Unfinished Dreams Read Online Free Page A

for a response to his gruff reply.
    “Never mind, sorry, what’s the problem?”
    Tess got the definite sense that she was keeping him from his schedule. If she really set her mind to it, she could probably figure out the repairs herself. She’d let the soothing sound of his voice touch a vulnerable part of her. The part that was lonely for companionship. Besides, in a town this size, the guy was probably married with eight kids. Then again, he did live above a car repair station.
    What the heck was she analyzing this guy for?
    “Well, it’s this front window.”  Tess bounced the cord, watching it bob up and down like some nervous Nellie as she glanced at the window in question.
    “Ah, you mean the one in the living room?”
    His voice softened a degree and so too, her concern. The sound reminded her of a gentle evening breeze.
    “Sounds familiar, huh?” Her eyes narrowed trying to envision what type of man went with this voice. He didn’t sound like he was too much older. How could she tell though over the phone? He chuckled so softly she almost didn’t catch it.
    “There’s a little trick to that. You just push the window frame a little to the left and then straight up. Works every time.”
    “Well thanks, I’ll try that.” A log stretch of silence followed, she tried to discern what the tingling sensation was in her belly. It was similar to the anticipation of her first date, as she pulled that memory out of the back of the closet.
    Good lord, you don’t even know this man. She blinked her way back to reality.
    “Uh, yeah, so about the mail?”
    “I’ll stop by and pick it up tomorrow. No sense in you wasting a stamp or more time, by putting it through the mail again.”
    She wanted to tell him it was no trouble to do that. On the other hand, she wanted to get a look at the guy whose voice was like honey butter on cornbread.
    “That’d be fine.” She heard the line disconnect without a goodbye. Raising her brows, she glanced at the buzzing receiver in her hand, and returned it to the cradle, puzzled why her palms should be sweating.

 
    Chapter Three
     
     
    Gabe couldn’t remember when watching someone eat a strawberry sent his libido into a tailspin. Fortunately, he was able to grasp the watermelon he’d been holding, before it fell in the bin and cracked the other melons. He considered maybe the long drought of dating in his life touched off the erotic thoughts as he watched the juice trickle down the strange woman’s chin.
    Regardless, he knew he wanted to find out more about her. Maybe she was new, maybe just passing through. A lot of tourists come through these parts in the summer to shop the tiny antique shops in the area.
    Gabe bit into another slice of melon and caught the juice on his chin with his finger.
    “Still don’t know why you’d buy a whole watermelon knowing we don’t have a refrigerator to put the dern thing in.” Merle bit off another piece of the red fruit and promptly spit the seed in the wastebasket. They sat in the office of the gas station, with the melon propped between them on the desk. A flat plastic container for tools scrubbed clean with disinfectant served as a buffet tray.
    The crickets outside stirred a lazy familiarity within Gabe and for a moment he wished he were sitting on the old front porch swing of his farmhouse. It was the perfect night for it. He breathed in deeply, imagining freshly mowed hay. Instead, he smelled watermelon mixed with the sharp tangy scent of gasoline.
    “I just felt like watermelon, is that a crime?” Gabe wiped his chin with the palm of his hand. The juice made her image pop again into his head. He swallowed hard taking a few seeds down his throat.
    “You’re supposed to spit those out.” Merle reprimanded.
    Gabe leveled him a look. “Eat up, we don’t have anywhere to store this.”
    Merle shook his head and reached for another slice. “And you’re the guy with the degree.”
     
    * * *
     
    Tess awoke to a dull muted