Chapter 13: Gifts

She opened the front door, and tail wagging wildly, the dog bounded out to greet his favorite person in the world.

Cole grinned as he climbed out of the truck. “Hey there, Blue. Did you miss me?”

From the porch, Jenny watched as he bent down to ruffle the dog’s ears. When he straightened up, he saw her and beamed. “Hey, Jenny.”

Stomach fluttering, she smiled and waved.

“I have a ton of stuff in here,” he said, opening the truck’s back door. He picked up several large grey plastic shopping bags in each hand and headed toward her. “Beneath all this is the feed I picked up. I’d like to get that unloaded at the barn, and then,” he thrust the bags into Jenny’s hands, “I brought home dinner.”

Jenny looked down at the heavy mass of bags.

“Don’t worry, there’s lots more.” Cole’s voice sounded muffled as he withdrew another armload of bags.

“I’ll help you take all this upstairs,” he said, moving past her into the house.