point Buddy.” Kyle patted his friend’s shoulder. “I’m your friend, remember? Now stop fussing like an old woman and get some sleep.”
Kyle went out the door with Jim watching from the window as the two of them headed towards the Blue House.
“I don’t see any glowing,” Jim muttered to himself. “Everyone is losing their damn minds.”
He looked down, clicked his tongue for the two old hounds at his feet to follow him up the stairs. “Come on guys. I think the three of us are the only sane people left on the entire planet.”
Once undressed, h e pulled back the covers and crawled into his big warm bed. The Duke dogs jumped up to join him, circling twice each before settling down at his feet. “And it’s damn exhausting keeping up with crazy people.” He yawned, clicked off the light, and quickly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Wednesday, December 19th 2012, 12:38am
“W ow, great house.” Abby dropped her two modest bags on the hard wood floors of Kyle’s ample front foyer.
“Oh, thanks.” He grinned. “It’s home.”
She noticed the black and white photography on the walls immediately. There were scenes from the farm; horses, the hen house, various close-ups of crops growing in the fields. They were simple yet perfect in their compositions, the grey scale tone lending a sophisticated feel to the images.
Abby gestured towards the framed pictures. “Yours?”
“Yeah.” He looked up brie fly. “It’s sort of a hobby.”
Abby smiled. “They’re really good. I like them.”
“Thanks.” Kyle walked into the kitchen, flipped the light switch, and dropped his keys on an empty spot of counter amid piles of mail. Abby followed him, silently observing what she could see of his home.
“Thanks for letting me stay here. Alex was getting to be a little much, plus staying in my mother’s old room was starting to haunt me.”
“No problem. I understand that’s got to be kind of tough.”
The walls of the kitchen were papered in a surprising and delicate rose floral. The roses were a pale, muted pink against a creamy light yellow background. Tiny green leaves were sprinkled among the roses, accenting the sea green cupboards above raw, wood, butcher block counter tops.
“I love the kitchen,” Abby said. “It’s not what I expected for a man’s house, but it’s really beautiful.”
Kyle shrugged. “I guess I’m a sucker for the traditional.”
Abby smiled and watched as he shuffled through the paperwork on the counter and moved things around in an attempt to straighten up. How was it that his motions were so familiar to her? A sense of déjà vu washed over her as she realized his every action was something she recognized.
He mumbled something about no longer needing a cable bill before looking up again. “Oh, sorry. You probably want to get settled in. It’s definitely been a long day. Let me show you where the spare room is.” He took a step and gestured towards the stairs.
“Actually,” Abby began. “I’m not really ready for bed just yet. I was thinking maybe we could sober up and have a little chat. I’m not sure we’ll get many other chances to talk in private between Jim and Alex and whatever’s coming our way.”
“A chat about the end of the world it is then.” Kyle nodded. “Okay. How about I put on some coffee?”
Before waiting for her answer he started readying the coffee maker then suddenly stopped in mid scoop. He closed the tin coffee canister and set it back in its place on the counter.
“You don’t like coffee do you?” His question was hesitant and he seemed unsure of what he was saying.
“No.” She sat down slowly at the old oak kitchen table and looked at him questioningly. “I usually drink tea if I want something hot.”
Kyle looked at her blankly. “That’s what I thought. Isn’t that what you were drinking last night? Chamomile, right? I think I have some of that in one of these cupboards.”
“That
Kyle went out the door with Jim watching from the window as the two of them headed towards the Blue House.
“I don’t see any glowing,” Jim muttered to himself. “Everyone is losing their damn minds.”
He looked down, clicked his tongue for the two old hounds at his feet to follow him up the stairs. “Come on guys. I think the three of us are the only sane people left on the entire planet.”
Once undressed, h e pulled back the covers and crawled into his big warm bed. The Duke dogs jumped up to join him, circling twice each before settling down at his feet. “And it’s damn exhausting keeping up with crazy people.” He yawned, clicked off the light, and quickly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Wednesday, December 19th 2012, 12:38am
“W ow, great house.” Abby dropped her two modest bags on the hard wood floors of Kyle’s ample front foyer.
“Oh, thanks.” He grinned. “It’s home.”
She noticed the black and white photography on the walls immediately. There were scenes from the farm; horses, the hen house, various close-ups of crops growing in the fields. They were simple yet perfect in their compositions, the grey scale tone lending a sophisticated feel to the images.
Abby gestured towards the framed pictures. “Yours?”
“Yeah.” He looked up brie fly. “It’s sort of a hobby.”
Abby smiled. “They’re really good. I like them.”
“Thanks.” Kyle walked into the kitchen, flipped the light switch, and dropped his keys on an empty spot of counter amid piles of mail. Abby followed him, silently observing what she could see of his home.
“Thanks for letting me stay here. Alex was getting to be a little much, plus staying in my mother’s old room was starting to haunt me.”
“No problem. I understand that’s got to be kind of tough.”
The walls of the kitchen were papered in a surprising and delicate rose floral. The roses were a pale, muted pink against a creamy light yellow background. Tiny green leaves were sprinkled among the roses, accenting the sea green cupboards above raw, wood, butcher block counter tops.
“I love the kitchen,” Abby said. “It’s not what I expected for a man’s house, but it’s really beautiful.”
Kyle shrugged. “I guess I’m a sucker for the traditional.”
Abby smiled and watched as he shuffled through the paperwork on the counter and moved things around in an attempt to straighten up. How was it that his motions were so familiar to her? A sense of déjà vu washed over her as she realized his every action was something she recognized.
He mumbled something about no longer needing a cable bill before looking up again. “Oh, sorry. You probably want to get settled in. It’s definitely been a long day. Let me show you where the spare room is.” He took a step and gestured towards the stairs.
“Actually,” Abby began. “I’m not really ready for bed just yet. I was thinking maybe we could sober up and have a little chat. I’m not sure we’ll get many other chances to talk in private between Jim and Alex and whatever’s coming our way.”
“A chat about the end of the world it is then.” Kyle nodded. “Okay. How about I put on some coffee?”
Before waiting for her answer he started readying the coffee maker then suddenly stopped in mid scoop. He closed the tin coffee canister and set it back in its place on the counter.
“You don’t like coffee do you?” His question was hesitant and he seemed unsure of what he was saying.
“No.” She sat down slowly at the old oak kitchen table and looked at him questioningly. “I usually drink tea if I want something hot.”
Kyle looked at her blankly. “That’s what I thought. Isn’t that what you were drinking last night? Chamomile, right? I think I have some of that in one of these cupboards.”
“That
Similar Books
