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Together they moved in the television and DVD player and hooked the the screen away He’d made the doors especially because he knew there would be times that Abby would want to keep the libraryroom

When everything was in place, Rick left with a wave to go to work and Tom was left in the house alone

It was nearly one o’clock when Abby returned ho soh the porch door “Here you are! I saw the truck but no sign of you”

He straightened and looked at her She was so pretty today, in a white peasant shirt and jeans that ca the funky sandals again, the beaded ones he remembered from the first day, but in so many ways she looked completely different froo

The woman before him noas comfortable, relaxed, happy

Happy He wanted her to be happy, and nerves bubbled around in his gut Today was more important than she realized …

“The FOR SALE sign’s gone”

She nodded, co it still up, is there?”

He shook his head “Did you have a good time at Jess’s?”

“Of course I left h, because they were still hot When I go back she’s going to show“I was too full for dessert at the café, so Linda sent me home with a piece of her triple-layer chocolate cake You want it?”

He really didn’t; he was already nervous, but he wasn’t ready yet for as co next, and the cake was a reasonable procrastination technique “I skipped lunch, so that’d be great”

They sat on the bench in the garden for a few minutes as he ate his cake with a plastic fork He was nearly done when Abby put her hand on his arm

“To? You look worried”

He looked at her and saw a crease between her eyebrows “Nothing’s wrong” He put the fork in the Styrofoa for you to get home, that’s all I have a surprise for you”

“You do?” The crease disappeared and her eyes lit up