twenty years.”
He reached for her hand, but she pulled away as she leaned over for the box she carried in.
“Unfortunately, she runs faster than I do.” He winked at me.
He tried again to move, but Emma placed the box between them. He grinned at her, obviously enjoying the challenge.
Caleb wasn’t budging, so to make him stop, I reached up and gently pinched the enormous bulges. I was right, they were rock hard. He put his arm down with a smile.
“Isaac, I didn’t know your grandson was going to be here.” The way Emma glanced in my direction it seemed her statement was aimed at me.
It was probably just my imagination. Although, after last month she had to understand there was something weird about me, at least around boys.
Caleb leaned closer.
Isaac shrugged “I didn’t know either. He just showed up at my door last night and we’ve been bachelor’ing it together.” He spoke to me. “Caleb is a very good cook.” His eyes didn’t stray long from Emma. “He made me an omelet this morning that was almost as good as yours.”
The gleam in his eye hinted at something personal. Even Destiny’s brows rose.
Emma must’ve read our faces. “Isaac was sick and I came over and made him an omelet, fifteen years ago.” She frowned at him. “Back then, it was good for you. You know very well you shouldn’t be eating eggs, now.”
He grinned at her concern. “I’ve always known you cared about me.” He leaned closer.
She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back. “Yes, I care about all my friends.”
Lightly, he placed his hand on hers. “Very good friends.”
She gently pulled her hand away. She was … blushing? “I think I’ll start tea.” She stood and he leaned to follow. “No, Isaac, I want you to tell the girls about how Talkeetna was settled.” She picked up the box and went to the kitchen.
I wanted to go with her, to get away from Caleb, but it would’ve been rude not to stay and listen to the older man. Meanwhile, Caleb practically sat on the arm of the love seat as he strived to get closer. I leaned as far over as I could without displacing Destiny. She thought it was funny and watched Caleb, waiting for his next move. As strong as he was, I was afraid of what that might be.
Isaac stared lovingly after Emma until she disappeared into the kitchen.
Heaving a deep sigh, he turned to us. “She will always be the one that got away.” He looked wistfully at the kitchen door, but when he turned his attention to us, he had a mischievous grin. He raised his voice. “The real reason she wants me to stay and tell you a boring story is because she doesn’t trust herself to be alone with me.” He chuckled. “She’s afraid I’ll whisk her off her feet.” He winked at Destiny.
He didn’t look like he could whisk the dirt off the floor, let alone the ever active Emma.
Caleb stroked my hair and leaned closer to look in my averted eyes. When my glasses fogged I knew it was time to move. Scooting away from him and off the love seat, I nudged Destiny and took her place. She eagerly moved over and into Caleb’s outstretched arms. She gave him one of her dazzling smiles. He frowned and put his arm on the back of the couch.
Huh? Caleb didn't respond to Destiny, which must’ve been a first for her.
She frowned and folded her arms over her chest. “What am I, chopped liver?”
Isaac laughed as Emma returned with a tray of tea and brownies.
He looked longingly at Emma then back to us. “No, Destiny, you’re beautiful, but you can’t change another’s heart.” He and Emma traded knowing looks.
The making of a very good story simmered between them.
Meanwhile, Caleb leaned all the way over and reached his arm along the back of the love seat until he was able to place his hand on my shoulder. I pushed Destiny against his arm and moved forward in my seat. She stifled a giggle.
Emma served tea, as only Emma could. Even though we were in a tiny room, in a modest home, she
He reached for her hand, but she pulled away as she leaned over for the box she carried in.
“Unfortunately, she runs faster than I do.” He winked at me.
He tried again to move, but Emma placed the box between them. He grinned at her, obviously enjoying the challenge.
Caleb wasn’t budging, so to make him stop, I reached up and gently pinched the enormous bulges. I was right, they were rock hard. He put his arm down with a smile.
“Isaac, I didn’t know your grandson was going to be here.” The way Emma glanced in my direction it seemed her statement was aimed at me.
It was probably just my imagination. Although, after last month she had to understand there was something weird about me, at least around boys.
Caleb leaned closer.
Isaac shrugged “I didn’t know either. He just showed up at my door last night and we’ve been bachelor’ing it together.” He spoke to me. “Caleb is a very good cook.” His eyes didn’t stray long from Emma. “He made me an omelet this morning that was almost as good as yours.”
The gleam in his eye hinted at something personal. Even Destiny’s brows rose.
Emma must’ve read our faces. “Isaac was sick and I came over and made him an omelet, fifteen years ago.” She frowned at him. “Back then, it was good for you. You know very well you shouldn’t be eating eggs, now.”
He grinned at her concern. “I’ve always known you cared about me.” He leaned closer.
She put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back. “Yes, I care about all my friends.”
Lightly, he placed his hand on hers. “Very good friends.”
She gently pulled her hand away. She was … blushing? “I think I’ll start tea.” She stood and he leaned to follow. “No, Isaac, I want you to tell the girls about how Talkeetna was settled.” She picked up the box and went to the kitchen.
I wanted to go with her, to get away from Caleb, but it would’ve been rude not to stay and listen to the older man. Meanwhile, Caleb practically sat on the arm of the love seat as he strived to get closer. I leaned as far over as I could without displacing Destiny. She thought it was funny and watched Caleb, waiting for his next move. As strong as he was, I was afraid of what that might be.
Isaac stared lovingly after Emma until she disappeared into the kitchen.
Heaving a deep sigh, he turned to us. “She will always be the one that got away.” He looked wistfully at the kitchen door, but when he turned his attention to us, he had a mischievous grin. He raised his voice. “The real reason she wants me to stay and tell you a boring story is because she doesn’t trust herself to be alone with me.” He chuckled. “She’s afraid I’ll whisk her off her feet.” He winked at Destiny.
He didn’t look like he could whisk the dirt off the floor, let alone the ever active Emma.
Caleb stroked my hair and leaned closer to look in my averted eyes. When my glasses fogged I knew it was time to move. Scooting away from him and off the love seat, I nudged Destiny and took her place. She eagerly moved over and into Caleb’s outstretched arms. She gave him one of her dazzling smiles. He frowned and put his arm on the back of the couch.
Huh? Caleb didn't respond to Destiny, which must’ve been a first for her.
She frowned and folded her arms over her chest. “What am I, chopped liver?”
Isaac laughed as Emma returned with a tray of tea and brownies.
He looked longingly at Emma then back to us. “No, Destiny, you’re beautiful, but you can’t change another’s heart.” He and Emma traded knowing looks.
The making of a very good story simmered between them.
Meanwhile, Caleb leaned all the way over and reached his arm along the back of the love seat until he was able to place his hand on my shoulder. I pushed Destiny against his arm and moved forward in my seat. She stifled a giggle.
Emma served tea, as only Emma could. Even though we were in a tiny room, in a modest home, she
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