AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She glanced at him as she went by. “What would you like to drink?”
He shrugged. “Water’s fine.”
“I definitely have that, and there’s iced tea and lemonade in the refrigerator.”
She left him opening random cupboards looking for glasses while she went into the old washroom that housed the industrial-sized freezer, backup refrigerator, and extensive pantry. She decanted lemonade into a jug, found some ironed napkins, and came back into the kitchen to find Caleb had taken off his sheepskin-lined jacket to reveal a thick black sweater over jeans.
He’d always been the ideal man for her, and nothing had changed. She finally remembered to take off her apron.
“Nice to see you getting settled in.” She set the jug and napkins on the table.
“It’s warm in here.”
“I’m glad to hear it. We had to replace the whole heating system last year and it cost a fortune.”
“I guess it would.” He sat opposite her. The light brought out the red tones in his dark auburn hair. He nodded at the casserole dish. “Smells great.”
Lucy helped herself and let Caleb do the same. A comfortable silence fell between them, enhanced by the ticking of the kitchen clock and the patter of hailstones on the windowpanes. It felt like they were the only two people in the world and that she was living out her most personal of fantasies. Except, in her dreams, after dinner, Caleb would sweep her off her feet and carry her up the stairs to bed.
She took another peep at his face, only to find his gray gaze trained on her.
“What is it?” She touched her nose. “Is there something else on my face?”
“I was just looking.” He paused. “I’d forgotten how pretty you are.”
She took a hasty sip of her lemonade and ended up choking herself so badly that Caleb had to get up and slap her on the back.
After he resumed his seat, she jumped out of hers, and started collecting the plates.
“There’s apple pie and ice cream if you’re still hungry?”
“Apple pie would be good, but I’m avoiding anything with the word ice in it.”
“I hear ya.” Lucy nodded. “I’ll warm some up for you.”
He grimaced. “I guess I should try and call Dad while you’re doing that.”
“You go ahead.”
She determinedly turned her back as he held the phone to his ear and eventually started speaking.
“Dad? It’s me. I should be with you by Christmas Day. Anything you want me to bring from town for you? Call me back when you get a chance.”
He set the phone on the countertop and looked over at Lucy. She decided not to ask him why it would take him four days to travel the eight miles up to the ranch.
“He almost never answers his cell or landline.”
“My grandma was the same. She always answered the B&B number, but never her own phone. It’s probably a generational thing.”
“Did she leave you this place?”
“Yup.” Lucy smoothed a hand over the scarred surface of the pine table. “I think I’m the only one in the family who loved it as much as she did.”
“What about your parents?”
“Back in Seattle. Dad’s working at the hospital and Mom’s a tenured professor at the university.”
Caleb nodded. “I hear from Dan occasionally.”
