name.
Paul made his way up the steps, and inside, the aroma of bacon filled the air, as if welcoming him home. A moment later, Adrienne
pushed through the swinging doors.
She was wearing jeans and a light blue sweater that accented the color of her eyes. In the morning light, they were almost
turquoise, reminding him of crystal skies in spring.
“You were up early,” she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
To Paul, the gesture seemed oddly sensual, and he wiped at the sweat on his brow. “Yeah, I wanted to get my run out of the
way before the rest of the day starts.”
“Did it go okay?”
“I’ve felt better, but at least it’s done.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “It smells great in here, by the way.”
“I started breakfast while you were out.” She motioned over her shoulder. “Do you want to eat now or wait a little?”
“I’d like to shower first, if that’s okay.”
“It’s fine. I was thinking of making grits, which take twenty minutes anyway. How do you want your eggs?”
“Scrambled?”
“I think I can manage that.” She paused, liking the frankness of his stare and letting it continue for a moment longer. “Let
me get the bacon before it burns,” she finally said. “See you in a few?”
“Sure.”
After watching her go, Paul climbed the steps to his room, shaking his head, thinking how nice she’d looked. He took off his
clothes, rinsed his shirt in the sink and hung it over the curtain rod, then turned the faucet. As Adrienne had warned, it
took a while before the hot water came on.
He showered, shaved, and threw on a pair of Dockers, a collared shirt, and loafers, then went to join her. In the kitchen,
Adrienne had set the table and was carrying the last two bowls to the table, one with toast, the other with sliced fruit.
As Paul moved around her, he caught a trace of the jasmine shampoo she’d used on her hair that morning.
“I hope you don’t mind if I join you again,” she said.
Paul pulled out her chair. “Not at all. In fact, I was hoping you would. Please.” He motioned for her to sit.
She let him push her chair in for her, then watched him take his seat as well. “I tried to scrounge up a paper,” she said,
“but the rack at the general store was already empty by the time I got there.”
“I’m not surprised. There were lots of people out this morning. I guess everyone’s wondering how bad it’s going to be today.”
“It doesn’t look much worse than it did yesterday.”
“That’s because you don’t live here.”
“You don’t live here, either.”
“No, but I’ve been in a big storm before. In fact, did I ever tell you about the time I was in college and went down to Wilmington…”
Adrienne laughed. “And you swore you never told that story.”
“I guess it’s coming easier now that I’ve broken the ice. And it’s my one good story. Everything else is boring.”
“I doubt that. From what you’ve told me, I’m thinking that your life has been anything but boring.”
He smiled, unsure if she meant it as a compliment, but pleased nonetheless.
“What did Jean say had to be done today?”
Adrienne scooped out some eggs and passed the bowl to ward him.
“Well, the furniture on the porches needs to be stored in the shed. The windows need to be closed and the shutters latched
from the inside. Then, the hurricane guards have to be put up. Supposedly, they lock together and there are some hooks you
drop in to keep them in place; after that, we brace them with two-by-fours. The wood for that is supposed to be stacked with
the hurricane guards.”
“She has a ladder, I hope.”
“It’s under the house, too.”
“It doesn’t sound too bad. But like I said yesterday, I’d be happy to help you with it after I get back.”
She looked at him. “You sure? You don’t have to do this.”
“It’s no bother. I don’t have anything else planned, anyway. And to be honest, it
Paul made his way up the steps, and inside, the aroma of bacon filled the air, as if welcoming him home. A moment later, Adrienne
pushed through the swinging doors.
She was wearing jeans and a light blue sweater that accented the color of her eyes. In the morning light, they were almost
turquoise, reminding him of crystal skies in spring.
“You were up early,” she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
To Paul, the gesture seemed oddly sensual, and he wiped at the sweat on his brow. “Yeah, I wanted to get my run out of the
way before the rest of the day starts.”
“Did it go okay?”
“I’ve felt better, but at least it’s done.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “It smells great in here, by the way.”
“I started breakfast while you were out.” She motioned over her shoulder. “Do you want to eat now or wait a little?”
“I’d like to shower first, if that’s okay.”
“It’s fine. I was thinking of making grits, which take twenty minutes anyway. How do you want your eggs?”
“Scrambled?”
“I think I can manage that.” She paused, liking the frankness of his stare and letting it continue for a moment longer. “Let
me get the bacon before it burns,” she finally said. “See you in a few?”
“Sure.”
After watching her go, Paul climbed the steps to his room, shaking his head, thinking how nice she’d looked. He took off his
clothes, rinsed his shirt in the sink and hung it over the curtain rod, then turned the faucet. As Adrienne had warned, it
took a while before the hot water came on.
He showered, shaved, and threw on a pair of Dockers, a collared shirt, and loafers, then went to join her. In the kitchen,
Adrienne had set the table and was carrying the last two bowls to the table, one with toast, the other with sliced fruit.
As Paul moved around her, he caught a trace of the jasmine shampoo she’d used on her hair that morning.
“I hope you don’t mind if I join you again,” she said.
Paul pulled out her chair. “Not at all. In fact, I was hoping you would. Please.” He motioned for her to sit.
She let him push her chair in for her, then watched him take his seat as well. “I tried to scrounge up a paper,” she said,
“but the rack at the general store was already empty by the time I got there.”
“I’m not surprised. There were lots of people out this morning. I guess everyone’s wondering how bad it’s going to be today.”
“It doesn’t look much worse than it did yesterday.”
“That’s because you don’t live here.”
“You don’t live here, either.”
“No, but I’ve been in a big storm before. In fact, did I ever tell you about the time I was in college and went down to Wilmington…”
Adrienne laughed. “And you swore you never told that story.”
“I guess it’s coming easier now that I’ve broken the ice. And it’s my one good story. Everything else is boring.”
“I doubt that. From what you’ve told me, I’m thinking that your life has been anything but boring.”
He smiled, unsure if she meant it as a compliment, but pleased nonetheless.
“What did Jean say had to be done today?”
Adrienne scooped out some eggs and passed the bowl to ward him.
“Well, the furniture on the porches needs to be stored in the shed. The windows need to be closed and the shutters latched
from the inside. Then, the hurricane guards have to be put up. Supposedly, they lock together and there are some hooks you
drop in to keep them in place; after that, we brace them with two-by-fours. The wood for that is supposed to be stacked with
the hurricane guards.”
“She has a ladder, I hope.”
“It’s under the house, too.”
“It doesn’t sound too bad. But like I said yesterday, I’d be happy to help you with it after I get back.”
She looked at him. “You sure? You don’t have to do this.”
“It’s no bother. I don’t have anything else planned, anyway. And to be honest, it
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