by Amanda Tru
He turned down her road. “I would enjoy that very much.”
Way too soon, they pulled into her yard. Before she could think about opening her door, Jeff was out of the car and had it open. She put her hand in his and let him help her out of the car. She laughed as she stood. “I’m used to climbing down out of my truck.”
Keeping her hand in his, he walked her to the door. “It’s a big truck. I’d hate to have to drive it downtown every day and park in my little lot.”
“Tell me about it. It works for my job, though.”
“I imagine it does.”
She paused at the door and looked up at him. “I’ll see you at church tomorrow.”
He smiled. “You will.” He lifted his hand and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. “Good night, Gloria.”
“Good night, Jeff.”
As she opened the door, first Leif bombarded her, then Noah. As she contended with the dog, her dad came out of the kitchen. “Good night?”
“Amazing. Wonderful. Thank you for watching Noah.”
He smiled and nodded. “Any time.”
“And you, sir,” she said to her son who smelled like he’d just come out of a bath. “Are half an hour past bedtime.”
“Grandpa said I needed a bath more than sleep.”
She laughed and put her arm over his shoulders. “I believe that. Let’s get you tucked in, though.”
Jeff sat back and watched Noah, who sat on the floor against the wall, Leif at his side and Blondie with her head in his lap. Gloria propped her elbow on the back of the couch and turned her body toward his. “That was a wonderful meal. Thank you.”
He thought about the grilled chicken, quinoa, fresh green peas; a simple meal that didn’t take a lot of effort to make. “I like to cook,” he admitted. “I just don’t typically do it. I find myself throwing meat on the grill and just eating that with a salad or something.”
She smiled in a way that made his heart rate skitter. “My dad is a simple eating kind guy. I try to make what he considers balanced dinners. Meat, starch, veggies. Well, as many times as you’ve been there for dinner, you know already.”
“You’re a great cook. I know your dad appreciates every meal you make.”
“Especially when it comes from his garden.” She shifted so that she could reach her glass of water. “His cousin has a farm a few counties over. His beef or poultry next to Dad’s home-grown food on the plate? To him, that’s the perfect life.”
He chuckled as Leif hopped up and started trying to lick Noah’s face. He put his hands up, and sternly said, “Stop!” And, “No!” Blondie never moved.
“What got him going?” Gloria asked.
Noah shrugged. “I have no idea. He’s just a puppy.”
Jeff reached over and put his hand over hers. She looked over at him expectantly. “So, back to work tomorrow?”
She sighed. “Yes. Seven o’clock surgeries. It’s going to be a long day.”
“Where is your clinic?”
“Out on Tobacco Road. Outside of the city limits. We’re there as a country hospital.” She pulled her hand out from under his and clasped her hands together, reaching up and stretching. “I love the week I take off to can. Noah’s in school, and it’s just me and the garden. It’s always hard to go back to work after.”
“Is canning done for the season?”
She shrugged. “Little here and there. And I have two big crocks of pickles right now that I’ll need to can when they’re done doing their thing.” She rested her hand back along the back of the couch, putting hers on top of his. “So, September is coming. What does the fall look like for you?”
He raised an eyebrow. “School germs and flu season?” She wrinkled her nose, and he chuckled. “What do you mean?”
“Like, you know, football. Tailgating. Kentucky sports.”
Everything clicked. “Ah. Gotcha.” Shaking his head, he said, “No. Not me. I occasionally like basketball, but I didn’t really go to any games because I don’t like the team I’m supposed to like.” He smiled. “It was a point of contention with my cousins growing up.”
“I never really got into it, despite my dad’s love for all sports. Baseball’s ended, and now it’s time for football.”
“That’s what he said. He warned me that Saturdays are no longer available unless I’m willing to partake.”
Gloria shook her head. “That man.”
Noah hopped up and made a beeline for her. “Mom! It’s eight o’clock.”
She took a sip of her water and put it back on the coaster. “You’re right. What about it?”
