Echoes From The Past (Women of Character) Read Online Free Page A

-- not that I could afford it at the time," he added grimly.
    "This house and the barns. .
.the horses out in the fields, you look like you’re doing so well." She
clamped her lips together as his eyes narrowed.
    "I can afford it now."
    Did he think she was interested in
his money?
    She hung back. "Why don’t you
just show me where I’ll stay tonight? I-I really don’t need anything to
eat."
    "Cabin’s out back, but I want
you to get ice on that bump first." He held the door open.
    Climbing the stairs, Christie
walked through the open door into the kitchen. Delicious aromas assaulted her
senses. "It smells wonderful in here."
    Garrett’s smile eased some of the
tension lines beside his mouth. "Ruth has a pot roast cooking."
    Her mouth watered helplessly.
Surreptitiously, she looked around the well-lit kitchen. Garrett might think
twice about hiring her if he caught her drooling she thought humorously. She
hoped her eyes weren’t watering; she’d never felt so hungry.
    On Christie’s right was a long
kitchen counter and cupboards. The light colored oak cabinets had etched glass
doors with antiqued pull knobs.
    "I really like your dark blue
marble countertop," she remarked. "The black appliances give the room
an air of sophistication."
    He looked at her with one brow
raised. "I was trying more for country simplicity."
    "Did you design all
this?" She looked down at the floor. "I’d say you’ve achieved country
simplicity and more with this slate blue tile. What a great kitchen to work
in."
    "Ruth seems to like it."
    Christie couldn't imagine anyone
complaining about a modern kitchen. She thought of the small, cramped counter
top in her old apartment.
    Light hued wainscoting coupled
with ivory painted walls added to the warm homey look. "Did you do the
stenciling over the doorways?"
    Garrett laughed. "No, that
wasn’t me. Actually, Kim tackled that."
    "I’m surprised that a man
would even think about stenciling." Belatedly realizing how sexist that
might sound, she quickly added, "I mean, I don’t know many -- any men who
could single handedly design their own kitchen."
    "When I was putting the
kitchen together I had some help from the girls who work for me. Truthfully, I
didn’t think of the stenciling. Kim suggested it and I agreed, as long as she
didn’t go crazy."
    "She’s artistic."
    "Yeah, well, that's why she
took care of it. I can’t claim any artistic ability. Now through that door on
your left is a pantry, another freezer and the laundry room. The open archway
straight ahead, just past the kitchen table, leads to the rest of the
house."
    Christie looked across the kitchen
at the opening Garrett indicated. Through the archway could be seen honey
colored oak flooring and a hand woven throw rug in shades of rose and cobalt
blue.
    Bo Peep trailed behind Christie
and then settled with a plop onto a plaid cushion in a corner beside the
archway. She found it curious that this big, tough looking man had named his
dog after a fairytale character to please his daughter. A smile tugged at her
lips. Somewhere under that calm demeanor lurked a sense of humor and perhaps a
gentle heart. Christie reined in her wayward thoughts, knowing she had more
important things to worry about than her new employer’s predilection for
kindness. She didn’t think she’d ever forget the dread on his face when he’d
first knelt beside her and Hannah. It was like he’d seen a ghost. She looked up
and found him watching her.
    Momentarily caught off guard,
Christie blurted, "Your kitchen table is big enough for a small dinner
party."
    "I like having friends over.
I’ll be right back." Garrett disappeared through the doorway to the pantry
and Christie placed her bag out of the way against one wall. He reappeared
moments later with a washcloth and proceeded to open a large upright freezer.
    "Here," he said, handing
her the washcloth with ice. "Put this on your forehead."
    "Probably a smart move,"
she agreed, taking the cloth and ice.