dropped in a basket on the kitchen bar, magazines tossed in a basket beside the couch.
There were books everywhere, on bookshelves in the living room, a stack on the hallway table to be returned to the library, a half-dozen more piled up on the floor at the end of the couch, most with a bookmark indicating where she had left off reading.
The first time he had seen her home, he had been impressed with how well it reflected her personality. It wasn’t coordinated as a decorator would do it, but it was visually restful and functionally useful.
Rae was a lady who liked pictures, most of the shelves and a few of the tables had framed snapshots. Her family. Dave and Lace. Leo.
Rae had a picture of Leo on the shelf beside her mom’s novels. It was a candid snapshot, obviously taken by either Lace or Dave, at the cabin where they had vacationed. Leo had been in the kitchen making waffles, Rae leaning against his back and reaching around to swipe a strawberry. The snapshot told James a lot. Leo had turned to say something to Rae, and the expression on his face as he looked at her had been unguarded. Leo had been in love with Rae. It was there in his face and his eyes.
He had been a good man.
Everything Dave and Lace said, everything Rae herself reflected, told him that.
The fact Rae had kept the snapshot, displayed it as she did, was a tribute to the fact the love had been returned.
The pictures of Rae with Leo, other pictures around, had given him a glimpse of a Rae he had not met, one who was relaxed, happy, not yet touched by grief.
Her smile was returning, but it was a slow process.
God, are You sure an invitation is the right thing to do? I’m back to waffling again.
James followed the sound of laughter to the deck just in time to see Dave duck the spray of the water hose Lace was holding. She had obviously been trying to help with the flaring flames licking the charcoal and threatening to burn the ribs, but she hadn’t been ready for the fact Rae had turned the valve on.
James bit back a laugh at the scene.
Lace meekly turned the hose over to a Dave who was now standing in wet shoes. “Sorry, David.”
Dave wiped the water off his forearm, gave a long-suffering sigh. “You know, the first time I could write it off as an accident, but the third time? I swear you just like to get me soaked, Lace.”
“Would some iced tea make it better?”
He tweaked a lock of her hair at the amusement in her voice. “Make it a soda with caffeine. I have a feeling I’m going to need it tonight.”
The wind shifted and James got a smell of the cooking ribs. A day working on a house made a man hungry. He stepped out onto the deck.
“Hi, James.” Rae walked onto the deck, pausing beside him.
She was beautiful tonight, her hair pulled back in a gold barrette, the length brushing her shoulders. The pearls were a sharp contrast to the black sweater. He didn’t see her wear jewelry very often. “Hi, Rae. Looks like I got here just in time.”
“Be glad you weren’t here a few minutes earlier, you would have probably gotten doused as well.”
She seemed a little uncertain around him, not meeting his glance. James wondered ruefully what was wrong. He wished she would relax around him like she did with Dave.
“James, can I get you a drink?” Lace asked.
Lace, as always, was dressed casually, yet looking like a fashion model. “A soft drink would be fine,” he replied, returning her smile.
“I made my special sauce I was telling you about. You are going to like these ribs.” James accepted the inevitable and went to join Dave.
James settled in with Dave, talking food, and looking around the yard, noting a few things that needed to be done. Rae didn’t have enough time in her life to keep a yard landscaped, he knew that, but there was evidence that in the past she had tried.
The trellis with the grapevines needed to have a few slats added to bear the weight of the full vines. And her rosebushes were in full
There were books everywhere, on bookshelves in the living room, a stack on the hallway table to be returned to the library, a half-dozen more piled up on the floor at the end of the couch, most with a bookmark indicating where she had left off reading.
The first time he had seen her home, he had been impressed with how well it reflected her personality. It wasn’t coordinated as a decorator would do it, but it was visually restful and functionally useful.
Rae was a lady who liked pictures, most of the shelves and a few of the tables had framed snapshots. Her family. Dave and Lace. Leo.
Rae had a picture of Leo on the shelf beside her mom’s novels. It was a candid snapshot, obviously taken by either Lace or Dave, at the cabin where they had vacationed. Leo had been in the kitchen making waffles, Rae leaning against his back and reaching around to swipe a strawberry. The snapshot told James a lot. Leo had turned to say something to Rae, and the expression on his face as he looked at her had been unguarded. Leo had been in love with Rae. It was there in his face and his eyes.
He had been a good man.
Everything Dave and Lace said, everything Rae herself reflected, told him that.
The fact Rae had kept the snapshot, displayed it as she did, was a tribute to the fact the love had been returned.
The pictures of Rae with Leo, other pictures around, had given him a glimpse of a Rae he had not met, one who was relaxed, happy, not yet touched by grief.
Her smile was returning, but it was a slow process.
God, are You sure an invitation is the right thing to do? I’m back to waffling again.
James followed the sound of laughter to the deck just in time to see Dave duck the spray of the water hose Lace was holding. She had obviously been trying to help with the flaring flames licking the charcoal and threatening to burn the ribs, but she hadn’t been ready for the fact Rae had turned the valve on.
James bit back a laugh at the scene.
Lace meekly turned the hose over to a Dave who was now standing in wet shoes. “Sorry, David.”
Dave wiped the water off his forearm, gave a long-suffering sigh. “You know, the first time I could write it off as an accident, but the third time? I swear you just like to get me soaked, Lace.”
“Would some iced tea make it better?”
He tweaked a lock of her hair at the amusement in her voice. “Make it a soda with caffeine. I have a feeling I’m going to need it tonight.”
The wind shifted and James got a smell of the cooking ribs. A day working on a house made a man hungry. He stepped out onto the deck.
“Hi, James.” Rae walked onto the deck, pausing beside him.
She was beautiful tonight, her hair pulled back in a gold barrette, the length brushing her shoulders. The pearls were a sharp contrast to the black sweater. He didn’t see her wear jewelry very often. “Hi, Rae. Looks like I got here just in time.”
“Be glad you weren’t here a few minutes earlier, you would have probably gotten doused as well.”
She seemed a little uncertain around him, not meeting his glance. James wondered ruefully what was wrong. He wished she would relax around him like she did with Dave.
“James, can I get you a drink?” Lace asked.
Lace, as always, was dressed casually, yet looking like a fashion model. “A soft drink would be fine,” he replied, returning her smile.
“I made my special sauce I was telling you about. You are going to like these ribs.” James accepted the inevitable and went to join Dave.
James settled in with Dave, talking food, and looking around the yard, noting a few things that needed to be done. Rae didn’t have enough time in her life to keep a yard landscaped, he knew that, but there was evidence that in the past she had tried.
The trellis with the grapevines needed to have a few slats added to bear the weight of the full vines. And her rosebushes were in full
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