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A moment later, another text popped up from Meg, causing Amanda to grin.
Oh, honey, I live for these dramatic moments! Go on, spill the juicy details!
Amanda's fingers moved across the screen as she painted a vivid picture of the evening. She described every moment, amplifying everything for Meg's entertainment.
Picture this: Jackson, the culinary knight, transforming the messy kitchen into a shining sanctuary of domestic bliss. And his gaze! Oh, it could rival the intensity of a thousand sunsets. It's like he was trying to solve the mysteries of the universe with just one look. And then, just when I thought my heart couldn't handle any more, his lips brushed against my forehead with a touch that sent tingles down my spine.
Meg's response was swift.
Oh, my, you've stumbled upon the recipe for a swoon-inducing romance! I can practically hear the swooshing of hearts melting around you. Tell me, did you unsheathe his sword?
Amanda read the message twice to make sure she was reading it right. Meg was asking if she'd seen him naked. She chuckled nervously and tiptoed around the truth by responding with:
We've only known each other for three days.
Dots lit up her phone screen, and then Meg replied:
Then you've waited the required time for a Cosmo girl!
Amanda rolled her eyes at Meg's quip but smiled as she pictured Jackson's chiseled features. She bit her lip before continuing.
This is true, but I'm not that kind of girl. I don't kiss on the first date ... or the second!
She waited for what seemed like a lifetime, but it was probably only seconds.
Oh, so you've had several dates?
You caught me.
You know what that makes you?
Amanda laughed out loud.
A ho?
Meg had a different idea in mind because her following text read:
A modern-day princess!
Amanda blushed at the comparison and scrunched up her nose in playful embarrassment. Deep down inside, she knew Meg was right. Her life was an enchanted dream come true.
After Amanda typed good night and hit send, she giggled to herself. Their friendship was a haven of laughter and shared joy.
With a contented sigh, Amanda set her phone aside, turned off the light, and snuggled into her bed. The weight of the day's events caught up with her, pulling her into the comforting embrace of sleep.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Amanda’s lips lingered against his, her arms wrapping around his neck, her body pressed so close, they were like one. His eyes snapped open, the rude awakening coming in the form of a cold splash against his forehead. The room was still dim, the first light of dawn creeping in through the window, but the recurring drip, drip, drip echoing around the space was hard to ignore, as was his soaking-wet pillowcase.
“Seriously?” he muttered, squinting up at the discolored patch of wood on his ceiling where last night’s snowmelt had found an escape. With a groan of resignation, he tossed off the warm blankets, bracing himself against the sting of the chilly wooden floor beneath his bare feet.
He made his way to his old army footlocker. He knew he had a mason jar full of change and a roll of duct tape. He emptied the coins, trying to keep the clanking to a minimum so he wouldn’t wake Amanda, then moved the bed, and placed the jar beneath the leak. The water drip, drip, dripped, creating a sound like a metronome.
“Leaking roofs and chilly mornings, eh, Gunner?” he murmured to the dog sprawled across his rug. Gunner’s tail thumped against the floor in response.
Pulling on his flannel shirt, the cold material prickling his skin, he peered out the unbroken part of his window at the faintly lightening horizon. “Still wouldn’t trade this, would we, boy?” Gunner’s answering bark echoed in the quiet morning, sealing their pact.
He put his finger to his lips and said, “Shhh, you’re going to wake her up.” He tugged on his pants and pulled a chair from the corner to right under the leak. He found himself in an absurdly domestic battle—him against the stubborn drip. “If I can get this to slow down, it’ll give me time to get into town and gather whatever supplies I need to fix this.”
