Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
I held that last option as a best-case scenario. I shouldn’t be greedy, wanting her to suffer from the same affliction I did. She deserved to rest.
By Wednesday night, I had given up on running into Aly, so I did some tighter loops around Mrs. Washington’s neighborhood instead of going so far afield. I did enjoy the park, but the ambiance of the town was more soothing. Seeing the individual houses, each tucked away behind manicured lawns and white picket fences, reminded me that my tour of duty was over.
Not only did I miss Aly in the early morning, but I hardly saw her at work. She was up there in the main office, and I needed an excuse if I wanted to see her. A couple times, I made the trek to the back of the lot with some piece of paperwork for Porter to sign. On Tuesday, I grabbed the mileage form and took it to the farmhouse.
Aly was there behind her desk on the phone with someone. I waved hello and took a seat on the couch. Her hair was swept up in a ponytail, showing off her pixie ears. It had been days since I had seen her, but as soon as we were in the same room, all my warm feelings came rushing back. I remembered the chill of the air that night and how it had brushed her lips mere seconds before I had. I remembered the quiet in her eyes after I pulled away and how time had seemed to stop.
She finished up her phone call and set the receiver down. “Linc.” Her voice was warm and unmistakable in its joy.
“Hey,” I said, fighting the urge to take her in my arms again.
“How have you been?” she asked, leaning forward.
I caught a glimpse of her breasts under the button-down blouse she wore and inhaled sharply. “Things are good. I’ve been looking for you in the park.”
“Really?” She sounded pleased. “Do you go walking every night?”
“Pretty much,” I answered. “It calms me.”
“I’ve actually been sleeping,” she admitted.
“That’s great,” I said, even though my hopes of another romantic encounter were dashed.
“I can meet you tonight,” she offered, seeming to think better of it almost instantaneously. “For a walk, I mean.”
“Sleep is more important,” I responded. “But, uh, if you wanted to go out to dinner sometime…”
“I would love to.” She beamed, folding her hands in front of her.
Neither of us moved. I felt an attraction like gravity between us. It was as if the magnetic pull would be impossible to resist if I allowed myself to get sucked in. Stepping any closer would result in such a passionate embrace that we would both be fired on the spot. We were in the middle of the main office, a location that was as public as a train station. I could only watch helplessly from my position on the couch and bide my time until we were alone again.
Porter walked in a second later, the front door swinging shut. His gaze bounced from Aly to me, recognition sparking instantly. Aly leaned back in her chair, I relaxed into the couch, and the gravity well between us dissipated.
“I have a question about the mileage form,” I explained.
“What are you doing Thursday night?” Porter said in response.
My eyes widened. “Nothing.”
“Come to dinner at our house,” he said, more as my boss than my near brother-in-law. “Gina’s been patient, but it’s time for you to say hello and meet your nephew.”
I frowned. I knew that I needed to see my sister and meet her kid, but I didn’t like being told I had to.
“Aly’ll be there,” Porter added, checking with his receptionist after making the announcement.
Aly nodded encouragingly. “Do come, Lincoln. You haven’t met the baby yet. And Porter makes the best canned soup this side of the Mississippi.”
Porter chuckled, looking back to see if I would agree.
I was sold. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll be there.”
“Do you really have a question about the mileage form?” Porter asked.
“No,” I said and stood up.
It seemed like my hidden agenda was out in the open, and nobody cared. I waited for Porter to pull some of that pseudo big-brother bullshit about messing with Aly, but he didn’t. Apparently, me being Gina’s actual brother counted for something and I was being given the benefit if the doubt.
I hiked back down to the barn and worked out the rest of my shift, catching a ride home with Danny. That night, I considered going back to the park. Allison had offered to meet me again, though she hadn’t said what time. I remembered encouraging her to get some sleep instead, so I figured she probably wasn’t walking around waiting for me. Still, it made me anxious to think of her alone in the dark. I took my time walking around midnight and found the park empty. I sat on a bench and waited until around one. When no one showed up except a couple of high school boys with a six pack, I walked home.