proud of you for going out there and trying something, living on your own and for having the good sense to come back.”
Valerie felt a pull at the corner of her mouth. She smiled and turned to see her mother facing her from the sink with the same smile on her face. Her mother raised her eyebrows at Valerie. “Now, it’s about time you tell me about Russell.”
A laugh crept out of Valerie and she shook her head. If only her mother knew what an absurd request that was. Though her mother had a way of pumping her for information that made her want to spill her guts, there was little she could share without sounding like a lunatic.
She sighed and thought back to that first day when he was sitting alone at table twelve. “He came into the diner where I work and on the second day, he asked me out,” she replied getting back to rolling out the pie crust.
She rolled the wooden cylinder back and forth with even pressure until the dough was a nine-inch diameter circle. Though it had been a job simply to pay the bills and occupy her days, she really enjoyed working at Penny’s. Valerie had learned a lot of Penny’s baking secrets and had developed a love for the kitchen.
She’d always liked cooking but there was something about baking from scratch that soothed her soul. It was an accomplishment and relaxation all in one.
“He’s awfully nice, Val. I’m glad you brought him here. He just has a genuine glow about him, doesn’t he?” her mother said sweetly.
Flashes of memory assaulted Valerie’s mind the instant her mother said the words. First, a speck of light on his fingertip the first time they touched followed by a second sparking connection. She remembered an odd glare when she covered his hand with hers as they shared warm drinks on the park bench. Her mind sped up and she tried to assemble the pictures she remembered. The night they arrived she thought she saw flickering lights throughout her room as he touched her face, wiping her tears away. A glow about him , she thought.
“Yeah … I guess he does,” she breathed.
“He ain’t bad on the eyes either, sugar. Mmm.”
Valerie glanced over at her mother, surprised by her boldly stated opinion and saw her peering out the window. She bounced across the kitchen nearly shoving her mother out of the way to peek out. Through the window above the sink Valerie saw Russell moving through the grass toward the house. His shirt was darkened in a V at his chest from sweat and his hair was pushed back from his face. She sighed at the sight of him and her mother chuckled at her side.
“Oh, hush,” Valerie chided.
Her mother’s hand went up in defense but a grin stayed plastered on her face. “Don’t get mad at me. You’re the one who can’t look at the man without swoonin’.”
She shifted her jaw remembering that her mother knew her too well. “I never swoon,” she said through gritted teeth. Her mother was still giggling when Russell walked in. He immediately locked eyes with Valerie and she saw the sweat across his brow. Much to her dismay, she wanted to swoon.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said.
“Thanks for helping George, Russell. He’s needed to hire a hand for a while. I guess you came along at just the right time,” Valerie’s mother said, staring right at her daughter knowingly. Valerie gave her mother a wide eyed look, wordlessly begging her to be quiet.
His eyes pulled her in, so brilliant and enthralling. She wanted to reach out and touch him but her mind flashed with memories of the light from his skin again. She remembered it more clearly now. Staring at him, she felt her face grow warm knowing she wanted his touch again.
“Do we have plans for tonight?” he asked. Valerie breathed in his scent and wondered how much longer she could take his secrecy. The light and the warmth he conjured in her veins at the simplest touch … Whatever it meant wasn’t enough to stop her from wanting him.
Chapter Seventeen
It had been
Valerie felt a pull at the corner of her mouth. She smiled and turned to see her mother facing her from the sink with the same smile on her face. Her mother raised her eyebrows at Valerie. “Now, it’s about time you tell me about Russell.”
A laugh crept out of Valerie and she shook her head. If only her mother knew what an absurd request that was. Though her mother had a way of pumping her for information that made her want to spill her guts, there was little she could share without sounding like a lunatic.
She sighed and thought back to that first day when he was sitting alone at table twelve. “He came into the diner where I work and on the second day, he asked me out,” she replied getting back to rolling out the pie crust.
She rolled the wooden cylinder back and forth with even pressure until the dough was a nine-inch diameter circle. Though it had been a job simply to pay the bills and occupy her days, she really enjoyed working at Penny’s. Valerie had learned a lot of Penny’s baking secrets and had developed a love for the kitchen.
She’d always liked cooking but there was something about baking from scratch that soothed her soul. It was an accomplishment and relaxation all in one.
“He’s awfully nice, Val. I’m glad you brought him here. He just has a genuine glow about him, doesn’t he?” her mother said sweetly.
Flashes of memory assaulted Valerie’s mind the instant her mother said the words. First, a speck of light on his fingertip the first time they touched followed by a second sparking connection. She remembered an odd glare when she covered his hand with hers as they shared warm drinks on the park bench. Her mind sped up and she tried to assemble the pictures she remembered. The night they arrived she thought she saw flickering lights throughout her room as he touched her face, wiping her tears away. A glow about him , she thought.
“Yeah … I guess he does,” she breathed.
“He ain’t bad on the eyes either, sugar. Mmm.”
Valerie glanced over at her mother, surprised by her boldly stated opinion and saw her peering out the window. She bounced across the kitchen nearly shoving her mother out of the way to peek out. Through the window above the sink Valerie saw Russell moving through the grass toward the house. His shirt was darkened in a V at his chest from sweat and his hair was pushed back from his face. She sighed at the sight of him and her mother chuckled at her side.
“Oh, hush,” Valerie chided.
Her mother’s hand went up in defense but a grin stayed plastered on her face. “Don’t get mad at me. You’re the one who can’t look at the man without swoonin’.”
She shifted her jaw remembering that her mother knew her too well. “I never swoon,” she said through gritted teeth. Her mother was still giggling when Russell walked in. He immediately locked eyes with Valerie and she saw the sweat across his brow. Much to her dismay, she wanted to swoon.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said.
“Thanks for helping George, Russell. He’s needed to hire a hand for a while. I guess you came along at just the right time,” Valerie’s mother said, staring right at her daughter knowingly. Valerie gave her mother a wide eyed look, wordlessly begging her to be quiet.
His eyes pulled her in, so brilliant and enthralling. She wanted to reach out and touch him but her mind flashed with memories of the light from his skin again. She remembered it more clearly now. Staring at him, she felt her face grow warm knowing she wanted his touch again.
“Do we have plans for tonight?” he asked. Valerie breathed in his scent and wondered how much longer she could take his secrecy. The light and the warmth he conjured in her veins at the simplest touch … Whatever it meant wasn’t enough to stop her from wanting him.
Chapter Seventeen
It had been
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