RebeccaRebecca spotted Jason across the room with several other members of her staff who were all standing around a small bar-top table together, laughing. He caught her eye and waved her over, Rebecca sighing internally. This was a bad idea. She should just go home and enjoy the comfort of her tub and then her bed. Hanging out with people from work never proved to be smart when you were the boss. She knew she was pretty cool in terms of office structure and support of her people, but the fact remained that she was in charge, and they answered to her.Jason broke away from the crowd and walked to meet her in the belly of the bar, the small restaurant only having tables around the edge of the room so that people could mingle to their heart’s content in the middle. His smile was wide and oh, so welcoming, Rebecca having to remind herself that they wouldn’t be anything ever, and she was glad for that. No way could she fall for someone so young and then worry for the rest of her life tha

RebeccaThe mysterious man was gone by the time she made her way back from the restroom, Rebecca stopping by the bar where he’d stood and looking at the people surrounding the area. He’d looked so much like what she might imagine Kade to look like, his strong football physique from high school grown up and filled out even more. Perhaps she was seeing what she wanted to, though.It was entirely possible that Kade had physically changed completely. He was a musician on top of playing every sport known to man, so he could’ve made it in Hollywood on some small scale and given up his days in the gym. Maybe he was thin and gangly now. Maybe he was a crack addict and looked like a reaper from hell.Never. At least not in my daydreams.Someone brushed behind her, strong hands moving her hips to scoot her away from her current stillness. She turned a full circle, the back of his T-shirt telling her it had been the man she was looking for.The faint echo of his cologne filled her senses and cau

RebeccaRebecca’s phone buzzed in her briefcase as she worked to unlock the door to her apartment, the loud music flowing from the apartment across the hall and grating against her last nerve. She’d lived here for several years, and though she paid top dollar for the place, there were people of every background living around her. It was an eclectic part of town, and if the individuals that lived around her didn’t have a healthy bank account, like she did, then they had parents that did. She pushed into her apartment, concern spreading across her at who would be calling at eleven on a Friday night.Rebecca dropped her stuff in the car, turned to lock her front door and then worked to dig through her briefcase to locate the buzzing phone. She’d missed the call by then, but Jason’s name appeared on the screen a few seconds later. Sighing softly, she dropped the phone on the couch and moved through the house, turning on lights as she went. She had watched far too many scary movies as a ki

Rebecca“Oh man, I love this place.”Jason stood just behind Rebecca at the counter, as an elderly black woman approached them with a big smile on her face. “Hi ya, folks. You can sit anywhere you like. Nelda will be right out to getcha order.”Rebecca smiled and moved into the dining hall as Jason thanked the hostess. Rebecca slid into a small, two person table near the window, the sun streaming in but the coldness pressing against the glass just beside her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.“You want to move over there so we’re not by the window?” Jason sat down and placed his hands on his coat as if he were going to remove it but wanted to see what she wanted to do first.“No, I’m good. I like being near the sun, but the glass is cold.” She reached up to flip over the coffee cup that sat upside down on a small saucer before her.He took off his coat and stood up, walking around her and putting it on her shoulders. She slipped her hands into the sleeves and pulled it

RebeccaThe drive to the house was longer than she remembered, but it was enjoyable, seeing that she and Jason spent the whole time talking about music they loved and their favorite foods. She found out that she had way more in common with him than she might have imagined.She pointed to a long dirt road that led into the middle of nowhere, trees lining the path and covering the view of the house.“Wow.”“What?” she asked, looking over at him, the mid-morning sun coming through the windows of the old truck to warm her soul.“It’s beautiful out here.” He kept his eyes on the road before them, but his expression softened a little. “My grandfather lives up near Lufkin. It looks a lot like this. The trees are big and old, spread out for coverage, and the city life fades fast as you reach his place. There’s only serenity to be found out here.”She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself as anticipation tore at her. The house that she’d helped to design was beautiful, the long wraparound p