When Never Again Happens (Never Again Series Book 2)

by Jamie Lynn Boothe

  As coffee brewed he thought about when the moving truck with her things was supposed to arrive. He remembered she said something about them being there between noon and three o’clock. It was early yet, so they had time to get coffee and breakfast before they needed to go to her house. If she wasn’t awake by nine he would wake her up.

  Around eight-thirty he started making breakfast. He threw some diced peppers and cheese in a bowl full of beaten eggs while bacon was frying in the skillet. He opened the can of biscuits he had in the refrigerator and put them in the oven. He hoped by the time everything was ready she would be up and joining him. He wasn’t disappointed.

  As he was retrieving the bacon from its grease and placing it on a plate with paper towels, she shuffled into the kitchen. He hadn’t heard her walk into the room, so when she stepped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, he was startled and almost dropped the bacon on the floor.

  “Well, good morning, sleeping beauty! You caught me off guard.”

  “Good morning. Sorry about that.” She smiled as she hugged him tight. “The smell of the bacon woke me.”

  He set the plate on the counter, turned in her arms, and took her within his. He gave her a kiss on her forehead and she hummed into his chest. His grin spread like wildfire as he gazed upon her freckled face. She was still half asleep and her hair was a mess, but he loved every part of her.

  “I was going to wake you soon. I thought a good breakfast would be good for us both. How did you sleep?”

  “I slept like a baby and thank you for making breakfast. Do you need any help?”

  “Nope. I got this. You get some coffee and sit there looking pretty.”

  Laughing, she did as he suggested without argument.

  “You know I shouldn’t eat bacon, right? I mean, I love it, but it isn’t good for my heart.”

  “I do, and this is actually turkey bacon. It’s not bad for you and it’s pretty tasty. I think you’ll like it.”

  ***

  Sam

  Sam sat cross-legged at the dining room table sipping her steaming coffee and grinning at him. She couldn’t help thinking how cute he was and more importantly how thoughtful he was. It meant a lot to her. She watched him stirring the eggs into the skillet and checking on the biscuits. She hadn’t had a man cook for her in a long time and it felt good.

  “What time do you think the movers will be at your house?” he asked with his back to her.

  “They told me between noon and three o’clock, but we’ll see. I want to be over there around eleven-thirty in case they decide to surprise me and get there early. So, after I eat and shower I’m going to head over. You are going with me, right? Oh, wait! How come you ain’t at work?”

  He laughed and started scooping helpings of scrambled eggs onto their plates. He grinned at her and answered, “Just noticing that, huh? I called in today, and I’m taking tomorrow off, too. My boss said it’s fine. I’ll use a couple sick days. No biggie.”

  “Why, thank you, kind sir.”

  “You are quite welcome, madam,” he returned. “I have to get the biscuits. They should be ready.”

  Sam turned and faced the table, waiting with her elbows on the edge. She watched him as he removed the biscuits from the oven. She could see the muscles in his arms and back as he twisted and turned and could tell he had been working out. She had always known he was a handsome man, but she was so in love with Chris for so long, Junior’s good looks never did anything for her. Either that, or she never took the time to notice. Things had dramatically changed and she appreciated what she now saw in a much different light.

  Junior was a very attractive man. She took more notice to his blonde hair and deeply set blue eyes, to his deep voice and smile. She remembered how she felt the night before as they held each other and talked. She was tired last night, but not so much to where she didn’t notice her emotional and physical reactions to his kisses and being in his arms. They talked about taking it slow and they both meant it, but she was grateful for how he made her feel. She continued observing and waited until he was sitting with her with two glasses of orange juice and a plate filled with the canned biscuits. They gave thanks to Jesus for the food, another day, and a new beginning before they started eating.

  “How much vacation time do you have?” she asked as she stuffed a slice of bacon in her mouth. “Must be a lot.”

  “Well, I’m blessed and very grateful for where I work. I’ve been there a little over eight years and I have three weeks of vacation a year, plus forty hours sick time if needed and six paid holidays. That’s pretty good in my opinion.”

  Nodding her head as she chewed, she agreed, “Yeah, I would be thrilled to have that if I worked for a company. I’m grateful that I don’t have too, though. I am so excited about being able to open my own place. I have a lot of work to do before that though, but it wouldn’t be happening at all if it wasn’t for the money Chris left me and from the insurance companies.”

  She didn’t think before she spoke, and as soon as her words left her mouth her heart skipped a beat and she looked at Junior. His reaction was slight, but he didn’t say anything. She sensed he was cautious. It made her wonder more about how Chris came into so much money, but she chose not to mention it again until some other time.

  ***

  Marion

  Marion watched from the corner of the room as they ate. She hadn’t had to do more than pray for either of them. There wasn’t anything else she could do besides lay her unseen hands on them and help by sending the loving power that was the grace of God Himself. She could sense things were going to get difficult for them, and she wished she could somehow step in to keep them from ruining what God wanted for them.

