His Plan: Book 2 in the Crossing Midian Series - A Small-Town Christian Romance

Chapter 21

Lenore wore her favorite pair of pink, polka dotted house shoes as she danced around her kitchen the next morning to oldies music that played from the speaker connected to her phone. She used the spatula as a mic, putting on a one-woman show as she made herself scrambled eggs and bacon.

Lenore had spent so much time since getting back from her lunch with Beau, thinking and praying about what she ought to do. About which decision would be the best, and sometime during the early morning hours, she finally figured it out.

It would be a big change, and she still wasn't entirely sure she could pull it off, but Lenore knew she had to try. If she didn't, she'd spend the rest of her life asking herself 'what if,' and she'd regret it forever.

She was still thinking about what she would tell Beau, when suddenly the music changed from 'Soul Man,' to 'My Girl.'

Still holding the pan, Lenore stopped mid-twirl to see why it had changed so unexpectedly, then shrieked when she saw Beau standing beside the kitchen table holding her phone. Lenore jumped and sent her eggs flying to the floor. "Beau! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Dancing with you," Beau said as he laughed and took the pan from her. He sat it on the counter before pulling her to him and spinning her around in the kitchen while he sang along to the song. "I got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees. I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way? My girl. Talking 'bout my girl."

"Someone's in a good mood today," she said, grinning as she let him lead her around. They danced close. Much closer than that night at the restaurant. Beau's left hand was at the small of her back and his right he used to sweep away some loose hair from around her face, tucking it behind her ear, while Lenore wrapped both of her hands around Beau's neck, tangling her fingers in his hair.

When the song ended, he dipped her down low before bringing her back up to him. Beau lowered his head, but right before he kissed her, when he was so close she could feel his breath on her lips, he smiled, "Anybody ever tell you how good you look in those fuzzy slippers?"

Lenore's eyes widened, and she looked down at herself, still mostly in pajamas, and cringed. She felt her cheeks flush and said, "What are you even doing here? Coming in, uninvited." Lenore pointed her finger at him as she scolded. "That's breaking and entering. Way worse than trespassing. I'm calling Wesley."

She made a show of reaching for her phone, but Beau grabbed it first and held it above his head where she couldn't reach. Finally she settled on, "You owe me breakfast."

Beau laughed. "Got it covered." He then went to the fridge and pulled out more eggs and butter.

"You're gonna cook?" Lenore asked.

Beau turned to her, slowly and with complete sincerity, he replied, "For you, I'd do anything."

Lenore did her best to ignore the butterflies that erupted in her stomach as she smiled brightly and moved to stand beside him. "Do you know how to cook?" she teased.

Beau put his hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Do you think my mama raised some uncivilized neanderthal who doesn't know his way around a kitchen?" She raised her eyebrows at him and he laughed. "I know how to cook eggs, Lennie," he replied with a wink, as he turned to the stove once more.

After Beau and Lenore had eaten their eggs and cleaned up the kitchen, Lenore asked, "So why did you come over, anyway? You never said."

Beau dried his hands on a towel before placing it on the counter. "The fair starts tonight. Kind of like the last big thing before school starts back for all the kids."

Lenore turned in her chair to look at him. "Really? That sounds fun. I can't believe summer's nearly over."

Beau reached up and scratched the back of his neck, and Lenore thought she saw him blush for the briefest of moments. "Yeah, so, um, you wanna go? With me? To the fair?"