Page 39 of Miles. Alton & The 9:04
Chapter Thirteen – Pugnacious
Thom expected a callfrom Mae that never came.He paced the floor of his office, concerned she may have lost her nerve, or they had countered with a better offer.More than anything, his thoughts revolved selfishly around himself, feeling sorrowful as the hours passed, that perhaps he wasn't enough for her.The argument in his head went back and forth, culminating on the concept of the fifteen hundred bucks in flame colored cookware, which meant his sexy chick planned to fluff up the roost.Finally, having run out of second guesses, he picked up his phone to call, but looked up, and in his office doorway was Mae.
“Mary?Are you okay?I was getting worried,” he said.
“It's a heck of a drive, nearly four hours, plus, I had to bring my plants and clothes,” she said.
He simply stood staring.She'd come to him, but this wasn't how he’d wanted this to happen.Also, now wasn't the time to discuss matters, so he reached into his pocket and passed her the keys to the home.
“I should be there in about an hour,” he said.
“Okay, see you at home,” she said and blew him a kiss, leaving him standing perplexed and slightly bemused.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, he arrived home to the flame-colored pots on the stove simmering a meal which smelled mouth-wateringly delicious.A colorful rug he hadn't seen before was on the living room floor in front of the ridiculously long sofa.The bare windows had leafy green occupants seated nearby, peering out, sunbathing in the last of the day's rays of light.The house felt like home.
A barefoot Mae appeared, wearing a loose-fitting pair of lounge pants with a matching top which hung off one shoulder.The hair, which had been down earlier, sat piled high in a messy bun, and Thom had seen nothing more delightful in his life.
“Oh, hey you,” she said casually, walking over to kiss him to welcome him home.“Pretty good day today?”
“The question is, how was yours?”
“Quit my job, handed in my keys and the corporate credit card, said farewell, and walked the hell out,” she said.“I got to my apartment and didn't want to be there, so I packed up my favorite things and brought them here to where I want to be.”
He scratched his chin, forcing himself to push away the questions he wanted to pelt her with to gain an understanding of where they were currently standing, “Mary, what is the plan, or do you have one?”
“Sure,” she said, walking past him to stir the yummy in the pot.“The courthouse opens at 8:30, we go get a license, then find a judge and get married.”
Mae brought a spoon of the broth to him to taste, and his eyes grew wide from the perfectly seasoned liquid.“That is amazing.What are we having for dinner?”
“Braised lamb chops in red wine with risotto,” she said.“I saw the lamb chops taken down, so I put them on.I hope that is okay.”
“Yes.Yes, it is, but we need to talk,” he told her.
“Okay.I'll set the table, and we can talk,” she told him.
Mae didn't seem to be in the mood to be contrary.She had driven for four hours, cooked the man a meal, rolled out a colorful rug which brought panache to the drab living room, and added air cleaning greenery to the house.In her heart, and in the back of her mind, Thom Brown had better plan on doing some singing so she could get a whole heap of loving, or there was going to be a fight.
“I read your face, Mary,” he said, laughing.
“Me?I didn't say anything,” she said, winking at him.
Thom brought the food to the table, blessing it and enjoying one of the best meals he'd ever had in his own house.If she could put dinner on the table like this, the whole meeting with her Daddy thing would have to wait.He was marrying her in the morning and that was going to be that.
“I read your face, Thom,” she stated, laughing at him.“Say what's on your mind.”
He sighed.
