Page 47 of Love Like Ours

She laughed. “The old me.” She sighed and glanced around the house. “I have yet to apply that to my new life.”

“I could help you with that,” he suggested.

She turned back to him. “I’ll take you up on that offer.” She sighed. “If it gets you sticking around here a little more.”

He moved closer to her and kissed her. “It’s not the only reason I offered to help, but it is a bonus.”

Once they were done eating, they headed back to bed.

“Lucas thinks that I need to stop thinking of this as Mom’s room, but it will always be my mother’s room, even though she only lived here for a short time. She lived in our house in Edgeview for more than twenty years,” she pointed out. “She was here for just under six years.”

“I had to sleep in a closet for the first six years of my life,” he pointed out as he sat on the bed. “Then I had to share a bedroom with my cousins until I was sent to the home. Then I had to share a room with almost a dozen boys whose ages ranged from one to seventeen.”

“That must have been hard.” She sat beside him.

“Actually, it wasn’t as bad as you’d think. I did get picked on at first, but after I beat up the toughest kid there, everyone else left me alone.” He shrugged and took her hand in his. Her fingers were small, thin, delicate, and smooth. She had bright blue nail polish on her fingernails and a matching color on her toes. It suited her.

“I guess I shouldn’t feel bad about letting the rest of my mother’s things go. I’ll keep a handful of items. Some things went to Lucas. Other things…” She stopped and shook her head. “They just aren’t my style.” She smiled. “Like that.” She pointed to the dresser sitting across the space.

It was very old and very worn. It had obviously seen better days.

“I’d bet Lilly at Classy and Sassy would love to refurbish it,” he suggested.

“That’s a great idea. Maybe I can find something else down there to replace each piece with?” She perked up a little.

“See, I’m helping you already.” He pulled her close.

Her eyes moved to the bandage over his bump. “How’s the head?”

“I’m only seeing one of you now, but I’ve decided it’s not necessarily a good thing,” he teased, and then kissed her.

“Palmer.” She placed her hand against his chest. “I’m struggling with sleeping in my mother’s bed. There is no way I’m going to want to finish that kiss here.” She glanced around. “It’s too soon.”

He nodded. “I doubt I’d be up to the task anyway. My head is pounding.” He sighed. “I miss my dog.”

She chuckled. “We’ll go get him after you see Dr. Stevens in the morning.”

He nodded and then pulled her down to the bed and covered them with her purple blanket. “Is purple your favorite color?”

“Purple, green, orange, blue, red.” She sighed. “I could never settle on one color.”

“Is that why you were always changing your hair highlights?”

She chuckled. “Yup. What’s your favorite color?” she whispered.

“You,” he answered and then drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, true to her word, they headed to the lighthouse to get Loki just as soon after Dr. Stevens had given him the all clear and removed the bandage that covered the golf-ball-sized knot on the side of his head just above his left ear.

They were both surprised to see his truck still sitting in the ditch. It pained him to see the damage, but he knew he would have it fixed in no time. He’d have to make a call to his insurance company and have it towed into the shop once he got home.

Max and Loki were waiting for them just outside of the barn. Max had the sleeves to his jacket rolled up, and he would wager the man was still moving furniture out of the main building into the barn so he and his crew could start on the first phase.

When he stepped out of the car, Loki bound towards him, happily circling and yapping.

He bent down and hugged him as the dog licked his face.

“I’m happy to see you too, buddy.” He laughed and fell backwards into the dirt as the dog continued his assault on him.