Page 40 of Love for a Lifetime

She turned at the exact moment he moved. Olivia crashed into his chest with an “Oof.” Dawson tipped back and hit the counter behind him. Olivia toppled off-balance and fell into him.

Dawson wrapped his arms around her until she settled. She looked up at him with wide eyes. Her mouth hung open slightly in surprise.

“We have to stop meeting like this, Liv,” Dawson joked with a wide grin. Any chance to have Olivia in his arms was a win.

The knob on the front door jiggled, and the door creaked open.

Olivia jerked back, straightening her shoulders in an instant.

Dawson laughed. “Wow, Liv. Not sure I’ve ever seen you move that fast.”

“Dawson!” Jeremy yelled from the living room.

“Kitchen!” Dawson responded.

Olivia swiped a hand over her hair, looking thoroughly flustered. “Jeremy is in town?”

“Just for a few weeks.”

Jeremy walked into the kitchen, and his neutral expression morphed into a mischievous smile when he spotted Olivia. “Chicken chick!”

“Hey, bubba,” Olivia said, opening her arms for a hug. Most everyone in Blackwater called Jeremy bubba, and while he disliked the nickname, he never corrected Olivia.

Dawson crossed his arms over his chest. “What am I? Chump change?”

Jeremy released Olivia from the hug, looking a little too happy to see her. “Sorry.” He turned to Dawson and wrapped him in a man hug with a few slaps on his back.

“Long time, no see,” Dawson said. “Glad you made it home.”

Jeremy’s grin faltered but only for a second. “You and me both.”

“How is Mongolia?” Olivia asked as she pulled out a chair at the table.

Guess Olivia’s work could wait now that Jeremy was here. Dawson and Jeremy had always been close, and the nagging pang of jealousy watching Olivia smile up at Dawson’s brother was new.

“Pretty calm right now. Though, I don’t expect it to last through the winter.” Jeremy took a seat beside Olivia and leaned back, stretching his long legs out under the table.

Jeremy and Dawson definitely had the family resemblance. They were both tall and lean, but where Dawson had blue eyes, Jeremy’s were green. Jeremy also preferred facial hair.

“Did you get the church finished?” she asked.

“If all goes well, it’ll be up and running next month.”

“That’s exciting! I’ll put that in the missions newsletter,” Olivia said.

“How did you know he was building a church on the other side of the world?” Dawson asked.

“He sends me a letter every month,” Olivia answered. “Haven’t you seen them on the bulletin board at church?”

“There are a lot of papers on that board.” Dawson looked at his brother. “How come I don’t get letters?”

“Olivia is the head of the missions committee.”

Okay, that made sense. Maybe Dawson needed to pay more attention.

Olivia looked at her watch and stood. “Oh, I really have to go. We’ll talk more soon?” she asked Jeremy.

“Sure. Dinner next week?”

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