Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Dutton
My girl has a big heart. I know I shouldn’t be thinking like this, but I can’t stop myself. She’s definitely my girl. She just doesn’t know it yet. The first time I saw her, I got the scoop from Alice. Alice, being her brassy protective self, told me to forget it, Jane was off limits. I can see now why Alice is so protective of her. I’ve learned a lot the last few months. Jane is twenty-two and has been working at The Stop since she was in high school. She has no family and no relatives left in Sweetheart. She has a few friends, but it’s obvious by the way she carries herself that she doesn’t realize how naturally beautiful she is.
It took me a month to make Alice realize my intentions were admirable. Jane may not have family, but it’s obvious that Alice has pretty much adopted her as her own. It may have taken awhile for Alice to trust me, but I was willing to be patient. The whole time I was trying to prove myself to Alice, I was trying to get to know Jane. She’s quiet and timid when I’m around, but I am willing to move slow. I know if I pushed, it would have only scared her off.
“Miss Jane, you really don’t have to do this,” the man says, drawing me from my thoughts.
I look up, and Jane is making a fuss over an older gentleman in the corner booth. I try to hide my smile, but I can’t. Jane has made it her personal mission to help the homeless in Sweetheart. It’s a small mountain town, so there’s not a lot, but the few they do have, Jane wants to help.
I sit and watch. I’ve already scared off the men from the area that are up to no good. The ones that wanted to panhandle for money to get their next fix. I moved them across town, away from The Stop and my Jane. But I talked to Sam and got to know him on all of my many stops here. I know that Sam is a good guy. He’s a veteran with no family, and through a few mistakes in his past he’s now homeless. But he’s a good guy, and it’s obvious he’s enjoying the fact that Jane is worrying over him.
Jane’s sweet voice is almost cooing to the old man. “You know you like my apple pie, Sam. How can I let you leave without my apple pie? And don’t you worry. It’s on me.”
Sam looks as if he’s going to turn her down, but he looks up at Jane and his face automatically softens. “I do love your apple pie,” he tells her, and my heart races in my chest as Jane turns away from Sam with the biggest smile on her face. She looks at me and stops, staring at me across the room. I want to get up and hug her, tell her how much I love her apple pie if that’s what it takes to put a smile on her face like that. But I don’t. I sit here in the hard booth and stare at her as she walks back toward the kitchen.
When I’m to the point where I have to leave or my load is going to be late, I leave money on the table. Extra money because I hate that Jane seems to go without and lives paycheck to paycheck. She seems happy, but I want her to have any and everything her heart desires. Soon, Dutton. Soon you’re going to make it happen, I tell myself.
I walk up to the counter where Alice is standing. “I’m leaving, Alice. Call me…”
She holds her hand up. “I know. Call you if Jane needs anything.”
I nod my head, wanting to say more, but it’s the same conversation I have with her every time I leave. “You still have my number?”
She puts her hands on her hip. “Yeah, what do you think, I deleted it after you gave it to me the last twenty times? I got it. I’ll call you if she needs you, but Dutton, you have to know…”
My heart starts to race. “Know what?”
I turn back to the restaurant where Jane is wiping off a table. She’s bent over running a rag over the top, and I don’t want to look away from her, but I’m curious what Alice is going to say.
“Eventually, one of these guys is going to ask her out, and she’s going to say yes. You need to make your move before it’s too late.”
I run my hand through my hair in frustration. I hate to think of her with someone else. I’m putting it all into motion, trying to fix it so that I can stay in Sweetheart, and I’m almost there. I put my wallet in my back pocket. “I know. Soon, Alice.”