opened it and poured a glass for her friend, then poured golden apple juice for herself. Christa took a seat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, looking around. “I’ve never been in a house that had so many cool features. I mean, this kitchen alone is enough to make a chef drool.”
Indeed Jim had built in every amenity a person could want in a kitchen. “Tell me about it. If only I could cook.” Shannon laughed heartily and gestured around the room. “I should probably learn to use some of these things.”
Christa sat back, and Shannon felt her scrutiny for a few beats.
“What?” Shannon asked.
Finally, a huge smile spread across Christa’s face. “You’re absolutely glowing. I’ve never seen you looking so, so…well, happy.”
“God, Christa, I can’t even describe it. Drake is so good, so easy to be with. He’s just…”
Shannon let her words trail off, lost for how to describe her new life or how she fell more in love every day with her new husband. She shook her head. “I’m still a little awe struck. All I can say is no one person should be as happy as I am. But in the back of my mind, I’m waiting for everything to go to hell. I’m still a cynic where men are concerned.”
“I’m surprised things are going to well, to tell the truth,” Christa said. “From what you hear about Drake in the real estate world, he’s one ruthless sonofagun. ”
Shannon gave a little gasp. “Why, Christa Johnson, you’re the one who urged me to pursue a relationship with Drake.”
Christa frowned. “I know, I know. I still remember that conversation at the Red Rover. But honestly, you do hear and read what a control freak he is. And that he has consideration for what anyone else thinks or wants. I’m not saying he’s a bully, but with so many people saying that about him, some part of it must be true. I figured he’d be highhanded as a husband and hard to live with. And you’re so independent. I honestly thought there’d be fireworks.”
Shannon had had every one of those same thoughts at different times, but she had never voiced them. So far, she had no reason to. “I think he might be that way in his business deals. There’s so much money at stake in everything he does and he has a powerful instinct for doing the right thing.
“As for him and me, w e get along really well. We have the same views on most things. He gets a little bossy and overprotective sometimes, but not in a mean way. We’re both still learning to share the little things. He’s never been married. Never even lived with anyone, so he was used to making decisions without consulting someone else. He sometimes charges ahead and I have to remind him that we’re a twosome. It’s different for me. I’ve had a lot of practice considering how my decisions might affect someone else. I’ve rarely made a decision of any kind without thinking about how it would affect Grammy Evelyn and her cat.”
Just then, a sailboat with brilliantly colored sails caught her eye. “Oh, look, Christa, a sailboat.”
They sauntered to the window wall and looked out at the lake. The sailboat glided silently over the water, on its way to disappearing around a bend. A slight breeze broke the water’s surface and slashes of bright white light shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight. With the beginning of the weekend and the hot end-of-June-day, boats of all kinds had already gathered on the lake.
Christa turned to Shannon and lifted her glass in a toast. “Well, whatever happens, here’s to you, girlfriend. Amazing home in an incredible location and capturing one of the hottest guys in the whole damn state.”
Shannon touched Christa’s wine glass with her own glass. “ That must make me the luckiest girl in the whole damn state, huh?”
They sipped, then Christa shook her head and said, “The way you struggled to make Piper Real Estate Company work and the things you did without . This must feel like a dream. And your grandmother
Indeed Jim had built in every amenity a person could want in a kitchen. “Tell me about it. If only I could cook.” Shannon laughed heartily and gestured around the room. “I should probably learn to use some of these things.”
Christa sat back, and Shannon felt her scrutiny for a few beats.
“What?” Shannon asked.
Finally, a huge smile spread across Christa’s face. “You’re absolutely glowing. I’ve never seen you looking so, so…well, happy.”
“God, Christa, I can’t even describe it. Drake is so good, so easy to be with. He’s just…”
Shannon let her words trail off, lost for how to describe her new life or how she fell more in love every day with her new husband. She shook her head. “I’m still a little awe struck. All I can say is no one person should be as happy as I am. But in the back of my mind, I’m waiting for everything to go to hell. I’m still a cynic where men are concerned.”
“I’m surprised things are going to well, to tell the truth,” Christa said. “From what you hear about Drake in the real estate world, he’s one ruthless sonofagun. ”
Shannon gave a little gasp. “Why, Christa Johnson, you’re the one who urged me to pursue a relationship with Drake.”
Christa frowned. “I know, I know. I still remember that conversation at the Red Rover. But honestly, you do hear and read what a control freak he is. And that he has consideration for what anyone else thinks or wants. I’m not saying he’s a bully, but with so many people saying that about him, some part of it must be true. I figured he’d be highhanded as a husband and hard to live with. And you’re so independent. I honestly thought there’d be fireworks.”
Shannon had had every one of those same thoughts at different times, but she had never voiced them. So far, she had no reason to. “I think he might be that way in his business deals. There’s so much money at stake in everything he does and he has a powerful instinct for doing the right thing.
“As for him and me, w e get along really well. We have the same views on most things. He gets a little bossy and overprotective sometimes, but not in a mean way. We’re both still learning to share the little things. He’s never been married. Never even lived with anyone, so he was used to making decisions without consulting someone else. He sometimes charges ahead and I have to remind him that we’re a twosome. It’s different for me. I’ve had a lot of practice considering how my decisions might affect someone else. I’ve rarely made a decision of any kind without thinking about how it would affect Grammy Evelyn and her cat.”
Just then, a sailboat with brilliantly colored sails caught her eye. “Oh, look, Christa, a sailboat.”
They sauntered to the window wall and looked out at the lake. The sailboat glided silently over the water, on its way to disappearing around a bend. A slight breeze broke the water’s surface and slashes of bright white light shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight. With the beginning of the weekend and the hot end-of-June-day, boats of all kinds had already gathered on the lake.
Christa turned to Shannon and lifted her glass in a toast. “Well, whatever happens, here’s to you, girlfriend. Amazing home in an incredible location and capturing one of the hottest guys in the whole damn state.”
Shannon touched Christa’s wine glass with her own glass. “ That must make me the luckiest girl in the whole damn state, huh?”
They sipped, then Christa shook her head and said, “The way you struggled to make Piper Real Estate Company work and the things you did without . This must feel like a dream. And your grandmother
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