-
North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Six
“M.T. called you too, huh?” Penny asked. Nodding, Kate pulled out the chair opposite Penny, setting her steaming latte down on the table as she did so. Slinging her purse on the back of the chair, she sat down, her eyes skipping across the coffee shop. Bean Tamptations was doing typical Saturday morning business—tired, harassed mothers buzzed through the line, towing impatient, bored kids behind them; college students sat huddled over computers, textbooks spread out before them… A rich aroma of freshly ground coffee invaded the cozy space. “She sent me a text to meet her here,” Kate volunteered. “Yeah. Me too.” “It sounded urgent.” Penny rolled her eyes, taking…
-
North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Seven
Kate looked down uncertainly at the slight edge of piping she could see poking out from underneath the kitchen sink. M.T. stood by the back counter, her hands busy as she rifled through a large toolbox. “Do you even know what you’re looking for in there?” Penny asked, strolling into the room, a banana in one hand, and a bright pink bandana covering her head. M.T. shrugged. “No, not really.” She smiled. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. She was still stuck in homebuyer’s euphoria. Penny chewed thoughtfully, her eyes going hesitantly toward Kate. “How about you? Do you see what the problem is over there?” She waved in the…
-
North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Eight
Jake’s lips were cool where they pressed against Kate’s, his hands roaming up and down her back, drawing her steadily closer, until her legs were pushed up tight to his, until she could feel his chest moving with the force of his breathing. And, curling against him, Kate kissed him back. That is, until a crash of noise invaded her senses. Pulling back at the sound, Kate’s eyes popped open, her head shifting to the side, to watch an empty plastic bin tumble loudly down the stairs. “Oops, clumsy me,” Penny called out. She was standing on the third step down from the top of the stairwell, a tight, almost…