  She heard Sam bring up a serious topic and how Junior looked when she said it. Her heart went out to them both and she would pray hard for God’s grace and guidance. If things didn’t go as planned or if they got sidetracked somehow, it could ruin everything. She wasn’t as concerned about her wings or how it would make her look. She was worried about the love that would go wrong. Love was the most powerful gift in all the universe. Theirs would not be lost. Not if she had any say in the matter.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sam

  Sam was in the kitchen of her new home, wiping down the marble counters and thinking about breakfast earlier. She wasn’t sure why it was such a sensitive topic, but when she accidentally mentioned the money Chris left her, Junior had basically shut down, at least for a few minutes. He tried to play it off, but she had seen the instant change in his face and she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She shook her head and told herself she could be making more out of it than she should.

  “Focus on the positive. On the good things,” she whispered to herself.

  She started thinking about spending the night at Junior’s. Even though she slept in his bed alone, the entire evening was great. Everything they talked about. The way they held onto each other and snuggled on the couch. The way he was obviously happy she was with him and how wonderful it felt to be there. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought about all of it. Especially their kisses. Each time their lips touched she was amazed how intensely wonderful they felt, how much she wanted him and hadn’t realized the power in that.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a horn blowing in her driveway. She pushed them to the back of her mind for the time being. If it was who she thought it was, she had plenty to do to keep herself occupied. She hurried through the kitchen and when she got to the front door, was pleased to see the movers had arrived.

  Sam hurried out into the sunshine and greeted them with a smile. She knew they were probably tired from the drive and offered them a chance to use her bathroom and get something to drink before beginning the laborious activity that lay ahead. Twenty minutes and two cigarettes each later, the movers began carrying her boxes into the house. One by one she directed them where to put each box. She had made certain to not only label each one, but to
write on the boxes with a Sharpie too in case the label disappeared on their way home.

  Two long and sweaty hours later, the movers set the last piece of furniture in the living room. Sam provided tall glasses of ice water. She ordered a couple pizzas from Domino’s and let the movers sit on the front porch to rest and eat before they had to leave. When asked, Sam told the driver she was more than satisfied with their timing and handling of her things and gave them all a substantial tip when she signed the paperwork. Once they drove away she sat on her front porch swing and took a few minutes to gather herself. Junior walked over and asked if he could join her.

  With a small grin, she looked up at him. “Yes, of course you can sit.”

  He sat down slowly and rested his left arm on the back of the swing behind her. They remained quiet, watched a car cruise past her house and heard a neighbor start a lawnmower. The fragrance of cut grass drifted toward them, and she smiled at the freshness of it, remarking how she had always loved that smell.

  “Yeah, me too,” Junior admitted. “I’ve also always loved the smell of tar, for some reason, and that of a brand-new book.”

  “Tar?” she asked with a laugh.

  Nodding he replied, “Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but what can I say? I guess it’s a guy thing.”

  Shaking her head, she agreed. “Yeah, maybe.”

  She could tell there was still some small amount of tension between them, and didn’t like it. She leaned against him, rested her head against his shoulder, and sighed. He slid his hand down and began to caress her shoulder as seconds ticked away peacefully. Occasionally, a bee would pass by and a hummingbird fluttered before them for a quick minute. It seemed to watch them as it hovered in the air, its wings rapidly keeping it afloat.

  “Oh, my goodness! That was so beautiful!” Sam exclaimed out loud.

  “Yeah, I agree. You don’t see that happen very often.”

  “Man, I wish I had brought my cell phone out here with me! I might have been able to take a picture of it before it flew away!”

  Junior laughed and commented, “I doubt you would have been able to in time. Those little things are faster than a blink of an eye. I’m shocked it stayed in front of us for as long as it did.”

  With her bottom lip sticking out slightly, he laughed out loud at how cute she looked. He lowered his face and gave her a quick kiss. As she snickered and returned his kiss, the tension lifted. The topic gathering in her mind was put off for the time being.

  ***

  Junior

  Junior had asked the guys if they needed a hand with anything, but they informed him he couldn’t for insurance purposes. If he got hurt somehow, he would be on his own. Since he couldn’t do anything helpful he watched on the side and felt sort of useless for a while. He asked Sam if he could do anything but she said not until they were all finished carrying things in. He thought to himself that he could have stayed home, but felt guilty as soon as the thought went through his head.

  Hours later, with the smell of furniture polish and air freshener filling the air, Junior leaned against the marble counter in the kitchen. He took a long, deep swallow of his bottled water and his thoughts tangled his tired brain. He was grateful how the rest of their day had smoothed out and how easily they worked together. Of course, with it being her house he basically did what she asked. If she wanted something in a particular place, that was where he put it.

  He admired the home Sam bought. Not only did she have great taste, but she was lucky her landlord was willing to sell it. From what she told him, she was given a great deal.

