“We can’t have a blood sucker on the loose. Where would you like to eat?”
He suggested a restaurant she liked that was generally fast, affordable, and filling. They arrived a few minutes later and hurried inside, hoping to beat the after-church rush.
Seated at a booth, they enjoyed the meal then returned to Haven’s apartment. Brody carried in his bag and Haven looked at it then back at him. “What’s that?”
“You said we were going out to your family’s farm so I figured I’d need to change before we go.” Brody removed his sports jacket and untucked his shirt.
“I’ll just go… um… change.” Haven stared at Brody’s chest when he began unbuttoning his shirt.
“You look really pretty today, Haven.” Brody reached out and ran his hand down the sleeve of the soft black sweater she wore over a black dress with bright pink trim. She looked so girly and cute, Brody almost had to sit on his hands at church to keep from reaching out and touching her during the pastor’s sermon.
“Thank you, Mr. Jackson. You look quite handsome yourself.” Haven stepped away from him and backed toward her bedroom. “You’re welcome to change in the bathroom if you want. I’ll just be a minute.”
He watched her close the door then carried his bag into the bathroom to change. He didn’t mind changing in the middle of her living room, but for propriety’s sake, he went into the bathroom and traded his dress clothes for a worn pair of jeans and T-shirt.
He folded his jacket and shirt, stuffed them into the bag with his pants and shoes, then tied on a pair of sneakers.
When he opened the bathroom door and returned to the living room, he could hear Haven in the kitchen. Quietly stepping into the room, he admired the view provided as she bent over a drawer, taking out a roll of plastic wrap.
She wore faded jeans, a pair of scuffed boots, and a T-shirt that clung to every womanly curve.
He swallowed hard, shoved his hands into his pockets, and cleared his throat. “Need any help?”
“No, I’ve got it.” Haven smiled at him over her shoulder. She’d taken her hair down from the bun she’d worn to church and pulled it back in a long braid. Curls already attempted to escape the confines, bouncing around her ears and along her neck.
She placed a piece of the wrap over a bowl then set it in a box followed by a cake pan.
“Can I carry something?” Brody moved closer to her, inhaling her luscious scent.
“Sure.” She handed him the box then dropped the plastic wrap back in the drawer and closed it. “Ready to go?”
“I am if you are.”
“Let’s get to it, then.” She picked up her purse and a denim jacket before opening the door and holding it for Brody to walk through. After locking it behind her, she opened the door to the backseat of her car and Brody set the box down then held Haven’s door for her.
He may have grown up lacking many things, but the one thing his mother made sure he possessed was good manners.
Right now, Brody was glad she’d drilled the lessons into his head, because Haven was a lady who deserved to be treated like one.
“Who’ll be at the farm today? Just your folks?” he asked as they merged onto the freeway and headed out of town.
“No. Hale and Tom might be there. Wes and his family could be. It just depends on what they’ve got going on. Usually they all show up in time for dinner, though.” Haven hoped meeting her parents wouldn’t make Brody nervous. She’d never taken a boy out to the farm for them to meet before and she hoped they didn’t read anything into the fact she had a man in tow today.
At the first available opportunity, she’d take her mother aside and tell her they were just friends. She wanted to make sure her mother understood that Brody would leave in a few months and she’d likely never see him again.
Although he hadn’t said anything, Haven sensed his need for friendship. To find something, or someone, that chased away his loneliness.
He suggested a restaurant she liked that was generally fast, affordable, and filling. They arrived a few minutes later and hurried inside, hoping to beat the after-church rush.
Seated at a booth, they enjoyed the meal then returned to Haven’s apartment. Brody carried in his bag and Haven looked at it then back at him. “What’s that?”
“You said we were going out to your family’s farm so I figured I’d need to change before we go.” Brody removed his sports jacket and untucked his shirt.
“I’ll just go… um… change.” Haven stared at Brody’s chest when he began unbuttoning his shirt.
“You look really pretty today, Haven.” Brody reached out and ran his hand down the sleeve of the soft black sweater she wore over a black dress with bright pink trim. She looked so girly and cute, Brody almost had to sit on his hands at church to keep from reaching out and touching her during the pastor’s sermon.
“Thank you, Mr. Jackson. You look quite handsome yourself.” Haven stepped away from him and backed toward her bedroom. “You’re welcome to change in the bathroom if you want. I’ll just be a minute.”
He watched her close the door then carried his bag into the bathroom to change. He didn’t mind changing in the middle of her living room, but for propriety’s sake, he went into the bathroom and traded his dress clothes for a worn pair of jeans and T-shirt.
He folded his jacket and shirt, stuffed them into the bag with his pants and shoes, then tied on a pair of sneakers.
When he opened the bathroom door and returned to the living room, he could hear Haven in the kitchen. Quietly stepping into the room, he admired the view provided as she bent over a drawer, taking out a roll of plastic wrap.
She wore faded jeans, a pair of scuffed boots, and a T-shirt that clung to every womanly curve.
He swallowed hard, shoved his hands into his pockets, and cleared his throat. “Need any help?”
“No, I’ve got it.” Haven smiled at him over her shoulder. She’d taken her hair down from the bun she’d worn to church and pulled it back in a long braid. Curls already attempted to escape the confines, bouncing around her ears and along her neck.
She placed a piece of the wrap over a bowl then set it in a box followed by a cake pan.
“Can I carry something?” Brody moved closer to her, inhaling her luscious scent.
“Sure.” She handed him the box then dropped the plastic wrap back in the drawer and closed it. “Ready to go?”
“I am if you are.”
“Let’s get to it, then.” She picked up her purse and a denim jacket before opening the door and holding it for Brody to walk through. After locking it behind her, she opened the door to the backseat of her car and Brody set the box down then held Haven’s door for her.
He may have grown up lacking many things, but the one thing his mother made sure he possessed was good manners.
Right now, Brody was glad she’d drilled the lessons into his head, because Haven was a lady who deserved to be treated like one.
“Who’ll be at the farm today? Just your folks?” he asked as they merged onto the freeway and headed out of town.
“No. Hale and Tom might be there. Wes and his family could be. It just depends on what they’ve got going on. Usually they all show up in time for dinner, though.” Haven hoped meeting her parents wouldn’t make Brody nervous. She’d never taken a boy out to the farm for them to meet before and she hoped they didn’t read anything into the fact she had a man in tow today.
At the first available opportunity, she’d take her mother aside and tell her they were just friends. She wanted to make sure her mother understood that Brody would leave in a few months and she’d likely never see him again.
Although he hadn’t said anything, Haven sensed his need for friendship. To find something, or someone, that chased away his loneliness.
Similar Books
