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“Yeah, I just… I’m just blown away at how easy this is between us and how it just kind of feels perfect. I keep expecting something to go wrong or for one of us to get on the other person’s nerves, but…” she hesitated. “It’s not, and I can’t see it happening either.”
Kyle looked at her for several moments, making her wonder if she’d said too much or put her foot in her mouth. Especially when he came around the counter to hold her hands.
His warm fingers held hers, his callused thumbs brushing over her knuckles as he stared at her with those beautiful hazel eyes she could fall right into… realizing they were full of wonder and emotion.
“You winning that auction has changed my life,” he whispered tenderly. “It changed my life, my outlook, my world… and I treasure every second that I get to spend with you.”
“You do?”
“Very much so,” he smiled softly. “If it’s yanking up toilets, falling off fire escapes, or digging out vent kittens, all to save the woman I adore – I’m in.”
She laughed tearfully as she looked up at him, seeing that his own eyes were glossy with emotions. They stood there together, just gazing at each other and holding hands, as if so much was already being said with a look that words were not necessary.
“I love what we have…” he whispered, causing her to draw in her breath nervously as she realized what this emotion building within her was. It wasn’t just happiness or contentment at being with him. This deep sense of joy and yearning was love for this man before her. “… And I’m willing to try anything to put a smile on that beautiful face - and in your heart.”
“Oh Kyle…” she breathed shakily, the intensity of the moment swirling around them, making her head spin, because everything was going so fast it was a little frightening – and she knew he could see it.
His smile fell a little as he stepped back, releasing her hands.
“I’m going to tackle the counter while you work on decorating, okay? I watched a few YouTube videos to learn how to do this, and hopefully I don’t botch things up,” he began, stepping back to where he was.
“Are you okay?” she asked nervously, unmoving.
“Yeah,” he replied brightly. “Why wouldn’t I be? I just have a lot to tackle today, and not looking forward to being away from you for the next seventy-two hours. Can I pester you on Thursday?”
“You aren’t pestering me…”
“I’m glad.”
“Why don’t you come over Thursday afternoon and I’ll make something for dinner?”
“I’d like that.”
Hours later, snacking on bites of pizza between hanging items and decorating every inch of the cafe, she and Kyle talked for forever about nothing and everything. He told her about the guys at the fire station and she laughed at his descriptions.
Austin and Andy sounded quite like a crazy duo.
She could hear the respect in his voice and admiration when he talked about Chief Carpenter. He really got along well with Chase… and Justin had him a little unnerved sometimes, because the man was so driven and pushy.
He really cared about his team – and she could tell by some of the antics he’d told her about that the feeling was mutual.
The boxes containing things were items she’d gathered around the house – and in the upstairs abandoned apartment. She hadn’t told Kyle that she’d gone up there alone because he worried, but she had found several old frame photographs that couldn’t just waste away or be hidden. No, it fit in perfectly to her new theme…
Far Away Café.
She wanted old-timey things, whimsical mementos, and a feeling of time gone past, mixed with fairytales. There had to be a welcoming, warm feeling, combined with a sense of wonder… and this was her tribute to her family in a way.
There were photographs of her great-grandparents on the farm, photos of her grandparents as they opened the grocery here, a picture of her mother as a little girl… and a picture of Yam that she had just gotten framed.
Her little orange vent monster.
She loved that precious kitten so much –almost as much as she loved Kyle, she thought quietly, glancing at him in the distance. He was hard at work, rubbing the wood of the massive case, getting every nook and swirl with the wax treatment… and he was right.
It would have been a shame to paint it.
There were so many hand-carved scallops, swirls, and ‘rope’ borders carved into the wood that was made with love so many years ago by some unknown carpenter. She wished she had a chance to ask her grandparents who made it, and had yet to find a name anywhere on the creation.
The counter was the single masterpiece that brought the entire room together. It was nearly ten feet long and curved back at the end to meet the massive wall of shelves behind it.
