Never 'Til Now

Chapter 5

Olivia finished scooping the coffee grounds in the machine before snapping down the lid and pressing start. While it was taking time to brew, Olivia decided to make herself presentable before Sam arrived with her new chest that was finally being delivered.

The water did its job waking her partly up, she focused on the task and any time her thoughts wandered to Sam. They had known each other for 7 years and she had never shared so much with him, and she also didn't quite understand why she was feeling this way all of a sudden.

Once Olivia was dressed in a pair of knit shorts and an old t-shirt, she applied some leave in conditioner to ward off the inevitable frizz and threw her hair up into a high curly ponytail. Just as she was pouring her creamer in her mug there was a knock at her door.

Olivia opened it up and immediately she bit down on her bottom lip as she looked at Sam in her doorway. He was dressed in a tight white t-shirt that hugged his biceps and chest, tan colored carpenter pants and dark brown work boots. He his dark brown hair was slicked back except for one curl that hung just above his right eye. His eyes were the most captivating the way they grew brighter when their eyes connected.

"Hey good morning..." he said timidly, not knowing if she would like him today or not. He had never seen her look at him the way she was looking at him now.

"Good morning." Olivia said politely while she stepped back to allow him inside. As he passed her, her eyes looked over his entire frame.

"Hello?" Sam asked, seeking a response to the question he asked that he was certain she didn't hear by the way her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Huh?" Olivia inquired, knowing she had just been caught looking him over. She couldn't stop the blush that took over her cheeks.

"Where do you want me to put the chest?" Sam reiterated his initial question. He smiled to himself realizing he was the thing that distracted her.

"Oh yep.... Follow me." Olivia said as she turned to lead him into the living room.

The old wood floors creaked under her bare feet as she went from one room the the other. "Right here should be fine." She said waving her hand toward the wall closest to the front window.

"Okay." Sam said in understanding as he began to take a step back. "I'll go grab my guy and we'll bring it in."

Olivia nodded before going back to the kitchen to finish making her coffee. She mixed it all together with a spoon and took her first sip. She quickly set her cup down when she saw an unfamiliar dog stroll into her house. "Awww. Where did you come from?" She asked in a soft voice as she kneeled down to pet the large animals tan and black fur.

"That's bear." Sam answered her as he stepped over the threshold backwards as he held up one side of the chest and a young kid held up the other. "And this is my nephew, Noah."

"Hi Noah." Olivia waved a hello as she stood up instead of reaching out her hand like she normally would.

"Nice to meet you ma 'me." The young kid greeted her politely as he had been taught.

"Ugh.no..." Olivia said in distaste at being addressed as ma 'me. "Please don't make me feel any older than I already am. You can call me Olivia or Liv."

"Ok ma'...Liv" Noah caught himself before he used the same word. "Sorry."

Olivia giggled at his slip up and put her hand on his arm. "It's ok."

Once the chest was in its place, Sam handed Olivia a clipboard with a receipt on carbon paper. "Just sign here and we'll be on our way."

Olivia took the pen out of his hand and quickly scribbled her signature on the page. She handed it back and her eyes met Sam's who was already looking her over. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Yeah, no problem." Sam said but didn't leave right away, he was now taking his time to looking at the open space around him. It was an older home that looked like it was in various stages of remodeling. There was a drop cloth by the kitchen wall with a tray of navy-blue paint and a roller lying next to it. The crown molding that adorned the walls, had chips and notches in the wood and the floors were a patch work of unfinished and finished parts. "How long have you lived here?"

"I bought it about 7 months ago. It's a work in progress. I can only do a little bit at a time with my writing schedule." Olivia explained to him.

Sam nodded his head in understanding and reached in shirt pocket to pullout his business card. He joined her on the other side of the kitchen island and handed it over. "If you're interested, I could do it for you."

Olivia took the small card from his hand and briefly enjoyed the way his calloused fingers felt as the brushed against her soft ones. It wasn't a feeling she would forget any time soon. "Yeah. Let me think about it."

"It looks like it just needs a little patience and care to restore it to its natural beauty." Sam commented as he stared back at her. His words hiding a double meaning.

"That's what I thought when I bought it. I could see what it could be, and I fell in love. But who knows maybe I was wrong. It's silly to fall for something based on its potential alone."

"I think that's how most things work. You have to have faith that you made a good choice and give it a shot. Sometimes you could be surprised, if you give it a chance." Sam did his best to assure her that it was ok to take chances.

"I'll let you know if I need any help. At this rate it could take me another year to even make half the progress you could in a month." Olivia did her best to joke and keep the moment light, but she had a feeling the conversation wasn't just about her house.

"Ok. Let me know." Sam conceded as he backed away, keeping his eyes on her until he had no choice but to turn around to head down the stairs.

Olivia took another sip from her cup and put it on the counter. She walked to the door to close it, but she stole one last look at Sam.

When Olivia peeked out, she found him looking back at her. She lifted her hand and waved her fingers in farewell before she closed the door and leaned against it, begging her heart to slow down in her chest.