  He turned and looked out of the window behind the double sink. The sun was setting, but there remained enough light to see the large back yard. He could imagine Sam planting bushes and flowers along the fence and porch, and smiled at the image in his mind. He thought about coming over and helping cut the grass. He wouldn’t be surprised if she wanted a garden somewhere out there and would be more than happy to help her with that, too.

  “What are you grinning about?” Sam questioned as she appeared quietly behind him.

  Turning away from the view, he answered, “Just thinking about the possible things you’ll probably do in the backyard is all.”

  Junior let his eyes travel over Sam as she smiled back at him and stepped up to the sink, peering out to see for herself. Earlier in the day she changed into a more comfortable pair of cutoff jean shorts and a thin t-shirt. He had to focus on not obviously staring at her the rest of the day. Even being tired and slightly dirty, she still managed to be beautiful. She had tied her hair up in a bun so it wouldn’t keep getting in her face and her freckles seemed to be more noticeable. He was taken aback.

  “Yeah, I can see a lot of possibilities out there. I wouldn’t mind having a small garden for one.”

  Laughing, he said, “I literally had just thought you would want one.”

  “Well, I guess you are getting to know me pretty well, then huh?” she asked as she stepped over and leaned into him. She gazed up into his eyes, her lips slightly parted. He could feel himself getting lost in them and had no problem with that.

  “I like to think so, at least,” he barely whispered.

  Sam’s eyes lowered to his lips and he swore she was tempting him on purpose. He felt heat rise within himself and her arms tightened around his waist. His throat tightened as his fingers reacted the same way against her back. He didn’t know what he was waiting for. His mouth belonged to her. When their lips met for the first time in too many hours he could feel his heart rate pick up a notch. He swore he would never do anything she wouldn’t want and thankfully she wanted his lips as much as he wanted hers. Temptation was a battle; everything else around them all but forgotten. Once they separated they stepped back and had to remind themselves what would be right in God’s eyes. Going any further could lead to something He wouldn’t agree with. It seemed being human was a constant struggle.

  Junior felt slightly out of sync and tried to think of something to say. Sam leaned back against the sink, her hands on the edge and her face flushed. Obviously, she seemed out of sorts as well.

  Clearing his throat, he asked, “What are your plans for dinner? I’m beginning to get hungry.”

  She smiled back at him and felt relieved by his question. When she answered, her voice was dry.

  “I will probably finish off the pizza we ordered earlier today. I don’t have anything else here and I’m too tired and filthy to go anywhere. I’ll probably take a bath, eat, and crash on the couch.”

  He nodded and said, “Sounds like a plan to me. I guess I’ll go home and get cleaned up, too. I’m beginning to smell myself.”

  Sam scrunched her nose and snickered. She crossed her arms and asked, “You don’t want pizza with me before you go?”

  Knowing he should leave while he still had control over his senses, he answered, “It’s not that, trust me. I…umm…I think I should go is all.”

  ***

  Sam

  By the look in his eyes and his expression she understood. She agreed it was best, but kept her thoughts in her head. She stepped up to him again and thanked him for all his help. With her hands on her hips, she raised up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss goodnight.

  “You want me to come over tomorrow and help?” he asked on his way out.

  “I would like that, yes.”

  Their eyes held onto each other and neither wanted to look away. Although the distance between them was far enough they couldn’t reach out and touch, the electricity was still there.

  “Okay, I’ll call before I come over. Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight,” she replied as he turned and walked out of the house.

  Her heart hammered against her chest. She was grateful he was gone before something happened, but longed for him at the same time. She didn’t want the pizza, but there wasn’t anything else to eat. She told the truth about being tired and too dirty to go out, but she would wait until after her bath. She couldn’t wait to feel her exha
usted body submerged beneath the bubbles and hot water. If she wasn’t careful she might sleep there.

  She grabbed her small radio from the coffee table and walked down the long hallway into the bathroom. She had a lot to buy, but thankfully blinds for the bathroom wasn’t on the list. She filled the tub with hot water as she undressed and looked in the mirror at herself. She rubbed the scar on her chest and hoped for the thousandth time it would disappear. She knew it never would completely go away and she needed to accept that fact.

  When the water was as high as she wanted it and with more than enough bubbles to cover her, she slid beneath them and sighed loudly. Her first bubble bath in her first real house. She closed her eyes and felt the gratitude fill her as music softly played. She thanked Jesus for all His glorious gifts and began to think, once again, about the man who had captured her heart.

  ***

  Junior

  Junior walked into his apartment still sore from his previous day workout and exhausted from everything he helped Sam with. He set his South Street Ribs and Wings dinner on the counter and slowly walked into his bedroom. What he needed most right then was a hot shower and to eat, but what he wanted most was a good night’s sleep with Sam at his side. He didn’t even care if they had sex or not, which surprised him. He only wanted to wake up with her beside him. He knew the chances of them having sex any time soon were slim to none and he was okay with that. His respect for her and her wishes were extremely important to him. He also knew how strong her faith was and his was getting stronger as well.