Jeff watched as he took hold of her hand with both of his and gripped her index finger with one hand and her pinkie finger with the other. “Mom, I have to go get ready for bed.”
She nodded. “It’s very responsible to pay attention to the time. But, we have a full hour before you have to actually be in bed, so there’s a window of time before we have to start panicking.” He opened his mouth to speak, and she raised a hand. “Seriously, Noah, it’s good. We have ten or fifteen more minutes.”
Noah’s cheeks turned red, and he looked from Gloria to Jeff. Finally, he said, “Fine. I’ll be outside.”
She nodded. “Cool. See you out there.” He put his hand on the door, and she added, “Thank Jeff for having us over for dinner.”
“Thanks,” he grumbled. “Come on, Leif.” The large and clumsy puppy rushed out the door in front of Noah.
She gave Jeff an exasperated look. “He’s not intentionally rude. Sorry if you felt he was rude.”
He chuckled. “Not at all.” He gestured at the door. “Do you need to go?”
With a sigh, she said, “Probably. He’ll worry himself out of a schedule, and it will mess tomorrow up.” Jeff stood with her, and she gestured at the kitchen. “Can I clean up before we leave?”
He shook his head. “No. But thank you for offering.” They walked together toward the door. Blondie got up and followed.
Gloria bent and rubbed the dog’s soft ears. “See you later, girl.” She straightened and smiled up at Jeff. “Thank you for having us over. I enjoyed it.”
“Me, too.” He opened the door and walked out with her onto the porch. She could see Noah in the back seat of the truck and Leif sitting in the driver’s seat. “I’ll see you Wednesday at the diner for dinner?”
“We’ll be there.” She started down the steps, then paused and turned to look at him. “I really like getting to know you, Doctor Brock.”
His grin revealed dimples she hadn’t seen before. “Likewise, Doctor Sutton. Be safe going home.”
At the truck, she held one hand out to control Leif as she opened the door. She waved at Jeff one more time before backing out and turning around.
October Fourteenth
Gloria’s heart rate quickened, and her overall mood soared when she spotted Jeff walking toward her. She couldn’t help the grin that covered her face. She’d seen him sporadically the last few weeks, always with her dad or Noah or at church activities. They’d had a date scheduled in early September, but Noah had gotten sick, and she had to cancel. He’d left the next week for a medical conference in Louisville, and their schedules just never meshed for any alone time since.
“Where’s Noah today?” He asked as he sat across from her, setting his cup of coffee on the wrought-iron table. The beautiful fall day had unusually hot temperatures soaring into the 90’s.
She took a sip of her chai latte and waved her hand in the general direction of her house. “Columbus Day. He’s with my dad. They’re both coming off of fall break.”
“You’ve been a hard woman to pin down, Doctor Sutton.”
“I could say the same about you.” She took another sip. “All these excuses about work and patients in the hospital and etcetera. If I were a weaker woman, I’d feel offended.”
His eyes grew serious. “I hope you don’t think I…”
She interrupted him. “Seriously, Jeff? I hope that if you took a s
udden disinterest in me, you’d quit trying to reschedule and possibly even use your words.”
“Use my words?” For a moment, he stared at her then grinned. “Training me like Noah, huh?”
“That came out really wrong.”
“Yeah.” His eyes twinkled with mischief. “I know you don’t think of me as a child. I certainly hope you don’t want me to think of you as my mommy.”
Gloria held up a hand to halt the teasing. “Stop. I’m sorry. Just habit from being around Noah so much.”
Jeff grinned and nodded. “Exactly why I think you need a lot more adult company.”
“Volunteering, are you?” She shook her head in mirth. “Seriously, though. It’s fine. I’ve been as busy as you. I didn’t have a kid with meningitis, but I had a couple of cows go into labor, so maybe I win.”
“That’s right. You did cancel a date with me for a cow.” He raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Now, I’m the one who will be offended.”
“Moo.”
