Unfinished Dreams Read Online Free

of his hat, she quickly averted her gaze to her grocery list. A shiver flitted over her shoulders at almost being caught staring at him.
    She scolded herself mentally for not just walking over to him and introducing herself. What was the harm in that?
    Getting up the nerve, she raised her chin and her shoulders slumped. With a quiet sigh, she watched as he walked toward the check out with a large watermelon hoisted to his capable shoulder. Her brow rose and she tipped her head as she observed the posterior side of the grocery store cowboy.
    “Whew.” Tess fanned herself with her shopping list. She wondered what the heck happened to the air-conditioning.
    After an hour or better, sauntering through the store, she spent the greater part of the afternoon thinking as she scrubbed down the white woodwork throughout the old farmhouse. By day’s end she was exhausted, but in a pleased and contented sort of way.
    The sun setting in a great red fireball caused a peace to settle over her. Carrying a bowl of strawberries and a small chunk of bakery bread with her, she eased into the front porch swing with a tired sigh. Curling one of her legs under her, she pushed off with her bare toe, setting the swing to a gentle sway as she sampled the bread she’d picked up.
    Her thoughts turned to her mental list of what she hoped to accomplish tomorrow. Paint the cabinets. Put up a new curtain in the kitchen.
    She sighed again, and found herself staring at the tall grass bending in the soft evening breeze. Her mind wandered to the good-looking man she’d seen earlier at the grocery store. The swing creaked in lazy melody as Tess wondered what brought him, or better yet, what kept him in this tiny town.
    Glancing down at her arms, she noticed with pleasure, the faint blush to her once pale skin. Tangible proof of the fresh air and sunshine she was getting. What did Jack call this place? Oh yes, “Green Acres.”
    She grinned and her gaze scanned the rich green fields that flanked her property in all directions. Maybe he was right. All she knew was that for the first time in her life, she felt God smiling down on her.
    The impatient ring of the phone tore through her quiet solitude and she jumped from the swing stubbing her bare toe in the process. Hobbling to the phone, she wondered if this might be the Mr. Russell she’d found earlier in the phone book. A man named Travis said he’d make sure Gabe got the message, he was out on a job.
    Gabe? She wondered if that was short for Gabriel? It was kind of an old-fashioned name. Probably fit an elderly gentleman to a tee.
    “All right. All right I’m coming.” She winced at the throbbing pain, and rubbed her toe. Jack’s image popped into her head. She really hoped it wasn’t him. “Hello?”
    “Tess Graham?”  It was a male voice all right. Gentle, almost caressing in its slow drawl.
    “Who’s calling please?” She kept her voice business-like, but her insides gave an involuntary quiver.
    “I was told you’d called. This is Gabe Russell.”
    An awkward silence followed and Tess swallowed, wondering how best to proceed. Her first thought was to quell the way her stomach shivered when he spoke.
    “Uh, Mr. Russell, I got your name from the phone book. She hurried on. “I have a bit of mail here that appears to be yours. Uh, the man I spoke to at the station said you used to live here.”
    “Yeah.”
    The chilly tone of his voice puzzled her.
    She cleared her throat. “Well, shall I send them to your current address or bring it—?
    Another silence. Tess shifted to her other leg as she nervously twisted a strand of hair around her finger. She wanted to ask him about the house, just a few of the problems she had with windows, but given his attitude, she was cautious not to overstep the boundaries of a small town.
    “Mr. Russell, is it my understanding you do repair work also? I can’t pay you much, but I hoped if you had some time—”
    “Travis tell you that too?”
    She groped