Page 91 of The Promise Of Rain

I promised Ansel I’d bring him my homemade chicken noodle soup, worried as always that his cold would turn into something much more threatening.

Deacon and I spent the rest of the afternoon in Buns and Biscuits’ fabulous kitchen.I baked and made Ansel’s soup while Deacon made us dinner.

We ate at the front counter.

I wanted to invite him upstairs, I desperately wanted him in my space, but the fear it would turn into a memory left to torture me stopped me.

After dinner, Deacon walked me up the inside stairs, wrapped me in his arms and stood unmoving for a long time before finally kissing me goodnight and leaving through the back door.

I watched him trot down the heavily salted steps, huffing out a soft laugh at his sweet attention and care.

If someone told me ten years ago that we’d have a second chance, I wouldn’t have believed them.

I stayed at the door until he backed out of his spot, then waved.

He flashed his lights and waited.

Shaking my head but smiling, I closed and locked the door.

My phone immediately rang.

I snapped it up with a smile on my face and in my voice.“Miss me already?”

There was no answer.

“Hello?”

I heard someone breathing on the other line.Maybe he dialled by accident?

“Deacon?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the screen.

Unknown Number.

A chill slithered down my spine.

I ended the call and threw the phone on the coffee table.

“Don’t be paranoid, Jenny,” I murmured.“It’s just a wrong number.”

I double-checked the lock on both doors, then stood twisting my hands in front of the door leading down to the bakery.

Everything in me wanted to check the staircase to ease my mind, but I couldn’t do it.

I pulled my armchair over to block the door and gave myself a good, mental shake.I would not let that one incident steal my peace.

I cuddled up with a hot tea and lit my lavender candle.

Tugging a soft blanket over my legs, I steadied my breathing.Surprisingly, other than a few raised eyebrows, there hadn’t been much of a response from the good people of Moose Lake to us being a couple.

Perhaps things would be easier than I thought.

After all, I was no longer the villain in our story.

Monday night I went to bed filled with hope and more than a little courage.

Tuesday morning, the whispers started in earnest.