Page 76 of Fierce-Dane

He wouldn’t admit he was waiting and watching for her like a kid looking for Santa on Christmas Eve.

He opened the door when she was walking up the front walkway.

She had a pair of jean shorts on that were above mid thigh, only because her legs were so long.

A teal T-shirt with a V-neck and canvas slip-on sneakers on her feet.

Her hair was down and flowing around her shoulders and back. He didn’t see it down often. Only when they had plans to go somewhere out in public.

“You look nice and comfortable,” he said.

“You told me to dress this way,” she said. “You didn’t tell me what we were doing.”

“We are going to a festival today. There are all sorts of them on the Duke grounds and around Durham in the summer. This might be the last one of the year.”

“I’ve heard of them before,” she said. “My clients often talk about them, but I’ve never been.”

“Not to one of them?” he asked.

“I’m usually working,” she said. “This will be fun.”

“Good,” he said. “I’m glad I thought of it.”

He was always trying to find something to do with the kids.

“Your house is pretty big,” she said.

“Come in,” he said. “I thought it was too big too.”

“Then why did you buy it?” she asked.

“Because Mel wanted it. We had it built. She was all excited over it and I was just ready to settle in and start our life.”

He could afford it. It wasn’t an issue.

He’d felt so guilty over being gone working so much for years and missing time with his kids that deep down he was looking forward to this too.

“Did you pick things out together?” she asked, moving past the front where his office was located. The door was open like it normally was.

The other side of the staircase had a formal dining room that never got used. He thought maybe they used it once when Mel was living here. Now it just collected dust.

“I’m pretty basic. I like the light colors. Nothing has changed since we moved in.”

He had no problem with the light gray walls and dark hardwood floors. That might have been the only thing he didn’t like when they were picking designs, but he didn’t care enough to argue about it.

“It’s completely different than my house,” she said.

“You’ve got character. My house looks like everyone else’s on the street inside. I’m sure most of the same materials were used on them.”

She smiled. “Have you been in a lot of them?”

“No,” he said, “but you can see some pictures online when they are for sale.”

Mel had looked at it all and tried to be different, but there wasn’t much they could do when he refused to upgrade on ridiculous things.

“Now this is a beautiful space,” she said.

“Thanks,” he said. “It’s my favorite part of the whole house.”

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