Page 17 of Big Enough to Bite
He cocks his head. “How so?”
“I’d sworn to never care about anyone.” I press my lips to his in a long, slow kiss that makes my toes curl. I’m in so much trouble.
Chapter Eight
Sam
Ispend all of Monday and Tuesday building the tower at the corner of Mari’s backyard. As I lay the stone, I also have to place the bricks for the stairs that run around the outside. It was my idea to have the steps, and I’m regretting it now, as it has made the construction more complicated.
As the sun gets low, I place the last stone. It needs to dry, and I have a few things I want to do tomorrow to make it look nice for her, but I’m proud of the way it turned out.
I sit on the back step of her porch and admire my work.
Mari has been working to put together a teaching plan for the Manning twins. I’ve barely seen her during the day, but at night she’s been in my house, in my bed. I’ve never been this happy. She’s everything and more. Once I convince her that life here in Harmony Glen can be good and permanent, she’ll be satisfied too. That’s all I want in my life now, to make Mari happy, content, and safe.
A car pulls up out front. The girls are laughing and talking excitedly.
Lori says, “Behave like young ladies, or you won’t be allowed to come back.”
“Yes, Mommy,” one of them says.
They ring the doorbell, and a moment later, Mari’s voice greets them.
Noticing a small clump of mortar, I head over to tidy up. I have a lot of cleanup to do. There’s a truck coming in the morning with sod so that I can fix up her yard where the stone and supplies have destroyed the ground.
Maybe she knows I want to be some small part of her first music lesson in town. Maybe it’s stuffy in the house. Either way, I’m happy when she opens the French door and calls me over.
I close the distance in a few giant steps. “Do you need something?”
Smiling, she shakes her head and hands me a pitcher of water. “You should rest. You’ve worked hard today.”
“Hi, Mr. Sam,” Dotty says, waving from the piano bench.
I smile and wave back.
“We’re going to learn to play and sing. Will you stay and listen?” Dotty brims with excitement.
“Just until I finish my water, if that’s alright with Livi.” I peek at the shyer twin standing close to her mother.
“I don’t mind, Mr. Sam.” Livi looks nervous as she shifts from foot to foot.
I grin at Lori and take my water to the porch steps. Sitting, I gaze out into the cemetery.
“Alright,” Mari says. “Have either of you ever played piano before?”
There’s a pause.
“That’s fine. How about singing? Do you sing at home?” Mari’s voice is light and sweet.
“We sing all the time at home. Mommy sings too,” Dotty says.
“Only for fun with the girls,” Lori says.
“What do you sing?”
Livi’s voice is soft, but clear. “We sing at Christmas, and we sing ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider.’ I like Taylor Swift songs too.”
“Can you sing ‘Frosty the Snowman’ for me?”
