Page 6 (1/2)

There was a fire ablaze in the hearth, cozy furniture cos on the walls, throws on the chair and sectional sofa, a panoramic view of the bay out of the back s, flowers on the table and wonderful s on the stove and Laine used an ovenout of the oven

"Wow?" she asked

"It’s sodo around It was earth tones with splashes of lavender and blue here and there And there was so Warh

"I know, but aren’t you single?"

"I am"

"I’m sorry I’ve only seen you out for a run and you said you do coirlfriend I’ve had in the past few years was that web designer I don’t think she knehere the kitchen was And she was allergic to housework But she loved her corabbed her purse "If I’ to be comfortable And I like to cook Not all the tiht, but I also do this for irlfriend?"

"She durammer I bet they live in squalor and are either thin fro fat on take-out"

He saw a fra man They appeared so happy Then there was a second picture on the sofa table, a picture of two little girls For a second he felt almost sick She couldn’t have lost her family! That would be too cruel

She found her credit card and presented it "My nieces," she said "You don’t seeirl"

She didn’t explain the ht He swiped the card and presented the screen for her to sign "We probably weren’t right for each other anyway The biggest thing we had in coether? Ever ask yourself that?" She scrawled her name across the small screen

"A friend You know--one of those friends who can’t stand to see a singleto hook ’em up Don’t friends do that to you?"

"No," she said "Apparently none of my friends were ever concerned"

"Never married?" he asked

She just shook her head "I haven’t dated that much I travel a lot in my job"

"But you do computer work How do you travel for that?"

"No one likes sending people to training, seminars, leadership workshops or teovernment does To me, the computer is a tool I’ overtime or on the road, I have other interests I’ve always liked to cook It reminds etting turned on" She put her card back in her purse "You just met a woman who likes to cook and live in clean environs and you’re actually getting turned on"

"No, I swear"

"Yes, you are! I think you’d ht now if I’d promise to love, honor, vacuum and cook"

"Seriously, no"

"It’s because you live in ato fix you up," she said "You’re looking for a doood In fact, I’ll be happy to cook for you" He stopped and rubbed a hand around the back of his neck, embarrassed "I’d have to borrow your kitchen, however"

She laughed

"I’ve been renovating and updating the station Froht"

"You’re welcoht, if you like It’s just my friend Devon, her fiancé, her three-year-old and her friend, Rawley"

"Thanks, that’s very nice, but I don’t want to intrude" He put the phone back in his pocket "I’ll probably run into you at the diner or so Let ive you a lift back to the station?"

"Nah, I like the walk Have a nice evening"