A Hundred Days Till Tomorrow by L. S. Case

Author:L. S. Case
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SparkPress

Chapter 24

It had been forty-four hours, just shy of two days, since Miranda had last seen Jake. Every minute that passed was one too many.

The smell of sautéed onions guided her toward the Colby home. She balanced a blueberry crumb pie in her left hand, freshly made with ingredients from the farmers’ market, and carried a meticulously wrapped gift under her other arm. As Addie had assured, the garden gate between the yards was left ajar, and the theme of open doors prevailed.

“No need to knock, let yourself in, darlin’!” Addie hollered in her southern twang.

All five feet of Adelaide Colby hovered over the stove, stirring and seasoning the gumbo in her country kitchen. She claimed the sizable cast-iron pot, their family treasure passed down through generations, provided the magic ingredient in every recipe. But Miranda knew it was the love.

“So glad ya could join us. Wouldn’t be the same without ya.”

“Thanks for the invite, Addie.”

When the cherished old woman wasn’t looking, Miranda scanned the adjoining rooms from a distance. Although there was no sign of Jake, he was nearby. An undeniable magnetism drew him to her each time as if it were their first introduction.

“I can’t wait to try this okra you’ve been telling me about.” Miranda peered over the old woman’s shoulder to steal a peek at the goodness.

“Hold that enthusiasm until after ya taste it, ya hear? But I say it’s a treat to ’em taste buds and comfort for the soul. I got some good bread for soppin’ too. What’s that ya got there?” Addie eyed the wrapped package that Miranda offered with outstretched hands.

“It’s a little something I made for you. A token of my appreciation.”

“Ya shouldn’t have, but I reckon I’ll open it now.” Addie tore off paper strips like an impatient child on Christmas morning.

“What am I missing in here?”

Once again, Jake had impeccable timing, like the June afternoon when he strolled into Addie’s kitchen half-dressed to rescue the whistling teakettle. Though fully clothed now and no longer a stranger, he was every bit as intriguing.

Miranda still caught her breath at the initial sight of him. His skin had tanned to golden bronze, and his jawline appeared more sculpted without facial hair. His eyes reflected a different hue each time, varying from a blue green to a rich emerald, often resembling the beauty of sea glass or the deep pine on the trail leading to Edens Cove.

“Miranda here made me a gift,” Addie said with eagerness. “Ain’t that the sweetest?”

“I’d say so.” Jake placed his keys on the hook while keeping his penetrating gaze on Miranda.

“There was a card too, but I must have left it home.”

The four-letter word “home” rolled off Miranda’s tongue. Previously, she had referred to it as her grandmother’s cottage, and soon it would become Miranda’s property. Then what?

Wrapping paper covered the kitchen counter and spilled onto the floor. A piece clung to Addie’s floral dress.

“Well, I’ll be!” The old woman held up the inspirational garden sign and nodded along as she read the symbolic words.

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