice meeting you, Patricia.”
Her mother turned and said her goodbyes. Sara followed him to the door, silently pleased that her sister was nowhere to be found.
“Thank you for the dinner and cheesecake.” He stopped in front of her door, one hand on the handle. For a split second, she thought he was going to leave without kissing her. She'd thought of little else during the entire dinner. When he turned to go, she grabbed his arm.
“Allen?” He turned back towards her and she went up on her toes and placed a light kiss on his lips. “Thanks for putting up with my family.” She started to pull away, but he took her shoulders and pulled her closer, claiming her mouth in a heated kiss that melted her. When he finally pulled back, she took in a gulp of air and realized her heart had kicked into overdrive.
He nodded and smiled, then turned and was gone without a word. When the door closed, she heard a whistle behind her and spun to see her sister sitting at the top of the stairs, fanning her face with her hands.
“Wow, that was hot.” She stood and came down the stairs.
Sara crossed her arms. “I guess it's only fair that you see me kiss since I've seen you suck face with little Nickie Becker.”
“He is not all that little anymore.” Her sister playfully shoved her.
“Yeah, I noticed.” They giggled as they headed back into the kitchen.
Chapter Five
S ara felt like pulling out all her hair. Her new fridges were being delivered late, and her first shipment of food was sitting in the front units, which were not built to keep those items as cold as they needed to be. Now she was staring at a giant leak in the roof. The water dripped down on her clean worktable, causing a slight noise with each drop. The recent big snowfall they had gotten had all melted and the rain and sleet they had gotten last night had caused water to pool on the worktable and spill onto the floor. She'd pushed a bucket under the drip, and by the time Jack Timothy, John Timothy's oldest, had made it there, she’d had to empty the bucket three times. Jack had used a
“ Do you have a large family?” She leaned back and took a sip of her coffee. It was lukewarm, but she didn't mind.
He shook his head. “Just my folks and my sister. My grandparents died when I was young. I have some cousins in Texas but have never really been close to them.”
“Is your sister older or younger?” She realized she didn't know much about him.
“Younger by two years.” He smiled. “Married her high school sweetheart. Jake went to the same boot camp as I did.” She watched a frown cross his lips. “He was stationed just a few clicks from where I was in Iraq.” He smiled. “They have a four-year-old and a two-year-old. Boys, both of them.” He pulled out his phone. “She sent this last week.”
When he was done flipping through his pictures, he turned his phone towards here. Two smiling faces looked back at her. They had on matching pajamas and were sitting in front of a large Christmas tree. They shared that smile with Allen, the eyes too. But instead of dark brown curly hair, they had bright white hair, bordering on translucent.
“They're beautiful.” She smiled and handed him back his phone.
“Yeah. Dawn—that's my sister—spoils them rotten. So do my folks. They all live back in Rockwood, my hometown in Maine.”
“I've never been to Maine. I hear it's a lot like Oregon, but colder.”
He smiled. “I'd choose Pride over Rockwood any day. Not that it was a bad place to grow up, it just wasn't as friendly as Pride is. I guess I've just grown used to being a part of something bigger than just me. Besides, I really enjoy my job.”
She got up and took their plates to the sink. When she turned around, he was standing and putting on his coat.
“Well, I have an early morning, so I'd better get going. It was nice meeting you, Patricia.”
Her mother turned and said her goodbyes. Sara followed him to the door, silently pleased that her sister was nowhere to be found.
“Thank you for the dinner and cheesecake.” He stopped in front of her door, one hand on the handle. For a split second, she thought he was going to leave without kissing her. She'd thought of little else during the entire dinner. When he turned to go, she grabbed his arm.
“Allen?” He turned back towards her and she went up on her toes and placed a light kiss on his lips. “Thanks for putting up with my family.” She started to pull away, but he took her shoulders and pulled her closer, claiming her mouth in a heated kiss that melted her. When he finally pulled back, she took in a gulp of air and realized her heart had kicked into overdrive.
He nodded and smiled, then turned and was gone without a word. When the door closed, she heard a whistle behind her and spun to see her sister sitting at the top of the stairs, fanning her face with her hands.
“Wow, that was hot.” She stood and came down the stairs.
Sara crossed her arms. “I guess it's only fair that you see me kiss since I've seen you suck face with little Nickie Becker.”
“He is not all that little anymore.” Her sister playfully shoved her.
“Yeah, I noticed.” They giggled as they headed back into the kitchen.
Chapter Five
S ara felt like pulling out all her hair. Her new fridges were being delivered late, and her first shipment of food was sitting in the front units, which were not built to keep those items as cold as they needed to be. Now she was staring at a giant leak in the roof. The water dripped down on her clean worktable, causing a slight noise with each drop. The recent big snowfall they had gotten had all melted and the rain and sleet they had gotten last night had caused water to pool on the worktable and spill onto the floor. She'd pushed a bucket under the drip, and by the time Jack Timothy, John Timothy's oldest, had made it there, she’d had to empty the bucket three times. Jack had used a
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