have never told me what you think of Jeremiah Jones.” Jeremiah had been watching TV but got interested in the phone conversation at the mention of his name. He leaned in close to hear her answer.
“I like him. He is so cute.”
Jeremiah looked at Dawn and winked. Then he leaned back into the couch cushions to finish watching his television program. Dawn and Emily talked for about five more minutes before hanging up.
“She’ll die of embarrassment if she ever finds out about that,” Dawn laughed as she set the phone back on its base. “She doesn’t know it yet, but if she finishes the school year with good grades and stays out of trouble, her mom is going to let her come visit me for the Coke 600 on Memorial Day weekend. It will be an early birthday present.”
“That will be great,” Jeremiah said. “I can’t wait to meet her and tell her what just happened.”
“I can’t wait to see that,” Dawn said just before covering her mouth for a yawn. “Sorry about that,” she said. “It’s been a long day.”
“I know. I’m leaving at five a.m. tomorrow for a test session in Atlanta. I guess I need to get home,” he said as he got off the sofa and headed toward the door.
“I’ll walk you out,” Dawn said and followed him. “Thanks for the flowers.”
“Thank you for the great dinner,” he said as they reached the door. He paused for a moment before continuing. “I know we agreed to just be friends but…” he stopped.
“But what?”
“But can I give you a small kiss good-night?” Dawn’s head dropped. “Okay. I’ll take that as a no. What about a friendly hug?”
Dawn raised her head to look at him again. “I’d like that.” She smiled.
He stepped forward and put his arms around her shoulders as he pulled her close. Oh, she smells so good , he thought as he enjoyed the moment. He stepped back and released her. He knew she was vulnerable and that he had hurt her once. He didn’t want to hurt her again.
“Oh, before you go, let me give you this.” She walked over to the kitchen counter and wrote something on a piece of paper. Then she walked back and handed it to him. “It’s my home and cell numbers.”
“Thank you,” he said. He wanted more, so much more from her, but he knew that she couldn’t give it now. Since he couldn’t think of anything else to say or do, he went home.
Dawn waited until his truck pulled out of the drive to turn off the porch light and close the front door. She walked over to the recliner, sat down, and picked up her Bible from the top of the bookshelf beside it. Lately, she had been struggling with what to read. The trouble was continuing tonight. Once settled, she would have to find a church in Charlotte and start going to Bible study again. Maybe that would give her the focus that she needed. She remembered Psalms 75:1 just then. “We give thanks to you, Oh God, we give thanks! For your wondrous works declare that your name is near.” She bowed her head and prayed, “Thank you, Father, for a place to live. It is better than I ever expected. Being in the country like this is almost like being home in Arkansas. Thank you for always watching over me and blessing me. It is just one of the many reasons why I love you so much. Thank you Father. Amen.”
Bryan picked Dawn up at eight-fifteen the next morning, just as promised, to take Dawn to the race shop. It took about forty-five minutes to get where they were going. This was Dawn’s first real look at the city of Charlotte. They had gotten in pretty late on Sunday night, and Dawn had spent most of the day yesterday settling into her new home. The traffic was terrible. It was the thing that Dawn had dreaded most about moving to the big city. This country girl always got so nervous trying to navigate through all the vehicles. Maybe Bryan would do all the driving, since he did that for a living.
Once at the office, Bryan gave Dawn the grand tour. In the front was the office area, where
“I like him. He is so cute.”
Jeremiah looked at Dawn and winked. Then he leaned back into the couch cushions to finish watching his television program. Dawn and Emily talked for about five more minutes before hanging up.
“She’ll die of embarrassment if she ever finds out about that,” Dawn laughed as she set the phone back on its base. “She doesn’t know it yet, but if she finishes the school year with good grades and stays out of trouble, her mom is going to let her come visit me for the Coke 600 on Memorial Day weekend. It will be an early birthday present.”
“That will be great,” Jeremiah said. “I can’t wait to meet her and tell her what just happened.”
“I can’t wait to see that,” Dawn said just before covering her mouth for a yawn. “Sorry about that,” she said. “It’s been a long day.”
“I know. I’m leaving at five a.m. tomorrow for a test session in Atlanta. I guess I need to get home,” he said as he got off the sofa and headed toward the door.
“I’ll walk you out,” Dawn said and followed him. “Thanks for the flowers.”
“Thank you for the great dinner,” he said as they reached the door. He paused for a moment before continuing. “I know we agreed to just be friends but…” he stopped.
“But what?”
“But can I give you a small kiss good-night?” Dawn’s head dropped. “Okay. I’ll take that as a no. What about a friendly hug?”
Dawn raised her head to look at him again. “I’d like that.” She smiled.
He stepped forward and put his arms around her shoulders as he pulled her close. Oh, she smells so good , he thought as he enjoyed the moment. He stepped back and released her. He knew she was vulnerable and that he had hurt her once. He didn’t want to hurt her again.
“Oh, before you go, let me give you this.” She walked over to the kitchen counter and wrote something on a piece of paper. Then she walked back and handed it to him. “It’s my home and cell numbers.”
“Thank you,” he said. He wanted more, so much more from her, but he knew that she couldn’t give it now. Since he couldn’t think of anything else to say or do, he went home.
Dawn waited until his truck pulled out of the drive to turn off the porch light and close the front door. She walked over to the recliner, sat down, and picked up her Bible from the top of the bookshelf beside it. Lately, she had been struggling with what to read. The trouble was continuing tonight. Once settled, she would have to find a church in Charlotte and start going to Bible study again. Maybe that would give her the focus that she needed. She remembered Psalms 75:1 just then. “We give thanks to you, Oh God, we give thanks! For your wondrous works declare that your name is near.” She bowed her head and prayed, “Thank you, Father, for a place to live. It is better than I ever expected. Being in the country like this is almost like being home in Arkansas. Thank you for always watching over me and blessing me. It is just one of the many reasons why I love you so much. Thank you Father. Amen.”
Bryan picked Dawn up at eight-fifteen the next morning, just as promised, to take Dawn to the race shop. It took about forty-five minutes to get where they were going. This was Dawn’s first real look at the city of Charlotte. They had gotten in pretty late on Sunday night, and Dawn had spent most of the day yesterday settling into her new home. The traffic was terrible. It was the thing that Dawn had dreaded most about moving to the big city. This country girl always got so nervous trying to navigate through all the vehicles. Maybe Bryan would do all the driving, since he did that for a living.
Once at the office, Bryan gave Dawn the grand tour. In the front was the office area, where
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