All Grown Up Read Online Free Page A

mouth. “I guess we are.”
    At that moment, the lights flickered. Annalise looked at him with apprehension. “Already?”
    “It’s probably just the wind at this point. Although, to be honest, the power isn’t all that reliable on a good week. And by the way, the plans include undergrounding all the utilities. Not only for occasions like today, but to restore the original look of the place.”
    “Holy cow, Sam. That will cost a fortune.”
    Coming from the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in America, her amazement was telling. “Yeah,” he said, grinning. “But I’m an architectural purist. What can I say?”
    The lights flickered a second time, galvanizing him into action. “I need to go bring in as much firewood as I can. If the power goes out, we’ll camp out in the living room.”
    “That’s behind the kitchen, right?”
    “Yes. The two rooms share a chimney. Fortunately, that section of the house has already been finished. If you don’t mind, how about making us a couple of omelets while I get the wood. If we do lose power, it would be nice to have one last hot meal.”
    Annalise blanched.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I’m not handy in the kitchen,” she said with a wry, self-deprecating twist of her mouth.
    “Nothing fancy,” he assured her. “There’s lunch meat in the fridge. Just chop up some ham.”
    She grimaced, and for a split second he witnessed in Annalise a shocking vulnerability he had never seen before. “I’m serious, Sam. I don’t cook.”
    The expression on her face seemed to indicate she was awaiting his derision. And although he was certainly incredulous, he tried to hide his surprise. “I guess that makes sense. Growing up without a mother must have been tough.”
    “I wanted the chef to teach me. When I was thirteen. But Daddy said it was inappropriate for me to spend time in the kitchen when I could be learning Latin and Greek. He has odd ideas about things like that.”
    “And in college?”
    “I lived in the dorm. Ate in the cafeteria. When I got out on my own, it wasn’t an issue. I order a lot of take-out, and when I entertain, I hire a caterer.”
    He was momentarily speechless.
    Annalise lifted her chin. “I know your grandmother is a fabulous cook. And I’m sure your mother is, as well. But if that’s what you were expecting, you’re out of luck. I planned on eating a lot of cereal and canned tuna while I’m here.”
    Sam inhaled, feeling as though he was stepping through a minefield. “It’s not important, Annalise. You caught me off guard, that’s all. I have this impression of you as being Superwoman, and I suppose I thought there was nothing you couldn’t do.”
    Her tense shoulders relaxed. “That’s a nice thing to say.”
    He tugged her hair. “I can be nice on occasion. When I’m not continually provoked.”
    “Is that a jab at me?”
    He lifted an eyebrow innocently. “Would I do that?”
    They laughed softly in unison, and he felt an imperceptible shift in the parameters that had governed the recent cold war between them.
    Annalise waved her hands. “Go get the wood. I’ll make some sandwiches. And I do know how to heat soup.”
    “Well, there you go,” he said. “What more do we need?”
    He found himself whistling as he carried armload after armload of wood into the house from the pile beside the barn. Something inside him felt charged with anticipation, though if he’d been called on to identify the odd feeling, he wouldn’t have been able to pin it down. For the moment, he was content to enjoy the prospect of an evening with a beautiful woman.
    If they had to rely on the fireplace for everything, the supply of logs would dwindle rapidly. So he labored until his arms ached and his back protested. When he finally was satisfied that they had enough fuel for the immediate future, he replaced the tarp covering the woodpile and prayed they wouldn’t need to revisit it anytime soon.
    As he returned to the house, a rush of warm