Read Online Shelter for Adeline by Susan Stoker - Free Book Online Page B

just gave out. I found her one morning in her doggy bed, not breathing; she’d passed away during the night. I miss her.”
    “I’m sorry.” Adeline put her hand on Dean’s forearm.
    He immediately put his hand overs hers and turned them to head down the sidewalk. “Thanks. You ready for tonight?”
    Adeline smiled at him. “Depends on what you have planned. Ready to go skydiving or street race? No. To eat? Yes.”
    “How about a quick stop first?”
    Adeline shrugged. “Sure.”
    “Good. Here we are.” Dean gestured at a small shop they’d stopped in front of.
    She looked up and saw a sign that said Garcia Art Glass, Inc. Through the windows, she saw shelves upon shelves of beautiful glasswork. Glasses, plates, vases, and sculptures. All in different vibrant colors. Inside the store, there was an ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling. She looked up at Dean in confusion.
    “It’s a hand-blown glass store,” he told her. “For some reason, I thought you might enjoy it. They’re going to do a demonstration for us.”
    “Really?”
    “Really. Is it okay?”
    “It’s perfect,” Adeline breathed. “I’ve never seen it done before. How fun!”
    The worry lines on Dean’s forehead smoothed out. “Good. Come on, they’re waiting for us.”
    Dean held open the door for her and Coco and Adeline gazed around in wonder as she entered. Everywhere she looked was beautiful, colorful handmade glass. Stained-glass windows hung on the walls and row upon row of glasses were displayed as well. She wasn’t sure where to start.
    “Mr. Christopherson and Ms. Reynolds, yes?” a woman asked from the back of the store.
    “That’s us,” Dean replied.
    “I’m Clarice. You’re right on time. We’re all set up and ready for you.”
    Dean put his hand on Adeline’s lower back and urged her forward.
    As if in a daze, she followed the woman through the store to a door in the rear. They entered a room with a few large ovens along the far wall. There were benches set up in a semi-circle in front of them and the woman motioned for them to sit in the middle section in the front.
    “This is Andres. He’ll be demonstrating how glass-blowing is done for you tonight. It’ll take about forty minutes or so, then you’ll have some time to browse the store if you’d like. Enjoy.”
    Adeline nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the Hispanic man in front of them.
    “ Hola ,” he stated in a warm, friendly voice, holding out his hand. Adeline and Dean shook his hand and he got right to it.
    Thirty minutes later, with more information than she’d ever need about how to blow glass, Adeline watched as Dean took a shot. The room was warm from the furnace and Adeline knew she was perspiring but didn’t care. There was something so erotic about watching Dean manipulate the pipe.
    He gathered the melted glass from the furnace, turning the pipe in his hands over and over, the muscles in his arms rippling with his movements.
    Andres told him he had enough and Dean moved to a steel table and began rolling it. Andres instructed him on how to blow into the pipe to make a bubble in the molten glass. Dean went back to the furnace and gathered more glass, then returned to the steel table to repeat his earlier steps. Andres then began to shape the hot glass with a piece of soaked newspaper.
    Dean and Andres discussed something for a moment and the instructor took the pipe from him. They nodded at each other and Dean thanked him.
    He came back to her side.
    “That was cool. Was it hard?”
    “Well, let’s just say if it was left solely up to me, I’d end up with a blob of glass that didn’t resemble anything but a blob of glass.”
    Adeline laughed. “This was fun. I don’t think I’ve ever even thought about how that works before.”
    “I agree. I figured I’d try to impress you with something you might not have done. Want to browse a bit before dinner?”
    “Yes!” she exclaimed. “I think I saw about ten things I had to have