Page 7 of His Little Pumpkin
Driving back to the mess hall with a relatively full truck, I chuckle to myself. Talk about Laura keeping things interesting for me! She struck my life like a lightning bolt out of the clear blue sky.
I’ve been a loner for a very long time and become set in my ways. I didn’t exactly plan out my life: it just unfolded. I worked hard, made the best of every opportunity, and was fortunate enough to end up with a career I enjoy at a place I believe in.
But Laura. My poor sweet girl being thrown out of the house like that? If I ever met her stepdad or found her biological father, my right hook would have some strong opinions about what kind of men they were.
I haul in the groceries, stashing the perishables in the oversized fridge and huge freezer. I’ve nearly finished arranging the dry goods in the pantry when I hear a knock on the wall.
“Hey, Boss.”
“Eldon.” He comes in and leans casually on the kitchen island as I continue putting away bags of rice and cans of beans. “That new little assistant of yours. Just wanted to check in…”
“Sure. Ask away.”
“Is she in trouble? A runaway? No judgment, of course. I just want to know who’s under my roof.”
I sigh. “Nothing like that. Just psycho family bullshit. They basically kicked her out and she’s been trying to work her way across the country doing odd jobs online and living in little motels. I think she just needs a soft landing to get her bearings.”
Boss nods. “Understood. Does she actually need a job for an official paper trail or anything? I’m not really in a position to hire anyone new full-time, but if a little part-time work would help, just say the word.”
“I think she’s okay for now. I’ll slip her some cash when she helps me out for an afternoon or whatever. But I’ll tell her about your offer.”
“Good.”
I close the pantry door, then look him in the eye. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate it. I’m sure she does, too.”
Boss nods again, straightening up. “Hey, we take care of homeless horses. Makes sense that we’re going to end up taking in a few other strays here and there, right?”
After he leaves, I check the kitchen, then start prepping dinner as quickly as possible. I left Laura a lunch she could just heat up, and plenty of snacks. I love knowing that she’s safe and cozy in my house, but not that she’s going to be alone all day.
It’s not that I’m worried about her. We’ve exchanged numbers, and I know she’d call me if she needed anything. It’s that… I miss her, dammit. Her soft smile. The way her eyes light up every time we discover something more we have in common.
As soon as dinner is over and I’ve cleaned up I bring food home to Laura, expecting to find her working at the dining roomtable on her laptop. Now that she has a safe place and unlimited Wi-Fi, she’s been putting in a lot of hours at her various online jobs.
I set out her food at the end of the dining room table opposite her computer, but don’t see her anywhere.
“Hello?” I call out, toeing off my boots.
Laura emerges from the bathroom with a sweet, gentle smile on her face that makes me feel like more pieces are clicking into place deep inside me. She comes toward me and takes my arm, then leads me down the hallway. “I want you to keep an open mind. But I’ve noticed that your shoulders are very stiff, and you spend so many hours on your feet…”
We come to the doorway, and my heart lurches. She’s run me a bath. The lights are off, the only glow from a flickering flame on a stool next to the tub.
“I hope it’s okay I lit that candle,” she says nervously. “I didn’t know if you were saving it for something special.”
I gaze down at her perfectly angelic face. “That was a gift from Mom, despite knowing I’m not really a candle guy.” My hand slowly runs down her back. “Wow. I can’t think of the last time I took a bath.”
She blinks in surprise. “Really? Then why do you have this gigantic tub?”
I shrug. “Dunno. When I was building the house, it seemed like the thing to do.”
“Well, I think it would be good for you to have a long, hot soak. Relax your shoulders and your poor feet.”
My stomach tightens. This girl really cares about me. I find it a bit hard to believe. “I left your food on the table,” I tell her. “But I could put it in the fridge if you wanted to join me.”
She gives my forearm with a quick squeeze. “I think you’d relax better with no distractions. But thank you for dinner. I’ll go eat now.”
Laura closes the door behind her, leaving me with no choice but to strip off and slip into the tub. I have to admit, it feels amazing. I think she’s put some kind of salts into the water. It doesn’t smell flowery or anything, but the water feels softer, if that makes sense.
After a few minutes, I dry off my hands, then reach for my jeans pocket, pull out my phone, and pop on the old jazz playlist I sometimes listen to on busy days.
