My Forever June (4 page)

Chapter Ten

June

I took my
dinner out of the microwave and complained out loud as the roaring steam nipped at my fingertips. I snatched a pot holder and carefully took my dinner into the living room, sat Indian-style on the sofa, and plopped the platter down on my lap. I grabbed the remote and turned the T.V up. I was hooked on the show, Duck Dynasty. I had to watch it every week. I ate my food so fast I barely even recognized what it tasted like as I laughed and studied the show before me, trying to ignore the whipping wind from the sudden storm that had descended.

             
Felix jumped onto the sofa and snuggled against me as I continued to watch and eat. The show was suddenly interrupted by loud beeps as an emergency broadcast flashed across the screen. In red, as it scrolled across, was a tropical storm warning for the entire east coast. I had heard about it earlier in the week but ignored it.

             
“Ahhh, man! I hate hurricane season!” I snapped as I took the time that my show was interrupted to take my empty plate to the kitchen. I sat it down on the counter and Felix jumped up and began licking it clean.

             
About that time, I heard the biggest thunder boom that I had ever heard, and it shook the house. It was followed by intense pounding rain. I have to be honest, it scared me. I had only been living in the cottage for six months and had never experienced a storm such as this.

             
I screamed as I heard a pounding on my door, followed closely by another urgent knock.

             
“June!” Tucker’s voice yelled though the door. “June! Are you okay?! It’s Tucker!”

             
I ran to the door and swung it open wide. “Tucker! What are you doing out in this mess?” He was drenched from head to toe.

             
“I’ve been watching the weather closely. When I saw that it was on top of you, I got worried. We need to get you out of here.”

             
“What? And go where?”

             
Another boom of thunder rocked the house causing me to squeal and jump. “Now, June! We need to go!”

             
I hesitated a moment longer and then grabbed my purse and pulled my door shut behind me. Tucker took my hand and guided me through the yard. The wind was fierce as we dodged small flying debris, and I paused at a trashcan rolling toward me. Tucker pulled me out of the way, and we made it safely to his truck. He helped me into the passenger side and then ran around the car to his door. I took a moment to study my house. The shutters were taking a beating. I hoped my little house held up under the storm. I’m sure it had endured worse in the past. It seemed sturdy enough, but still I was worried.

             
Tucker jumped into the car and cranked the engine.

             
I gasped and threw my hand over my mouth. “Tucker! I forgot Felix!”

             
His eyes went wide. “June, we have to go! I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

             
I reached for the doorknob and Tucker stopped me. “I’ll go.”

             
I nodded in surrender, but he was already running toward the house. I chewed on my fingernails while I waited. It seemed like it took forever before Tucker finally appeared running from the house to the truck.

             
He jumped inside and placed the drenched and unhappy cat in my arms. He jerked the truck into gear and sped away.

Chapter Eleven

June

The storm wasn’t quite
as intense when we reached Wilmington and the apartment building Tucker lived in. The rain had just begun to fall as we exited the truck and made our way through the parking lot and into the building.

“This is a nice building,” I said.

“Thanks. My dad built it.”

I was totally impressed.
Maybe Tucker got his rent for free.

Felix was restless and squirmy as we entered the elevator. Tucker hit button 6
, and we began to slowly move upward.

             
As we stepped inside his apartment, I couldn’t help but take a curious look around. It was immaculate. It was unnerving how everything looked squeaky clean. Felix jumped out of my hands and disappeared around the corner.

             
Shrugging, I said, “Sorry about Felix, but I know I would have worried sick about him being in the cottage alone during the storm.”

             
He approached me then, stopping just inches away and touched his hand gently to my cheek. “It’s okay, June. I know how much he means to you. It’s no big deal. Now, relax and make yourself at home.”

             
He stepped away, and I touched my hand to his arm to stop him. I gazed up into his beautiful gray eyes. “Thank you for coming for me. That was very thoughtful of you.”

             
He seemed mesmerized by me as he stared intently into my eyes. “I couldn’t stop myself. I don’t know why, but I had to make sure you were safe.”

             
My gaze intensified to match his. “I know why, because you’re a good guy. This world needs more men like you.”

He smiled a
nd glanced down at his shoes. “Thanks,” was all he said in reply. But it was enough.

             
I pulled my hand away and noticed blood. I looked myself over, but it wasn’t me. Then I spotted a trail of blood on Tucker’s arm.

             
“Tucker, you’re bleeding.”

             
He glanced down at his arm. “Well, will you look at that. I guess Felix didn’t like how fast I snatched him up back at your house.”

             
“Felix scratched you?”

             
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

             
“Come with me.” I took his hand and led him into the bathroom. It was an easy room to find since the apartment was small. I opened the bottom cabinet and spotted the peroxide and cotton balls, just where they should be. The scratch wasn’t very deep and didn’t take long to clean. I put a few Band-Aids over it to finish.

             
Afterwards, Tucker looked over my handiwork. “Hmm, I’m impressed. Maybe you should’ve been a nurse.”

             
I laughed at that. “Nah, I get squeamish at the sight of blood,” I teased.

