Loving Feelings by Gail Gaymer Martin

Author:Gail Gaymer Martin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2005-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Jenni put the last plate in the dishwasher, closed the door and pushed the button, then arched her back and stretched. She felt miserable. Between the work at the store and her household responsibilities, she felt totally inadequate. Cory’s progress had faded, and she noticed again his sullen demeanor and occasional impudent remark. Todd had to be right. Cory feared being abandoned.

Her plan to bring him to the shop had fallen from her memory. She’d mentioned it, then hadn’t followed through. Tonight Cory had reminded her, and she felt like a heel. She had nothing to say but sorry. That hadn’t been what Cory wanted or needed to hear.

She turned off the kitchen light and stopped at the bottom of the staircase, longing to go up and do something to make things right, but she felt at a loss. Tonight she was the rope in a tug-of-war, jerking this way and that while having no idea which side would win.

Jenni plodded into the living room, kicked off her shoes and snapped on the television. She had no idea what shows were on each Wednesday night. The TV usually remained silent except for Cory’s viewing.

Using the remote, she flipped through the stations, finding nothing that caught her interest and feeling lonely. Todd had spent the full day at Bay Breeze. She knew he’d had an appointment that morning with Ian, and that made her curious. Todd mentioned having a later appointment, then tonight a chamber of commerce do while she’d stayed at the store to package chocolate and set up displays.

Time seemed to be fleeting; in a little more than two weeks the store would open. After that she hoped life would calm, at least a little. Jenni actually missed working from her home. Life seemed easier then. Between batches of chocolates, she could do the laundry or run out to pick up Cory from school. Now that she had a store, she couldn’t hang a Gone Fishin’ kind of sign on the knob every time she wanted to leave.

Car lights flashed across her picture window, and she heard a door slam. Curious, she rose and headed for the foyer, hoping it was Todd. She peeked through the security view, and her heart lifted.

“Hi,” Todd said when she opened the door. “You look tired.”

She released a sigh, wanting to tell him she was tired and lonely. She stepped back to let him inside, then closed the door. When she turned, Todd lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. His touch sent a calm rolling down her chest and into her heart.

“Sit,” he said. “You rest, and I’ll make us some tea.”

The suggestion surprised her, and though she rarely drank hot tea in the summer, the idea sounded soothing. She heard him running water and clanking the kettle in the kitchen, then smelled a strange odor like smoke.

“What are you doing?” she called to him, and headed for the kitchen, certain that she’d cleaned off the burners.

“I’m making tea,” he said as she came through the doorway, but something stopped her.

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