shirt, Ellie thought he looked a lot like the Brawny paper towel man only with black hair and minus the mustache. She had chosen to wear a floral pattern summer dress and sling-back flats. They stood in the deli section of the general store, Aiden staying close to his mother’s legs overcome with shyness at meeting the burly stranger. Randall squatted down so that they were at eye level.
“Hey there champ. What’s your name?”
Aiden pulled the hem of Ellie’s dress up against his face, shielding himself from Randall.
“Go on Aiden, tell him your name,” Ellie coaxed.
“Aiden.”
“Well then Aiden, I heard that a certain someone likes peanut butter cups. Now that someone wouldn’t happen to be you would it?”
Aiden nodded his head.
“You’re in luck then because I just happen to have some peanut butter cups and I’m not hungry enough to eat them. Do you think you could help me?”
He nodded again. Randall pulled the candy bar from his shirt pocket and handed it to Aiden.
“What do you say Aiden?” Ellie said.
“Thank you.”
Randall laughed and patted his head. “You’re welcome champ.” Randall stood up and looked at Ellie. “You look lovely Ellie.”
“Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.”
There was an awkward silence.
“Should we get going then?” Randall asked and motioned to the door.
Ellie smiled and followed Randall outside with Aiden in tow. Randall had driven his patrol vehicle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee adorned with the sheriff’s emblem and matching lights. As soon as Aiden saw it his eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Wow! A police truck!”
“That’s right champ. Come on and I’ll give you a ride.”
Randall opened the door for Ellie and she climbed inside. He picked up Aiden and handed him to his mother. He was still in awe of the police vehicle, admiring all the switches, buttons, and lights.
“Would you like to sound the siren?” Randall asked.
Aiden nodded again.
“Okay then just flip this switch right here.” Randall pointed to one of the many switches on the dashboard. Aiden didn’t hesitate and the siren blared to life causing him to giggle with glee. After a few moments Ellie convinced Aiden that play time was over. Aiden reluctantly flipped the switch back off.
“You certainly know how to make a first impression,” Ellie said.
Randall laughed. “A little bribery goes a long way I guess.”
With that he closed the door and headed around to the driver’s side and started the truck. Ellie wasn’t sure if it was the way in which Randall treated Aiden or the allure of his machismo when he operated his police vehicle, but right then she thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
The police radio was on and occasionally it would crackle to life picking up snippets of conversation.
“I hope you don’t mind but I have to keep the scanner on.” Randall glanced at Ellie and then his eyes found the road again.
“Not at all. It’s kind of cool. Isn’t it Aiden?”
Aiden nodded. Randall reached over and turned the volume up slightly. A distant voice came in, barely audible.
“Breaker breaker this is Big Daddy, I’ve spotted smoke and fire just off of 16 westbound mile three.” Another voice came through. “Roger that Big Daddy, will keep a look out.”
Randall noticed Ellie’s face etched with concern. “Don’t mind that. We get a lot of crossed frequencies out here and we pick up truckers talking on their CBs all the time.”
“But it sounded like there’s a fire. Shouldn’t you radio the fire department?”
Randall tried to control his laughter but didn’t do a very good job and a couple of chuckles escaped his lips. “That’s just trucker talk. Smoke and fire is CB lingo for hot pants. Sounds like one of the long-haulers spotted a good looking girl wearing some short shorts.”
“Oh” Ellie said, feeling stupid.
Denny’s house was located just a few minutes outside of town. Ellie was relieved when they finally
“Hey there champ. What’s your name?”
Aiden pulled the hem of Ellie’s dress up against his face, shielding himself from Randall.
“Go on Aiden, tell him your name,” Ellie coaxed.
“Aiden.”
“Well then Aiden, I heard that a certain someone likes peanut butter cups. Now that someone wouldn’t happen to be you would it?”
Aiden nodded his head.
“You’re in luck then because I just happen to have some peanut butter cups and I’m not hungry enough to eat them. Do you think you could help me?”
He nodded again. Randall pulled the candy bar from his shirt pocket and handed it to Aiden.
“What do you say Aiden?” Ellie said.
“Thank you.”
Randall laughed and patted his head. “You’re welcome champ.” Randall stood up and looked at Ellie. “You look lovely Ellie.”
“Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.”
There was an awkward silence.
“Should we get going then?” Randall asked and motioned to the door.
Ellie smiled and followed Randall outside with Aiden in tow. Randall had driven his patrol vehicle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee adorned with the sheriff’s emblem and matching lights. As soon as Aiden saw it his eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Wow! A police truck!”
“That’s right champ. Come on and I’ll give you a ride.”
Randall opened the door for Ellie and she climbed inside. He picked up Aiden and handed him to his mother. He was still in awe of the police vehicle, admiring all the switches, buttons, and lights.
“Would you like to sound the siren?” Randall asked.
Aiden nodded again.
“Okay then just flip this switch right here.” Randall pointed to one of the many switches on the dashboard. Aiden didn’t hesitate and the siren blared to life causing him to giggle with glee. After a few moments Ellie convinced Aiden that play time was over. Aiden reluctantly flipped the switch back off.
“You certainly know how to make a first impression,” Ellie said.
Randall laughed. “A little bribery goes a long way I guess.”
With that he closed the door and headed around to the driver’s side and started the truck. Ellie wasn’t sure if it was the way in which Randall treated Aiden or the allure of his machismo when he operated his police vehicle, but right then she thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
The police radio was on and occasionally it would crackle to life picking up snippets of conversation.
“I hope you don’t mind but I have to keep the scanner on.” Randall glanced at Ellie and then his eyes found the road again.
“Not at all. It’s kind of cool. Isn’t it Aiden?”
Aiden nodded. Randall reached over and turned the volume up slightly. A distant voice came in, barely audible.
“Breaker breaker this is Big Daddy, I’ve spotted smoke and fire just off of 16 westbound mile three.” Another voice came through. “Roger that Big Daddy, will keep a look out.”
Randall noticed Ellie’s face etched with concern. “Don’t mind that. We get a lot of crossed frequencies out here and we pick up truckers talking on their CBs all the time.”
“But it sounded like there’s a fire. Shouldn’t you radio the fire department?”
Randall tried to control his laughter but didn’t do a very good job and a couple of chuckles escaped his lips. “That’s just trucker talk. Smoke and fire is CB lingo for hot pants. Sounds like one of the long-haulers spotted a good looking girl wearing some short shorts.”
“Oh” Ellie said, feeling stupid.
Denny’s house was located just a few minutes outside of town. Ellie was relieved when they finally
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