for her. Carrying the dishes I had dirtied to the sink, I hand washed them and stacked them on the drying rack.
There was no way I would leave the place a mess. On the counter, next to the sink, was a little rack with lots of arms. My brow furrowed as I puzzled over it. The best I could come up with was a sponge dryer or a shot glass holder?
If it was the latter, I’d have to have a talk with her about her drinking problem. I chuckled. I didn’t give a damn if she had a shot glass rack, but the thing looked pitifully empty. Maybe I needed to pick her up a set of glasses for it. With the last dish washed, I wiped the edge of the counter and headed back to the omelet. While I put it in the microwave to keep it warm, I wondered how I would break the news to my brothers? What would my mother say? While I knew my brothers would tease me, I also had a feeling they’d be happy for us. After all, they’d been pushing so hard this couldn’t possibly come as a surprise.
It might be a tougher sell to my mother. Kandra hurt me when we split, and Mom might go all lioness on her.
I scanned the cleaned kitchen. Everything had come together quickly, but I wasn’t ready to wake her yet, so I filled the coffeepot with water and looked around for the grounds.
Within minutes, the fragrant smell of coffee filled the air. I pulled a couple of mugs from the cabinet and set them down before going on a hunt for cream and sugar.
In the fridge, I found sugar cookie flavored creamer. Who wanted sugar cookie flavored coffee? With a shrug, I added it to both mugs and stood back, inhaling the smell of a good morning. There was nothing quite like a good hot cup of coffee first thing in the AM.
I glanced toward the bedroom, wondering if I should wake her or let her sleep a bit longer. I wanted to wake her up because I wanted to spend more time with her. Part of me was worried about how she’d feel if she woke up and realized I wasn’t there. Would she think I’d crept out in the middle of the night like a coward?
All the worry and self-doubt bothered me. I wasn’t the type to get so worked up. I’d never been hung up on a woman before her and hadn’t been hung up on any woman after. Settling down hadn’t been in the cards.
Lifting the ceramic mug to my lips, I breathed it in and let the essence float over my senses. The sweet and bitter balance seemed nice. I glanced toward her bedroom door again, then took a scalding sip. I was always burning myself lately. I raced for the freezer to grab an ice cube for my coffee.
On the fridge were pictures of her and her mother hugging. Kandra looked so much like her mom, and I knew she was excited to be close to her again. The two of them were inseparable before she left.
A soft sound from the bedroom alerted me that Kandra must be up. The bathroom door closed, and my heart beat faster. Would things be awkward between us because of last night? Would she regret any of it, or could we pick up where we left off?
Nervous and excited, I took another sip of coffee and waited.
The water in the bathroom ran, and I remembered the day I fixed the showerhead. I couldn’t keep a smile off my face.
She walked into the kitchen, saw me, and froze. For a second, she just stood there before a smile crossed her lips. “Good morning,” she said, opening her arms to me.
I stepped in and hugged her, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. “Good morning. You didn’t think I took off, did you?”
She lifted her shoulders. “It crossed my mind.”
“Not a chance. I made you breakfast.” I let her go and turned toward the microwave. After heating it for thirty seconds, I offered it to her.
A stunned look crossed her face. “Thank you.” There was an odd, breathy quality to her voice that caught my attention.
“There’s also coffee, but it’s burning in hell hot.” I carried the mug I’d filled for her to the table and set it down.
She smiled sweetly, then glanced at the food. Something in her expression shifted, and the sudden