“I didn’t see Pops when I got here. He knew I was coming, though.” She shrugged, because it really wasn’t an issue. “I walk over from my house next door and take care of things every two weeks.”
His brows edged toward each other. “Next door? Wait…Tessa Ashland?”
Was that supposed to be good or bad? “In the flesh.”
His eyes widened, then he burst out laughing. “Pretty sure Noah and I used to put frogs in your library bag.”
She gasped. “Caleb!” They’d tormented her, the two hooligans from next door. “I loved that tote, and all the frog slime ruined it!”
He chuckled, taking a sip of coffee.
What was she supposed to say now? This was awkward. He’d obviously been through something, and she had the smell of cleaning products on her hands and was wearing her rattiest clothes. “I should finish cleaning.”
It wasn’t like she wanted to be standing here in an evening gown, but honestly what woman didn’t want to see the look on a man’s face when they saw the full effect of hair, makeup, fabulous outfit and killer shoes? She didn’t have any of those things, so she didn’t really know. But she’d seen enough movies.
The last date she’d been on had been to the Dairy Queen in town and lasted an hour.Sigh.Why she was thinking about this man and dating, she didn’t know. Except that he was here and he was…a man. Wide shoulders, thick ropey arms. Dark eyes and thatWinter Soldierhaircut. What would he look like if he cleaned up?
Oh, boy.
“Anyway, I should get back to work.” She slid the earbuds still playing loud worship music into the pocket of her cargoes and grabbed the mop. Tried to figure out where she left off on this mess of a floor.
Gus had gone back to his bed in front of the fire, where the old dog spent most of the day and night. She always gave him an extra treat when she left.
The dog had probably been surprised when she’d randomly screamed.Thank You that he wasn’t an intruder here to do me harm.That would make for a terrible Christmas for her father and Pops. She didn’t want to think what would become of them if anything happened to her.
Okay, fine. She was the one who would miss them.
Tessa put her earbuds in and finished the hall, the ambient sound on so she could hear any intruders coming up behind her. She took the bucket to the bathroom where she emptied the dirty water into the toilet.
How she hadn’t noticed before the extra toothbrush, electric razor and man’s deodorant on the counter when she was emptying the mop water, she wasn’t sure. She just knew she would have made a terrible spy. That is, if there was anything in the cards for her other than being pastor’s daughter, church secretary, substitute teacher, housekeeper, dog sitter and sometimes babysitter.
Usually that didn’t make her melancholy. She liked her life. They couldn’t all be like the twins, leaving town the first chance they got. Joining the military or being a federal agent. They didn’t all have cool jobs, or the desire to travel the world—and save it.
She liked this town and liked her life just fine. If she wanted to travel somewhere, she read a book about it.
Christmas would cheer her right up. Pops would be in a great mood, having his grandson here visiting. Her father would shake out of whatever funk he’d been in recently.
Everything would be just fine.
Tessa sprayed and wiped down the bathroom, then put all the stuff back where it belonged. She enjoyed the way worship music filled her with hope in the Lord. That was all she needed.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She spotted someone on the front doorbell camera over at her house and figured it was probably a package since it wasn’t her dad. He should be back at home by now, after his trip to the hardware store for more supplies to finish the tile in Tessa’s bathroom, but she hadn’t seen him and this wasn’t him coming home.
She slid her phone back in her pocket and wandered to the entry just as Pops was coming in. The older man stomped thesnow off his boots on the siding outside, then toed them off on the rug beside her snow boots.
He grinned at her, and she saw Caleb’s features in his grandfather’s. “Tessa. Did you see him?”
The old man had a gleam in his eye.
“Did you set me up?” When he laughed, she shook her head and gave him a hug. “You old rascal. I’m all done.”
“Then you have time for lunch.”
She smiled, not arguing with him even if it was barely past ten. He got up early and went to bed before the sun when the days were short. “Lunch sounds great. Dad isn’t home yet so I have some time.”
She followed him into the kitchen, washing up in the sink. He hadn’t pulled out meat to thaw for dinner, so she grabbed a package of ground beef from his freezer section. On second thought—she pulled out two steaks, which he saved for special occasions. He and Caleb could grill themselves a nice treat.
Gus came in for a tortilla chip that Pops tossed him. The most energy she saw from him was when he lifted his front paws and snatched the chip out of the air.