They were both still laughing when Tanya Darling walked up. “Hi, you two,” she said, grinning. “Hot date?”
“Finally,” Gloria said. “We’ve been rescheduling for a few weeks.”
“Well, don’t let me be the one who interrupts it.” She tapped the top of the table. “I was never here.”
After she’d gone inside the coffee shop, Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “So, what’s the fun idea for a date this Columbus Day?”
She looked around at the town square. Her father had grown up here and every vacation home, every chance he got, he taught her about the settling of Charula, Kentucky, the early settling of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. After moving here in high school, she’d written a paper about the county’s division during the War Between the States and how the town had changed hands many times during the war. But Jeff had none of that rich history growing up.
“I thought we could do the historical walk.” She pulled a colorful map out of her purse. “This guides you from one historical marker to the next historical marker. You can learn all about this town you now claim as your own.”
He looked surprised for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his face. “What a wonderfully brilliant idea.” He sipped his coffee and held out his hand. She handed him over the map. “Where do we start?”
She gestured toward the Charula Christian Church. “Just over there.” She stood and tossed her empty cup into the nearby garbage can. “We can buy recordings, or I can just tell you what I know.”
He stood, too, then reached for her hand. “Gloria Sutton, I’d love to know what you know.”
He said it with a voice dripping with smooth Kentucky charm, and a flush of heat crept up her neck. Clearing her throat, she said, “Great. Let’s uh, let’s walk over there.”
The entire tour, he kept her hand in his. Occasionally, while they read a historical marker, he’d release her hand and slip an arm over her shoulders. She found that she naturally fit against his side and discovered herself slipping an arm along the back of his waist.
For two hours, they walked around the downtown area of Charula, examining buildings, markers, even rocks in the ground. Finally, they found themselves in the corner of Betsy’s diner. The waitress had long since cleared the remnants of cheeseburgers and fries, and still, they sat, talking.
“Thank you for today,” Jeff said, swirling the last of the ice in his empty cup. “I very much enjoy learning the history of places. Always have. I’d love to do the same thing in Louisville with you, with me acting as docent.”
Gloria smiled. “I bet Louisville would take more than a day.”
“There are a few places in Louisville that would take a day for just the one building, like the Seelbach with the Rathskeller. And then there’s the Brown, which is where the Hot Brown was invented. The Louisville Slugger Museum, Whiskey Row, the Kentucky Derby museum over at Churchill Downs. All kinds of places.”
“I think that would be a lot of fun.” She looked at her watch and sighed. “I have to go. I have some turnips that need to come out of the ground today.”
He smiled and set his glass down. “I’ve never heard that one before.”
Her reply of “Moo,” caused both of them to leave the diner amid gales of laughter. Jeff walked her the two blocks to where she’d parked her truck. The late afternoon sun warmed her arms.
She unlocked it and looked up at him. “I’ll see you Wednesday?”
He stepped forward a little closer and reached down to her face, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek. Her breath caught in the back of her throat, and his eyes grew serious. Cupping her cheek in his hand, he brought his lips down to hers.
She had anticipated kissing him for weeks. His warm lips felt absolutely perfect against hers. She slid her hand up and cupped his cheek, feeling the slight bristle of whiskers there. She stepped closer to him. His arm came around her waist, bringing her closer as he deepened the kiss. He smelled like sunshine and tasted like a chocolate milkshake. Her head swirled, and her heart raced, and she forgot that they stood next to her truck in the bright sunshine in the town’s square. Everything around her disappeared, and her entire world became Jeff Brock and the smell and feel and taste of him.
Gradually, he gentled the kiss. When he lifted his head, he winked at her. “I’ll see you Wednesday.”
For a moment, she stared up at him, trying to understand his words, letting her brain come back down to earth. When she got all of her bearings back, she impulsively said, “Or you could come pick turnips with me.”
He looked down at his jeans and then back at her. “I’ve never picked turnips before, but it’s on my bucket list.”
“Great. I’ll see you at the house, then.”
