out.
Julie waited for her children to get situated before turning off the back porch light. She switched on the flashlight and made her way to the quilt.
It only took minutes to realize that the trees in her yard blocked their view. She laid back and stared up but found herself staring through branches.
Well, hell’s bells.
Caleb’s backdoor opened, and he walked out carrying a bag of garbage to his trashcan. Scott spotlighted his dark silhouette with the flashlight. “Hey, Caleb.”
After dumping his trash, Caleb eased over to her yard. “It’s late. You guys sleeping outside?”
“We’re looking for the big dipper,” Ally stated.
Julie sighed. “I’m afraid we can’t see anything with my trees in our way.”
“You’re welcome to use my yard.”
“You don’t mind?” Julie asked.
“No, come on over.”
Once setup in Caleb’s wide-opened yard, Julie returned to stargazing.
Caleb stood next to the quilt. “If you look, straight above you, you’ll see Pisces the fish.”
“It doesn’t look like a fish,” Ally complained. “It looks like my big toe.”
“Well whoever named it, thought it looked like a fish,” he replied.
Julie laughed. “Come join us if you’d like.”
Ally and Scott scooted closer to Julie. He sat down on the far side of the quilt from her. “They’re bright tonight.”
“Where’s Aries,” Scott said.
“It’s a spring constellation. It should be visible.” Caleb laid back and stared at the night sky, trying to find the group of stars. “There.” He pointed up. “See that bright star with a string of little ones.”
“I see it,” Scott said. “Why name it after a ram?”
“A Goddess sent a golden ram down to save two children, so they named a group of stars after it—Aries.”
“What is that cluster of stars?” Julie asked.
“Sagittarius, I think.” He paused. “There’s the big dipper. Way up high.”
Ally clapped her hands. “My daddy said it has chocolate milk in it.”
“Yeah, I believe it does. Your daddy was a smart guy,” Caleb said. “Pass the popcorn. I can’t see it, but I can smell it.”
“The bowl’s coming your way,” Julie said.
“Thanks.” He scooped a handful, then passed the bowl back.
“How do you know so much about constellations?” Julie asked.
“My grandpa gave me a book on constellations for Christmas one year.”
Julie liked the way Caleb didn’t belittle Jeremy’s theory of the big dipper being full of chocolate milk. He was always sensitive to their feelings.
Her kids lost interest in the stars and chased lightning bugs. She found herself lying alone with Caleb on the quilt.
“I love the way a cotton quilt smells, especially when it’s been in the sun for awhile,” Caleb commented.
“Me too,” Julie said. “It’s one of my top ten good smells.”
“I like the smell of rain on hot asphalt in the summertime.”
“That’s a good one. Hmmm. . .I like the smell of Ally’s plastic pool.”
“I like the way you smell— like a rose garden.”
Julie grew quiet.
She wanted to move closer to him, to be able to feel the heat from his body. But she didn’t. The thought had her hormones exploding like a meteor shower. But what she was feeling was more than lust, she still had a thing for Caleb. Not trusting herself, she sat up. “We’d better get inside. I have to work tomorrow.” She called her kids. “Grab the bowl, Ally. Scott get the flashlight and turn it on.”
“Let me help fold the quilt.” He felt around and grabbed the end corners. “You ready?”
She grabbed the other side. “Ready.”
He stepped up to her, holding his corners of the quilt. They stood close with only the cloth separating them. His fingers touched her as he passed his section to her. She became breathless.
Her body ached to be with this man.
“Goodnight, Jules.”
“Goodnight.” She fought the desire and walked toward her house with her kids. She liked him calling her Jules. But it made
Julie waited for her children to get situated before turning off the back porch light. She switched on the flashlight and made her way to the quilt.
It only took minutes to realize that the trees in her yard blocked their view. She laid back and stared up but found herself staring through branches.
Well, hell’s bells.
Caleb’s backdoor opened, and he walked out carrying a bag of garbage to his trashcan. Scott spotlighted his dark silhouette with the flashlight. “Hey, Caleb.”
After dumping his trash, Caleb eased over to her yard. “It’s late. You guys sleeping outside?”
“We’re looking for the big dipper,” Ally stated.
Julie sighed. “I’m afraid we can’t see anything with my trees in our way.”
“You’re welcome to use my yard.”
“You don’t mind?” Julie asked.
“No, come on over.”
Once setup in Caleb’s wide-opened yard, Julie returned to stargazing.
Caleb stood next to the quilt. “If you look, straight above you, you’ll see Pisces the fish.”
“It doesn’t look like a fish,” Ally complained. “It looks like my big toe.”
“Well whoever named it, thought it looked like a fish,” he replied.
Julie laughed. “Come join us if you’d like.”
Ally and Scott scooted closer to Julie. He sat down on the far side of the quilt from her. “They’re bright tonight.”
“Where’s Aries,” Scott said.
“It’s a spring constellation. It should be visible.” Caleb laid back and stared at the night sky, trying to find the group of stars. “There.” He pointed up. “See that bright star with a string of little ones.”
“I see it,” Scott said. “Why name it after a ram?”
“A Goddess sent a golden ram down to save two children, so they named a group of stars after it—Aries.”
“What is that cluster of stars?” Julie asked.
“Sagittarius, I think.” He paused. “There’s the big dipper. Way up high.”
Ally clapped her hands. “My daddy said it has chocolate milk in it.”
“Yeah, I believe it does. Your daddy was a smart guy,” Caleb said. “Pass the popcorn. I can’t see it, but I can smell it.”
“The bowl’s coming your way,” Julie said.
“Thanks.” He scooped a handful, then passed the bowl back.
“How do you know so much about constellations?” Julie asked.
“My grandpa gave me a book on constellations for Christmas one year.”
Julie liked the way Caleb didn’t belittle Jeremy’s theory of the big dipper being full of chocolate milk. He was always sensitive to their feelings.
Her kids lost interest in the stars and chased lightning bugs. She found herself lying alone with Caleb on the quilt.
“I love the way a cotton quilt smells, especially when it’s been in the sun for awhile,” Caleb commented.
“Me too,” Julie said. “It’s one of my top ten good smells.”
“I like the smell of rain on hot asphalt in the summertime.”
“That’s a good one. Hmmm. . .I like the smell of Ally’s plastic pool.”
“I like the way you smell— like a rose garden.”
Julie grew quiet.
She wanted to move closer to him, to be able to feel the heat from his body. But she didn’t. The thought had her hormones exploding like a meteor shower. But what she was feeling was more than lust, she still had a thing for Caleb. Not trusting herself, she sat up. “We’d better get inside. I have to work tomorrow.” She called her kids. “Grab the bowl, Ally. Scott get the flashlight and turn it on.”
“Let me help fold the quilt.” He felt around and grabbed the end corners. “You ready?”
She grabbed the other side. “Ready.”
He stepped up to her, holding his corners of the quilt. They stood close with only the cloth separating them. His fingers touched her as he passed his section to her. She became breathless.
Her body ached to be with this man.
“Goodnight, Jules.”
“Goodnight.” She fought the desire and walked toward her house with her kids. She liked him calling her Jules. But it made
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