“We could take the rest of our meals to go.” He nearly vibrated with excitement.
“Do you need to tend the goats?”
He shook his head. He pulled out his phone. “Mila will enjoy making a few extra dollars by taking care of them.” He tapped. Then with a satisfied grin, he laid his phone on the table.
Without even time to pick up his fork, the thing buzzed.
He had true enthusiasm as he read the message. He met my gaze. “We’re good.”
“So let’s eat. And then go home.”
Chapter Six
Jarrod
Whatever I expected for Anderson’s home, the charming house on Fifth Avenue wasn’t it.
In fact, the thing looked more like a cottage with the yellow siding, sloped roof, and what I considered gingerbread accents. “It’s lovely.”
I’d followed him here and parked in the front as he indicated.
He parked around back and made his way to meet me at the front door.
“I grew up in this house. Come in.”
Although we had yet to have snow, I had some mud on my boots, so I immediately removed them.
The space was compact. From the living room, I could see through to the dining room and then the kitchen.
“Let me take your coat, and then I’ll give you the ten-cent tour.”
He smiled as he helped me out of my red-and-black plaid jacket.
“You remind me of a lumberjack.”
I gazed at his endearing face. He’d always been shorter than me. And our builds were so very different. He was lithe and nimble. I was stockier and more solid.
After he removed my coat, we stepped into the living room.
The couch had a vibrant red-rose floral design. The matching high-back arm chairs were a deep crimson that matched the pattern. The coffee table was a solid wood construction, and they faced a wood-burning fireplace.
Anderson waved. “I never use the thing. Bad for the environment. And I probably should’ve redecorated at some point. These were Mom’s things, though. Adele’s attached to them. I mean, we both miss my mom, but Adele clings to anything that denotes my mother’s presence.”
“Maybe when she goes away to university?”
He shrugged. “That’s possible. But I’ll be paying her tuition, residence, meals, books…” He winced.
I placed my arm against his shoulder blades. “You’ll work things out.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Damien’s sister-in-law, his dead wife’s twin sister, has offered to pay for Adele’s school.”
“Really?” I found that hard to fathom. I didn’t have any close friends—let alone ones who might consider helping me like that.
“Paget and Sedona’s step-father, my boss, is…” He closed one eye—something he always did when he was deep in thought. “Well, wealthy would be the correct term, I suppose. The twins can go anywhere they want. Study anything they want. Apparently their aunt has been very careful with her savings and has the money to support Adele.” He gestured. “My only other option is to mortgage the house. But I always saw this as Adele’s future. Hell, I don’t even know if she wants to come back to Mission City to be an optometrist.”
“I’m sure someone here will be happy to have her join their practice. Or she can start her own.” I kept my hand against hisback—absorbing some of the warmth. He always had run hotter than me. In many ways.
“I didn’t bring you back here to figure out my life’s problems.” He offered me a wicked smile.
