Unlovable

Chapter Nine: Nervous Deliveries

Darcie walked into the cabin around five o'clock that night, her arms loaded with that day's purchases. She felt like she had a very successful shopping day as she had bought almost everything she would need to be comfortable in her new home.

With providing for herself a top priority, Darcie managed to grab a few applications from different venues while in town. She figured she could get a job as a waitress in the cute little diner she had eaten lunch at, or possibly in the community theatre.

Darcie supposed she wouldn't even mind working at the local grocer. She set the applications on the entertainment stand and figured she'd let the businesses decide. Whoever hired her first, she would work there. Whatever she would be doing, she knew she would be the best employee she could be.

The Hornblower desk was scheduled to be delivered within the hour. She'd also ordered a couch, recliner, pie safe and mattress from a small used furniture store.

The hardware store also proved to be a great stop. She picked up sand paper and stain, paints, and one extra-large area rug.

Darcie ran back to the car to grab the rest of her things before she sat on the old couch with her day's bounty spread all around her. Paint cans, brushes, cleaning supplies- everything she could possibly think of to make the cabin seem like home spilled from bags and made Darcie feel exhilarated and at peace. She didn't even mind having to put it all away.

Darcie felt a sense of power and control over her future, which was something she didn't feel she'd had for a long time. She started to sort through her things, separating piles by room and use.

Groceries first, she told herself as she gathered the bags and hauled them toward the kitchen.

Ten minutes later she hopped on the counter and looked at the now full refrigerator. She smiled, satisfied, as she listened to the machine hum in the silence of the cabin.

*~*~*

Roger looked at the clock on his dashboard. 5:55.

He didn't want to appear too eager to see her again, so he'd been waiting patiently in his car the last 10 minutes for 6:00 to come.

Roger thought about her spontaneously throughout the day, Darcie's eyes and smile creeping their way into his mind. An employee of his teased him unmercifully, asking a million questions about the girl who got herself tangled up in his head. He laughed and shrugged, sending comments and questions flying throughout his small office. And now here he was, waiting patiently to see her again.

Well, somewhat patiently.

Five minutes early isn't so bad, he thought, as he stepped down from his truck and headed up the gravel driveway.

He took a deep breath before knocking on the door, telling himself this time he would actually wait for her to answer.

Darcie was finally making her way back to the living room when she heard the knock. She looked at her watch, deciding it was probably the delivery man from Lily's.

Looking through the small peep hole she saw Roger shuffling his shoes on the other side of the door.

Darcie was taken aback. The last thing she expected was to see him standing on the other side of the heavy wood.

She quickly ran her fingers through her hair in an unabashed attempt to straighten it. She was sure she looked a mess. She hadn't bothered looking in a mirror since early that morning.

She paused, leaning her head against the door and asked herself why she cared so much what Roger thought of her. He was just a man, and she knew she shouldn't take his views of her to heart.