Unpredictable Love Read Free Page A

her
heart.
    Admitting she had feelings for SSGT Trent
Stevens wouldn’t happen. Jory wasn’t some foolish schoolgirl with a
crush on a handsome Marine. She was a grown woman, who had been
shouldering the responsibilities of an adult since she was
seventeen. Her head wouldn’t be turned by a few letters and some
fancy words. She was above that. Or so she thought.
    Saturday morning, she headed downtown to
interview Laura Dailey. She’d ask about the pen pal project,
keeping her correspondence with Trent private, and the town garage
sale planned for two weeks hence. The money would go toward buying
a new ambulance. The rust bucket they used to cart sick people was
on its last legs.
    She hiked up the wooden steps to the woman’s
kitchen door. As always, the warm, tempting aroma of something
baking enveloped Laura like a soft, cashmere sweater. The scent
drew Jory in as her taste buds jolted awake.
    “ Come in. I’ve got the last apple pie
from the fall crop in the oven. It’s almost done. You’ll have to
have a piece and tell me how it compares to the pies made from the
earlier apples.”
    Jory stepped inside. Her mouth watered at
the smell of baking apples and cinnamon. The apple crop was almost
used up. Soon apple pie would give center stage to sweet corn
fritters, blueberry cobbler, and peach pie.
    After the interview was over, Jory gave in
to the desire for more.
    “ So, how’s that new man in your life?”
The older woman cast a keen eye on the reporter.
    “ What new man?”
    “ The military guy.”
    “ You mean my pen pal?”
    “ That’s what they call it? Guess I can
take some credit for setting you two up, since I started the
program.”
    “ Nobody set me up with anyone.” Jory’s
jaw stiffened.
    Laura went on, “Yeah. He’s the one. Staff
Sergeant or something. Rumor has it you’re pretty tight. Marla told
me you’re getting a raft of letters.”
    Jory waved her hand, casting her gaze down
to hide her blush. “A lot of hot air on paper, Laura.”
    “ That’s not what Marla
said.”
    “ How can she know, unless she’s
steaming open my letters?”
    “ So there is something going on?” Laura sat back, a grin
spread across thin cheeks.
    Jory took another forkful. “He’s pretty
handsome, but not my type.”
    “ What is your type? Short, fat, and
ugly?” Laura chuckled.
    “ Maybe living here? Not facing death
every day? A guy who reads? The Staff Sergeant isn’t exactly a
Rhodes Scholar.”
    “ Don’t be such a snob. Opposites
attract. Look at me and Barney. He’s a big lug who works outside,
gets filthy like you wouldn’t believe. Look at me. I’m trim and
have a spotless house.”
    Jory laughed. “Point taken. Right now, we’re
sort of friends.”
    “ That’s how it begins,” Laura piped
up. “He sounds better than Archie.” Laura made a noise of
disapproval in her throat. “Don’t know how you ever settled for
him.”
    “ Not much to choose from around here.”
Jory wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Thanks for the fantastic pie.
I gotta be going.” She rose, stretched, gathered her notes, and
went on her way.
    Upon returning home, Jory went to her desk
and tapped out a rough draft of the interview while it was still
fresh. She hoped to write a piece compelling enough to jumpstart
people into trotting out their second-hand stuff and parting with
some hard-earned cash.
    Then, she headed for the kitchen. It was her
turn to make dinner. Laura had given her a few apples and the
recipe for apple dumplings. Jory hoped to make pork chops and
broccoli too, even though Amber didn’t like the veggie.
    She hummed along with music on the radio as
she prepared dough. A low rumble drew her attention as she put the
meat in the oven. Glancing out the window, she saw the sky darken.
Looked like a storm was rolling in. She sighed. How perfect—lying
in bed, writing to Trent, while lightning flashed and thunder
crashed right outside her window. She shivered.
    When dinner was finished, there