Ill Take Forever

strong.
    She smiled, sinking to the edge of her bed. He’d said he’d give her back her phone cord. And now he’d made reparation for the damage he'd caused. A curious housebreaker! She was suddenly glad she had not turned him in at the police station. Maybe he was a good guy after all.
    'Good luck, Kyle Martin,' she murmured, remembering his kiss.

CHAPTER THREE

    As the weeks went by, Jenny found herself thinking from time to time about the dark stranger who had invaded her home. She had long stopped dwelling on the loss of her husband and wishing things were different than they were. Time healed all wounds, just as her mother had told her. She still missed Johnny, would probably always miss him, but instead of thinking endlessly about him her thoughts revolved around more recent events–especially the night Kyle Martin had broken in; the breakfast they had shared; their ride to Strawberry. Always ending with the kiss. She wove fantasies in which they met under different circumstances, and...
    That was where Jenny would get bogged down. She knew nothing about him.
    There were so many questions she had about that night and about him. Why had he been out in one of the worst storms of winter? Where had he been going? Obviously a strongly determined man—why else persevere through a blizzard? Making up one answer after another, Jenny discarded them. She could not think of a single compelling enough reason to break into someone’s home and scare them half to death.
    She was tempted to ask Nate and Jim. They, too, had been out in the storm, yet Jenny could hardly ask them without revealing she'd known about the stranger, after all. And as time passed, it became more and more awkward to bring up the topic. Questions would have been asked of her as to why she hadn't reported the break-in, why hadn't she contacted the Sheriff? She didn't want to have to explain, wasn't sure she could explain.
    But time didn't diminish her thoughts of Kyle.
    Would things be different today if she’d questioned him further, found out more about him? Why couldn't she put him from her mind—was it the mystery that kept her thinking about him? Or foolish daydreams? She’d do better to forget him entirely, so she told herself over and over.

    ***
    A month after the break-in, Jenny was working in her den. The snow was still piled high around her house, the drive plowed, spring still another month or more away. She was rocking back in her chair, gazing out at the white landscape, resting her eyes from staring so long on the computer screen reviewing the tedious input she had just completed. It was quiet, peaceful. Maybe she'd take a day off and go skiing tomorrow. She was current with all her clients. A day away from the house sounded good.
    The vision of a pair of warm brown eyes, smiling down at her, swam before her face. Did he ski? His tan indicated time spent outside—maybe she'd see him at the ski resort. Frowning, she pushed the image away. Time enough now to stop daydreaming about Kyle Martin. If he had been anything besides a charming house-breaker, if he’d any interest in furthering their acquaintance–after a satisfactory explanation of that night–she might have heard from him by now. After all, he knew where she lived. She picked up her pencil at the same time she heard the sound of the engine as it droned closer. Company? Delighted for a possible break, she rose and went to her front door, opening it and going out on the porch. It was cold, but sunny. Shivering a little in the crisp air, she watched as a large pick-up truck drew up and stopped. A weathered old man she’d never seen before climbed out and smiled at her.
    'You Jenny Warwick?' he called.
    She nodded.
    'I've got something for you.'
    'For me?' He didn't look like a deliveryman, and she wasn't expecting anything.
    He nodded and reached back inside the truck. A large German Shepherd dog jumped down, gazing up at the old man, waiting for his command. At a swift cupping motion of the man's hand, the dog fell into step beside him. The two of them walked to the porch. Another small motion and the dog sat.
    'I'm to say, "For you, to keep you company, and to protect you from other midnight intruders".' He smiled up at Jenny.
    She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, a warm glow spreading through her as she looked down at the lovely dog. A bubble of laughter welled up. The arrogance of the man! Breaking into her home, now sending her a watchdog. A warm feeling