Wavering Convictions by Erin Dutton

Author:Erin Dutton [Dutton, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635554045
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2006-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Ally tried not to be offended that Maggie needed to clear her mind of their first kiss. She felt just the opposite. She wanted to hold on to it, examine it, and figure out why it felt different than any other one.

She placed the dinner order, then decided to spend the forty-five minutes until the food arrived working on her latest project.

In the garage, she raised the overhead door and propped the door leading to the yard open in order to create a cross breeze. But she had to force herself to stay away from that back door. She didn’t want Maggie to catch her staring like some creepy stalker.

While Maggie apparently was out there wiping her memory, Ally couldn’t think of anything but that kiss. She’d been aware of the change in the air between them, but she’d still been caught off guard when Maggie kissed her. Blissfully—amazingly—taken by surprise, she’d kept her head enough to let Maggie stay in control.

Not trusting herself to use the lathe in her distracted state, she began choosing the boards she would use for the top of the coffee table. She laid them out on a large worktable in the center of the garage, checking them for warping. She swapped a couple, arranging them for the most interesting wood-grain pattern. She hadn’t completely decided if she would paint or stain this piece, so she proceeded as if the grain would be visible.

Their food arrived, and she met the delivery guy in the driveway. She called out the back door for Maggie, then began setting out the various cartons, two plates, and some silverware on the kitchen counter. By the time she’d finished, Maggie had come inside and washed her hands.

“I wasn’t sure if you enjoyed the chopsticks, but I don’t have the patience for them, so we have forks, too. Would you like to eat out on the patio?”

“Sure.”

Ally grabbed two bottles of water and took them out to the small, cracked concrete patio. She’d outfitted it with a basic table and four chairs from Target when she moved in. Someday, she planned to bust up the current patio, then pour a larger stamped-concrete pad with a wooden pergola. She wanted to build chaise lounges, a table and chairs, and some benches around a stone fire pit.

She returned to the kitchen for a lighter and citronella candle to ward off any mosquitos. Then they carried their plates outside to the table and settled in. Ally worried the conversation would be awkward after their kiss, but they talked easily, avoiding any serious topics. Maggie shared stories from her childhood, so different from Ally’s. And Ally described her ideas for the outdoor furniture she wanted to build.

“I’m amazed you can have all of that in your head. I don’t have any creative inspiration in me.” When Maggie deftly picked up a piece of chicken, Ally tried not to watch her fingers manipulate the chopsticks. And she certainly didn’t notice the way Maggie’s tongue darted out to curl and grab rice off the implements.

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