Currant Creek Valley by RaeAnne Thayne

Author:RaeAnne Thayne
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2013-02-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

SAM FOLLOWED ALEXANDRA and her dog into the warm, delicious-smelling kitchen, wondering just how he had managed to stay away so long.

He had missed her. A dozen times he had wanted to stop by and see her when he had driven past and seen lights on at her house, but he had reminded himself every time of that shock and dismay on her features when she had discovered he was moving permanently to Hope’s Crossing.

She didn’t want him here. She had made that much clear, so he had just figured he was better off not bothering her.

The dog hurried in ahead of them all and began licking his water dish, looking completely at home.

“Before you say anything, no, I haven’t found his owners yet. I’m beginning to think maybe he was dumped off here, although that doesn’t explain the collar.”

“Maybe he wandered into town from some far-off location and his owners don’t even know to look for him here.”

“It’s been known to happen,” she answered. “Hope’s Crossing has always been a haven for strays.”

That described him perfectly. A stray, somebody who didn’t have connections anywhere else. He wanted to make this a home for him and for Ethan.

“On the menu today was turkey cutlets, a really delicious apple-pear salad, pumpkin risotto and roasted artichokes. According to the reports, the risotto is not the best thing I’ve ever made but I actually thought it was quite tasty.”

“My dad was going to grill a couple of hot dogs later for us but he’s been too busy installing a new toilet,” Ethan announced. “I was helping him but eventually I got bored and went for a ride on my new bike.”

He made a face at his son for the overshare. “Plumbing. Always such a fascinating topic of discussion.”

She smiled even as she pulled plates out of the cupboard and began arranging food on them for him and Ethan.

“This looks delicious.”

“Thanks.”

“Guinea pigs eat really fancy food,” Ethan observed with a worried look. “I wonder if they like hot dogs and chicken nuggets, too.”

Alexandra laughed. “Guinea pigs actually have pretty special food. They would be sick if they ate any of this. I was teasing before. When I said you were my guinea pigs, that was only a figure of speech. It meant I was going to let you taste the food I fixed so we can tell whether you like it and if I should serve it in my restaurant.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Ethan took a nibble of the rice dish and then apparently liked it enough to try another and another. He didn’t touch the artichokes—a personal aversion—but ate all the turkey she set on his plate.

They ate at her little kitchen table in a bay that overlooked the wide patio and the river, and he wondered again why she didn’t have any furniture out there so she could sit and enjoy the sound of the rippling water.

It seemed to him a little like someone who lived by the ocean but kept the windows and doors closed against the soothing sight and sound of the waves.

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