She expected it to be masculine with dark rich brown leather furniture and a large flat-screen television, with only a few pictures on the wall.It was the complete opposite.A cream-colored couch and dark wood coffee table with a medium-sized television.
There was art on the walls and a shadow box with service medals and awards on the wall across from her with a picture of Rob in military uniform.
It was warm and inviting.Either he was a secret interior designer, or a woman had helped design this place.“Did you find the place alright?”
“Yeah.”She’d followed her GPS on her phone.He only lived twenty minutes away from her on the other side of town.She had gotten here a few minutes early but hadn’t wanted to seem overeager, so she’d waited a few minutes before knocking.“This is a really nice neighborhood.”
“It is.”
“Have you lived here the whole seven years you’ve been here?”
“Most of it.I started in an apartment and found this place around a year later,” he said as he closed the door behind them.
“I like the house.It’s really nice.Cozy,” June commented as she waved at the room around them.It was an open floor plan.There was the foyer they were standing in, the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen on the opposite wall.
“You have my sister to thank for that.She came to visit when I bought it and did all the decorating.”
So, she had been right.“Is she your only sibling?”
“Yeah, it’s just us.”
“Are you two close?”
“Not as much as we should be.After I got out of the service, we’ve talked more, but we only share the occasional phone call and card.”
“What about your parents?”
“Both passed away.”
“I’m sorry.Mine too.”
“I’m sorry.Is there anyone other than your brother?”
“No, just the two of us too.”They had a lot more in common than she’d first thought.
“Something we have in common.Are you two close?”
“I wouldn’t say close, but since I moved here, I talk to him more.I think he worries about me.”
“I take it he’s an old brother.”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“My sister is older and is protective of me, though I was the one in Special Forces.”He chuckled.“Not only that, I’m also a foot and a half taller.”
June was stunned that he gave away what he used to do in the army though he had been so secretive about it yesterday.She didn’t know if he was conscious of the slip, and she wasn’t about to point it out.
June’s gaze fell back to his wall of accomplishments as she was deeming it.“May I?”She pointed to his picture and medals.
“Sure.”
June looked over the medals.She recognized some of the medals because her brother had them.“Commendation medal, silver star.My, my,” she murmured.So many awards.“Impressive.”She shifted her gaze to the photo.Rob was so young-looking.He didn’t even look like he was in his twenties yet.He still had that boyish face.It was cute.
“You know your medals.I’m impressed.”
“I may have seen a few of them once or twice.”She shrugged.June didn’t make a habit of bragging about her brother and his accomplishments.It went against the whole secrecy of his job and all.“I’m sure you miss it,” she said, turning back to face him.
“Sometimes,” he replied softly as he passed her and headed further into the house.“Well, we should get started.The workout space is in the back.I built a studio in the backyard.”
