size. Maybe Popi's will fit. You're a what? Nine?"
"Yes, nine."
He seemed pleased that she remembered. Oh geez. "I'll show you the nearest sliding hill to take Maxi
sledding." And of course, make sure they walked into town for a hot chocolate at the old soda fountain
in Cranston's pharmacy, she thought. Walking would take up at least a half-hour, maybe a whole hour if
David only brought his darn wing tips with him instead of boots. "Oh, and you can read Goodnight
Moon to Maxi." Over and over as she often did until she nearly had the words memorized. That would
leave most of her evenings "Davidless."
"I would love doing all of that." He took a bite of his crustless sandwich, leaned back in his chair and
watched her.
With a shove, her sandwich landed onto a plate. The more time she spent with him, the sloppier, more
harebrained he made her feel. His speech was an English teacher's dream, and his formal use of their
son's name was getting on her nerves along with his typical officer's behavior. And, oh geez, that
crustless bread stuff. That nearly took her appetite away.
This was going to be a long visit.
"Can I get you a glass of milk?" he asked.
As if she'd drink the milk from the bottle. A carton, maybe, but not a bottle. "Sure," she mumbled with a
mouthful. "You can take Maxi sliding when he gets home, and Cranston's pharmacy has the best hot
chocolate. Of course, Maxi loves to walk there-"
He stood and poured two glasses of milk, handed her one. "Can you make us hot chocolate?" He sat
down and resumed eating.
"Sure, but..." She swallowed and thought, but then you would still be here. "Is your room all right?"
She smiled at his look of disgust. High falutin' David. He must be fuming inside about the
mothball-scented dresser. The tiny room. The long, long walk to it. It was finally put to good use. Just
maybe it would loosen up stuffy old David and he could forget his rank while on leave this time. Ha! she
thought. She was an optimist, not an illusionist.
"I could use more hangers."
"I'll find some." She leaned forward. "Um. Exactly how many things to hang did you bring?"
He looked at her sternly. "Annie, if you want to know how long I will be here, just ask-"
"How long are you going to be here?"
"As long as it takes." He stood and lifted his jacket from the back of the chair. "I will go wait for
Maxwell in the living room. Does he generally use the front door?"
"No, the window..."
He scowled at her.
"Yes, David, the front door."
He turned and pushed at the kitchen door. "Thank you."
Annie jumped up. "Hey, how long is 'as long as it takes,' David?"
He paused. He could not tell her his plan, nor did he know how long it would take to succeed. If he said
too much, he would have her temper rising and his future in shambles-not to mention his heart. Patience
was the utmost important element in his strategy. One always needed a lot of fortitude in dealing with
his Annie. "I am giving you plenty of time to show me how you manage this household."
"So, less than a week?"
He glared, said "A month," and turned to walk out.
The doors wobbled on their hinges after he passed through them. Annie wished they'd fall off and put
her out of her misery. Then again, she'd never want to leave Maxi and Popi. But having David around
for a month was going to be a slow death of sorts-the death of her sanity, the death of the success she
could almost reach out and touch.
"Damn you, Major."
Chapter Three
Annie sank further into her kitchen chair and groaned. The kitchen doors continued to wobble from
David's departure. One month, a veritable lifetime, she thought. She knew it'd feel that way having him
around. Even sharing lunch with David was annoying. If he wasn't giving her insulting looks as if she
should have gone to finishing school and eat with her pinkie finger sticking in the air, then he was
insinuating that she had no chance for success. She had to do something about him being here.
First on her list was to keep him away from her. It was only logical that he'd put a cramp in her
working. She chuckled to herself. If David heard her, he would get quite a kick out of her calling herself
logical. She knew he thought she was scatterbrained, an absentminded professor type, but she was not.
She knew it, and didn't much care what David thought any longer. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]