She got into the truck and used the side mirror to watch him walk away. Only when he turned the corner did she put her head on the steering wheel. What a stupid thing to say! “Or you could come pick turnips,” she said, screwing her mouth up and using a mocking voice. “Yeah. So romantic. Stupid.”
She headed out of town. In her entire life, the only other person to have ever kissed her was her ex-husband. This kiss blew any and all history out of the water. The words used in her favorite romance novels suddenly made sense to her. She’d actually lost awareness of location, perception, schedules. He could have easily swept her away, and she never would have protested. She ran her tongue over her lips, still feeling the pressure of his mouth, finding it hard to quit smiling.
Eventually, she looked in her rearview mirror and spotted Jeff driving quite a distance behind her. As she pulled into the yard, Leif came barreling around the side of the house and started jumping at the fence. “Hey there,” she said. “Down, Leif. Down!” He complied, sitting on his haunches, his entire body quivering. “Where’s your boy?”
Looking around, she realized her dad’s car wasn’t in the yard. She went inside, letting Leif in with her, stripping off her nice shirt on her way up the stairs. Leif started barking at the door, and she knew Jeff had pulled up. After putting on a tank top, she raced back downstairs, opening the door just as he walked up the steps.
Nervous excitement jumped in her stomach, made her hands cold, her thoughts jittery. She stepped out on to the porch and smiled up at him. “All I can think about is when you’ll kiss me again,” she bluntly admitted as she took his face in her hands and stood on her toes. “The suspense is killing me, so I think we should go ahead and get it out of the way.”
Their lips met and cut off his surprised laughter. His arm circled her waist and drew her closer to him as her arms went around his neck. This kiss felt different, more familiar, less hesitant, definitely more than before. She felt her breath catch in her throat, felt the world tilt and spin around them. She gripped the front of his shirt with her hand and tried to get even closer to him. Finally, he put his hands on her hips and gently pushed back, breaking the contact of their mouths.
He panted, as out of breath as her. He closed his
eyes and rested his forehead on hers, his strong fingers gripping her hips. “Well,” he said softly, “I think I like turnip picking.”
Laughing, she stepped back, realizing how shaky her legs felt. “Follow me, doc. I’ll teach you the age-old art.”
Jeff sat in the comfortable camp chair and listened to Arnold show Noah how to tilt his thin knife’s blade against the basswood to smooth out a curve in the eagle’s head. Noah feigned interest for about three minutes, then asked if he could be excused.
Arnold chuckled and agreed. As Noah ran off, he looked at Jeff while his hands worked. “He wants to be interested because Vikings carved wood. But it’s so detail-oriented he gets lost with it.”
“How did the Viking thing start?”
Arnold shrugged. “I think it had to do with him researching golden labs. He loves Blondie. Fitz was good to let him spend a lot of time there with the dog. So he researched where labs come from, and he further researched the founders of that place, and so it went until Vikings became a source of obsession. They’ll go away, more than likely, but it will be a while. His brain is still quite young.”
Jeff looked at Noah and felt nothing but love and pride. “You and Gloria are so good with him. It’s like you know how to handle every situation.”
“Hardly.” He pointed his knife at Jeff like a finger. “I don’t know how to handle most of it. But I go into every day praying for wisdom with just how to handle any of the many situations that will surely arise that day. I know Gloria does, too. That’s the only reason we are good with him.”
Noah appeared at Jeff’s side. “Doctor Jeff, would you like to play with Leif and me?”
Jeff pushed himself out of the chair. “Sure. What are we playing?”
Noah held up a frisbee. “I am trying to teach him to catch it in the air. He almost can, but I think I throw it wrong, so he’s losing trust in me.”
“Sure, bud. Let’s see if he’ll do it for me.” He followed Noah to the side of the yard, where they had a long stretch of grass to play. He took the frisbee. His fingertips brushed over the hard lumps left by Leif’s teeth. “Catch, Leif,” he said, then very gently tossed it.