the kisses he and Diana had shared. He’d always heard that in order to really know a person, you should live with them for a little while or at least walk a mile in their shoes. He’d never be able to put his big size 12 foot in Diana’s shoes, but he had lived with her for eleven days now, and he liked her a lot. She was strong, independent, and beautiful, and if the little bit of age difference was the only thing between them, he’d convince her that it was nothing by the time he drove them all home to Sugar Run.
He threw off the covers and padded naked to the bathroom. Sleeping in the raw was one of the benefits of living in the motor home alone. The downside was that he missed making breakfast over the open fire and listening to the ladies all brag on him about how good it was.
For years, he’d worked alone, and when he hired a small staff to help with his business, he’d still spent most of his time in his office—alone. He’d thought that was what he liked, where he felt comfortable, but this trip had proved he’d been wrong. He liked being around people and didn’t even mind the drama.
He made sure the right guard was on his electric razor and ran it over his face, then brushed his teeth and combed his mop of light-brown hair. Looking at his reflection in the small mirror above the sink, he made the decision that when he started his next company, he was doing it with help from the very beginning. He’d started on a shoestring before and had trouble delegating even when he hired an assistant. It drove them both insane. But this time he was going in fully staffed with an administrative team and a couple of IT specialists to help him. He didn’t intend to spend eighteen hours a day at work anymore.
He dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and picked up a jacket but found out he didn’t need it when he stepped out of the motor home. The sun shone brightly in a cloudless, beautiful blue sky that morning. He slung the jacket over his shoulder and whistled from the motor home to the house, where he left his muddy shoes on the rug right inside the door.
“Something smells wonderful in here,” he called out.
“Bacon, coffee, and waffles with either syrup or canned peaches and whipped cream,” Carmen said. “It’ll all be on the table in about five minutes.”
“Good morning,” Diana said from about halfway down the stairs.
His heart threw in an extra beat when he saw her. She really did look like a goddess even though she was wearing a pair of jeans and a faded T-shirt. He nodded and said, “Good morning to you.”
She’d said they’d talk later, but there hadn’t been an opportunity the day before. Hopefully today they’d find a few minutes alone. He was a patient man, so he didn’t mind waiting to actually date her until they were back in Sugar Run. Besides, she had a lot on her mind with the drama of Carmen’s divorce and the possibility of Joanie moving away.
“So how do you like your waffles?” he asked when she reached the bottom step. “Syrup? Or fruit and whipped cream?”
“Maple syrup, and lots of it.” Diana’s smile warmed his heart. “How about you?”
“Same,” he said. “See there, we have lots in common. We both like to watch squirrels and like the same kind of waffles. I’d call that a foundation.”
“Maybe,” she said softly, “but you can’t build it on sand. Remember your Sunday-school lessons about that?”
“And that little song they taught us about how the rain came tumbling down?” Luke flashed a bright grin her way.
“Don’t even say that word,” Tootsie yelled from the kitchen. “I’ve had enough rain to last me a year. I won’t even complain about the heat in Sugar Run next summer after this.”
Luke crooked his little finger around Diana’s for just a moment; then he let go and headed toward the dining room. “I just hope the sun dries out the yard and road enough today that we don’t have trouble getting the motor home out onto it. What can I do to help?”
“Bring the coffeepot in, and fill the cups,” Carmen said.
“I’ll pour the juice,” Diana offered. “Looks like that’s all that’s left. You’re going to be a hard act to follow—but wait, I don’t have to follow you because