             
Tucker loaned me a t-shirt and sweats to sleep in and, just like the gentlemen he was, took the sofa and let me have his bed. I pulled the cover back and instantly noticed how tight and clean the sheets were, as if someone had just washed them and made the bed. I giggled to myself. I couldn’t remember the last time I even made my bed let alone washed my sheets.
Maybe I should consider doing that…nah.

I had a hard time sleeping at first
as the storm raged all around us. I worried about Darling and hoped the little cottage was holding up. But more than this, it was hard to sleep knowing Tucker was just in the other room. The chemistry between us was so strong I could almost feel it through the walls.

I rolled around a few times but kept getting tangled in the oversized sweatpan
ts, so I pulled them off and dropped them on the floor next to me. I had to admit that the crisp sheets felt pretty good against my bare legs.

I
soon began to reflect on how gallant Tucker had been as he burst on the scene to rescue me from the storm. I smiled thinking of how he rushed back into that storm to get Felix, a cat I knew he disliked, and who could blame him. The ornery feline had made it difficult for Tucker to get anywhere near me. I instantly wondered how that would play out. As I reflected, my mind slowly and dreamily began to drift off to sleep.

W
hen I woke in the morning, the storm had passed and all was quiet. I pulled the covers back and thought again about how nice the clean sheets had actually felt and reconsidered my earlier idea of washing my own sheets. It was then that I noticed a big lump in the bed. I pulled the covers back further and spotted Felix, still damp and curled up in the bed. I didn’t think Tucker would be too happy to discover that, so I snatched him out and placed him on the floor. He didn’t seem very happy, but then again he never did.

I suddenly smelled
something delicious and pulled on the sweat pants and followed my nose to the kitchen.

Chapter Twelve

Tucker

I had just flipped the pancakes when I heard June clear her throat behind me. I spun to see her standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
Her hair was everywhere and my t-shirt and sweat pants swallowed her small frame almost completely. I was totally enchanted. My mind suddenly went back to the night before when I tiptoed into the bedroom to make sure she wasn’t scared during the storm. She was sound asleep, but as I turned to leave, lightning flashed, sending light through the room, and I spotted the sweat pants I had loaned her balled up on the floor. I quietly left the room but unfortunately didn’t sleep a wink the rest of the night.

I realized I was staring with a goofy expression and quickly corrected myself. “Good morning. Did you sleep all right?”

              She yawned and scratched her head.

I
love it when she does that.

“Actually, I did, thanks.” It was then that her eyes finally focused on the ‘to go’ coffee cups on the kitchen table. “Please tell me that is what I think it is,” she said, joy radiating on her sleepy face.

I snickered at her. “Yes it is. I went out before you woke to get us some; pumpkin spice latte, right?”

“Oh, Tucker. You have made my day,” she said in awe as she took a seat and began adding the sugar I had set out for her.

I was enthralled. It was like watching a child open the present you labored over getting them. And I wasn’t disappointed in her reaction as she took her first sip. Her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head.

“Pancakes to go with that coffee?” I asked, setting a plate loaded
with hot pancakes in front of her.

“Are you for real? A girl could get used to this, you know.”

I smirked. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”

She gazed up at me then and took my hand in hers. “Thank you. And not just for this, but for coming for me. I know I thanked you last night, but it really means a lot to me.”

I squeezed her delicate hand. “You don’t have to thank me, June. Like I said last night, I had to make sure you were safe.”

She nodded and picked up a pancake from the top of the pile and took a dainty bite. “Ohh
h, this is delicious.”

“Thanks. I like to cook. How ‘bout you? Do you cook?”

She shook her head and took a sip of coffee to wash down her bite. “No, not really. I mean I baked some when I lived at home, but I never really enjoyed it very much. Maybe it was because my mom made me do it. I baked a few times when I was visiting my aunt Tess. That was fun, but I haven’t really cooked very much. I mean, it’s only me.”

“True. Maybe I’ll cook supper for you sometime.”
Then I stammered. “I mean, if you like, of course.”

“I’d like that,” she responded. “I’d like that very much.”

The damage didn’t look too bad as I pulled my truck into her driveway. A few of the shutters were hanging loose and her trashcan was upside down with trash scattered about. But it could’ve been much worse. Further up the coast, some houses were destroyed by the strong-force winds.

June was relieved that the interior of her little home, which she had told me her aunt
had named, Darling, had been spared from any damage. I made a quick call into work to arrange for someone to come and fix the minor repairs to the outside. I would’ve done it myself, but I knew my dad wouldn’t like it. June, of course, was very grateful.

After a quick kiss to her cheek, I headed home to shower for work.

I walked through the bedroom to get my clothes for work and noticed the unmade bed. I knew my time was short but decided to make the bed anyway. As I pulled the covers up, I had a strong urge to smell my pillow.
I wonder if it smells like her.
I buried my face in the pillow and inhaled.
Ahh, yes, the fragrance of jasmine mixed with the smell of the tropics.
Her hair was damp as she slept and it intensified the allure. I was sure I would never wash my pillowcase, or at least not for a while.

As I put the pillow back into place, my nose
was suddenly filled with a new smell, this one unpleasant. I pulled the covers back further and sniffed.
Yuck! It was undeniable…wet cat!
I sighed as I quickly stripped the bed and went to shove the sheets into the wash, with the exception of one very special pillowcase.