Page 24 of The Pumpkin Patch Promise

“The picnic, the detour. All of it. It’s been thoroughly enjoyable.”

A teasing smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I’m glad you approve. I think it was mostly the sandwiches that you were thoroughly enjoying.”

He laughed. “They were really good sandwiches.”

For a moment, neither of them moved. Sam had become accustomed to being careful around her. Not distant. Not hesitant to the point of awkwardness. Just aware that whatever this was between them needed room to develop at her pace.

Their six-date arrangement had sounded almost absurd when they'd first agreed to it. A set number of dates. No assumptions. No rushing ahead. But he had come to appreciate the clarity of it. Prue never had to wonder what he expected from her, and he never had to guess whether he'd crossed a line.

She looked down briefly, then back at him.

“Sam?”

“Yeah?”

She pushed away from the truck. He straightened, watching her close the small space between them. She stopped close enough that he could see the faint color in her cheeks.

“I think I want to do something,” she said.

His heartbeat gave an entirely unhelpful jump.

“You do?”

She gave him a look that suggested she wasn't entirely sure whether that answer had been clever or irritating. Then she reached for the front of his jacket, her fingers curling lightly into the canvas.

Sam stayed where he was, terrified that if he moved he’d frighten her off.

Prue rose onto her toes and kissed him.

For a second, surprise held him still. Then he returned the kiss, gently, resting his hands at her waist without pulling her closer. The kiss was soft and sweet. He let her decide how long it lasted and followed her lead when she eased back.

She stayed close. Sam looked at her, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face.

“That was wonderful,” he said.

Her own smile appeared slowly as she looked up at him. “It was. So you didn’t mind?”

“Mind? I did tell you I was open to being kissed by you any time. I really did mean any time.” He gently cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“We should probably head back,” Prue said with a sigh, seemingly as reluctant as he was to leave this moment.

“You’re right. Let’s hope I can still drive. I’m feeling a bit weak in the knees after that kiss,” Sam said with a teasing grin.

Prue laughed and rolled her eyes. The sound followed him as he opened the passenger door for her. It was a beautiful sound to hear.

Sam waited until she climbed in before closing it. He walked around to the driver's side with a ridiculous amount of satisfaction settling over him.

Date number three, he thought, had gone very well indeed.

SAM

Soft gray mist clung to the high ridges beneath a cool, overcast Tuesday sky, and dry oak leaves scraped across the narrow asphalt lane. Prue sat in the passenger seat of Sam's truck as they turned down a residential street two towns north in Greenfield. In her hand, she held a paper with an address Nell had handed her earlier that day.

“I can’t believe Nell knew who my mother was,” Sam said, trying to process the fact that maybe he would get a few more answers after all.

“I can’t believe Nell willingly shared any information,” Prue said with a grin. “After all, trying to get any information from Nell in the past has been like trying to draw blood from a stone.”

“Well, thanks for asking her anyway. I appreciate it,” Sam said. He had made peace with the fact that he might never know any more about his mother, so he was touched that Prue hadn’t given up and was still making inquiries on his behalf.