Page 6 of December's Ride with Scar

We talk some more as we finish eating and she helps me clean up the kitchen. Before we are done, she is yawning.

“Why don't you go to bed, and I will finish up here? You have had a long few days and need to get some rest,” I tell her.

“Thank you. I will see you in the morning,” she says.

I watch her head to her room, and double check to make sure the cabin is locked up tight and everything is as it should be. Even though I'm not really tired, I go to my room, so I don't disturb her by staying up.

What a twist the day has taken. If I'm going to convince her to stay, I better get my head in the game.

CHAPTER 4

EVELYN

I can’t rememberthe last time I slept this well. Certainly, it had to be before I lost my parents, and maybe not even then. It’s so quiet out here in the mountains. There was nothing to disturb me, and I slept so soundly. Now though, the smell of coffee and bacon wakes me up, and my stomach growls at me to get up.

I don’t want to go out in my pajamas and messy hair, so I take a few minutes to get ready and brush my teeth. Then, because they are so warm, I decide to leave the pajamas on and head into the kitchen.

When Scar sees me, he stops and smiles. It’s the kind of smile that lights up his face and does funny things to my belly.

“How did you sleep?” he asks as he turns back to the food on the stove.

“Better than I have in a long time. It’s so quiet here and peaceful,” I say honestly, searching the counter for the coffee I smell.

“Coffee?” he asks.

It’s as if he can read my mind. “Yes, please,” I say with a smile.

“How do you take your coffee?” he asks, then moves to the other side of the kitchen and opens a cabinet to grab a coffee cup.

“Oh, I can make it,” I say, starting to walk over to where he is.

“If I’m going to make coffee for you, I have to learn how you take it.”

I stop in my tracks.

He plans to make coffee for me? I thought I’d be the wife to do all his stuff and learn how he likes things, but this is completely throwing me off.

“Normally I have it with a splash of flavored creamer,” I say.

“I have some vanilla creamer, but what kind do you like?” he asks as he goes to the fridge.

“This time of year, I love peppermint creamer, and I can drink that all year around, actually.” I clamp my mouth shut before I start rambling.

“Since I was thinking of going into town today, we can get you a jacket, and stock up at the store with things you like, too. You can meet Ruby at the Merc, and we’ll get some Christmas decorations. I don’t have many,” he says.

Smiling, I try not to let my excitement show. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to shop for anything other than groceries, and I had to do those via the pickup service, so I didn’t stray from my budget. It’s been even longer since I was in any kind of store.

“That would be great. I’m excited to see Mustang Mountain,” I say as I take the plate of food Scar hands me.

We sit at the table and talk, getting to know each other, but staying on safe topics this time: favorite foods, things we like to do, movies we like to watch, books we enjoy reading. If this was a formal date, it would be the best one I’ve ever been on because he is actually getting to know me and letting me get to know him.

“Why don’t you get ready to go into town, and I’ll clean up here?” he says when we finish dinner.

“Okay,” I agree, but only because he’s already dressed and I still need to take a shower.

An hour later, we are entering Mustang Mountain, and I can’t help exclaiming how pretty and perfect it is. I have always loved small towns, and Mustang Mountain looks like one of the small towns from all the travel brochures where all those Christmas movies are madeThough I had never heard of it until Scar said it’s where he lives.

The town is already decked out for Christmas with lights on every streetlight. There are over-the-top displays in the store windows, and everything looks magical and inviting. Scar parks his truck on the street, and we walk down the block to the Merc.

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