AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Before it was for discipline. Now it’s just nosey,” DeeDee laughed.
As though on cue, she appeared from around the other side of the house. “Who is nosey?”
They bit back their laughter and Shanda said, “A woman from the Gazette Mom.”
“Well you know reporters. They have to listen if they want a good story. That has me thinking. Maybe we should put your engagement in the paper DeeDee. We can even put a nice picture of you and Larry. What do you think?”
I think this is my chance to leave.“I’ll let you two discuss this. I have a few things I want to take care of at home.” Like a shower, and shaving.
She really didn’t think DeeDee was right, but just in case, she wasn’t going to wear her cotton briefs tonight. Then again, he was holding on to her plain, boring white bra. So much for sexy.
Kenneth couldn’t believehe was standing at her door with her bra and T-shirt in a bag. It’d be so easy to knock, hand it to her and leave. Well, maybe not easy, but a lot less complicated than going out to dinner. But he’d promised her dinner, and one thing he didn’t do was break his word to someone.
He pressed the doorbell and waited. The sound of a window opening on the floor above made him look up. Shanda was leaning out the window.
“The door is open. Come on in. I’ll be down in a minute,” she said, then shut the window again.
His jaw tensed at the thought of not just leaving the door open, but having him let himself in. He knew he wasn’t a danger, but she didn’t. What if he was some predator, or had a shady past and was here to do her harm? The houses weren’t close by in this town. Hell, her neighbor had a field filled with cows. Granted, she didn’t live in a city, and the crime rate was probably extremely low, but even a slight risk, was still a risk. Even as he turned the knob, he hoped she’d been wrong. Damn. It opened and he stepped inside, then closed and locked the door behind him.
Once inside, he looked around. It looked nothing like his place. The walls were covered with photos. It was obvious Shanda was in many of them with what looked like an older sister and brother, who seemed to have joined the Marines. Pictures were hung on the wall, as well as on the mantle and coffee table. It was as though every event was a photo opportunity for them, from family picnics, to days at the park, on waterslides, hiking trails, and camping. The only common theme in the photos were the genuine smiles. It was what people envisioned when they thought of a normal family.
Kenneth had five brothers, but their homes were just places where everything was staged. Even the photos were professional portraits. Everyone had been dressed in a suit and tie, standing stiff, shoulders square, head held high and proud. His mother always wore an elegant gown, with either diamonds or pearls around her neck that had been passed down generations. They weren’t frowning, but smiles weren’t there either. And when they were taken, it was anything but fun.
That’s why he and Billy had been so close growing up. It was where Kenneth could go and be someone other than who he was expected to be. Fun had been allowed in that house. Billy’s parents didn’t flip out if you tracked mud inside after playing football in the back yard. It wasn’t that Billy’s parents didn’t have money; it was just they cared more about family than what they had in the bank.
But if Billy wasn’t careful, his carefree life might land him in the same situation that Shanda was in, and his business, and home, could all be at risk. Kenneth would never put himself in that situation.
“You could’ve sat down,” Shanda said from behind him.
He turned around and whatever he was about to say was taken away with his breath. Damn Shanda. You look… “Beautiful,” he said softly. She was dressed in a tight black dress that accented her full breasts even more. With her hair pulled back her neck was exposed; he would rather skip dinner and move directly to dessert. Put it on ice. It can’t happen. It shouldn’t happen.
Shanda said, “Yes they are. I love photos. They capture the joy and trigger wonderful memories,” she said.
He hadn’t been talking about the pictures, but he was glad she thought so. Kenneth handed her the bag that held her items. “Sorry, I didn’t wash them.”
She chuckled. “Yeah. I don’t think we are at the point of doing each other’s laundry.”
Kenneth wasn’t even going to comment on that. Not only did he not do other people’s laundry, he didn’t do his own.
“Looks like you’re ready. How about we head out?” Before I do something stupid like pull you into my arms and kiss you.
“Did you have someplace picked out or would you like a local suggestion?” she asked.
He had planned on driving down to Newport, but local was fine with him. It meant they could eat and he could be on his way back to Boston even sooner.
“I’ll drive, you direct,” he said.
It wasn’t very far, but the Cottage was actually a house with private dining inside. Not at all what he’d expected, and they were definitely overdressed, but the food was fantastic. Yet nothing compared to the company he was with. Shanda didn’t talk about herself like most women he dated. She spoke about the history of her town. About her grandfather and her parents, and even her sister DeeDee. It was as though she was bringing the photos he’d been looking at earlier to life. Through the stories, he was getting to see more of who she was. Shanda was exactly what he thought. She was strong, loving, and fun. But there was something that she didn’t talk about. Home Blown. It was the one place she was struggling and because of that, she was vulnerable.
Kenneth could broach the subject, offer his help, and maybe she’d even save her shop. But what he needed to tell her wasn’t going to be easy or pleasant for her to hear. Success came with a price. He couldn’t tell if she was ready to accept that, or if she even wanted to do what it was going to take to make Home Blown all it could be.
The last thing he wanted was to ruin the light mood she was in. Shanda was totally relaxed. Whether it was the topic or the glass of wine she drank with dinner, he liked it. If he didn’t know better, he’d actually think this was a date, and it wasn’t supposed to be one.
As they pulled up in front of her home, Shanda said, “I can’t believe you let me talk so much.”
“Maybe you caught it from Krissy last night,” he joked. Then he added, “But I’m glad you did. I enjoyed hearing all about Hope Valley.” And learning more about you. It made the connection, attraction, even stronger. He knew more about her now, than women he’d dated for months.
“Next time we talk about you,” she said. Then quickly she added, “Not that I’m saying we’re going to see each other again. I mean… I didn’t want to…”
