Page 6 of Too Old for Love

It was nearly one a.m. but she left a message for Samantha and Abigail, briefly telling them what happened the night before. She said she would return on Monday, taking Thursday and Friday off to recover.

With that done, she showered and crawled between the sheets. She thought she wouldn’t fall asleep but was out before a second thought. When she opened her eyes, it was nearly nine a.m.

“Wow,” she whispered. “That’s kind of nice.”

She looked at her cell phone and saw no messages from work. It wasn’t expected but then again, it would have been nice to at least have someone concerned for her.

She pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, making her coffee and walking into the living room. There was a knock at her door and she froze for a moment. When she opened it, it took her a moment to register the face.

“Captain,” she said calmly.

“Mike,” he smiled. “Just Mike.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Why are you here? Do I need to fill out paperwork or something?” He laughed, shaking his head.

“No, not at all. I was here to check on you,” he smiled. He was so damn handsome and charming. He had tanned skin and those blue eyes seemed electric in the sunlight. There were hints of silver at his temples making him look incredibly sexy for so early in the morning. But he was obviously much younger than Everest.

“That’s so nice of you. Please, come in. Coffee?”

“I will always take coffee,” he smiled. “But how about I take you for a proper breakfast?”

“I, uh, I need to change,” she said looking down at herself. She still didn’t understand why he was here but she was starving.

“You don’t need to change,” he said smiling again.

He waved his big, callused hands over his own body and Everest made the mistake of looking up and down. He wore loose cargo shorts that hung low on his waist, the NOFD tee-shirt snug against his muscled chest. On his feet were a simple pair of running shoes.

“If anything, you make me look like a bum,” he said chuckling.

“Okay. I mean, no you don’t look like a bum, but okay I’ll have breakfast with you.” She grabbed her purse, locking the door as she left. His huge pick-up truck smelled like soot, whiskey, and something woodsy.

“I should have cleaned this before coming to get you,” he said wiping the dust off the seat. “I don’t have passengers very often.”

She didn’t say anything, securing the seatbelt and looking straight ahead. At sixty-one she knew she was much older than this man. She cursed herself for getting in the truck with him but convinced herself that he was just being kind. This was just a part of his duties.

“Glorietta’s?” she whispered as they pulled into the parking lot.

“Have you been? Some of the best homestyle cooking in all of New Orleans,” he smiled.

He practically ran to the other side of the truck and opened the door, helping her down from the high seat. Her foot slipped on the runner below the door and she fell directly into his arms. He smiled at her, brushing the hair from her face.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” he smirked.

“I-I’m so sorry,” she said pushing back. “I slipped that’s all.”

“Everest, you can slip around me any time you want.” He took her hand guiding her to the door and she stared at their fingers intertwined.

What on earth are you doing, Everest?

Three huge men stood at the cashier, paying their bill.

“Gator? Rush? Is that y’all?” he laughed. “Luke, nice to see you.”

“Mike, what the hell, brother,” said Rush hugging the man with a hard slap to his back.

Everest watched the three giants hug Mike and shook her head, hardly able to believe how much larger they were than him.

He was easily six feet, may six-feet-one or -two, but these guys towered over him.