Read All of You for Free Online Page A

give my sister any
time to talk to Lincoln alone. I didn’t look my best, but at least
it was better than how I looked when Lincoln first saw me this
morning. And I told myself it didn’t matter anyway. I was just
going to talk to the man and potentially go shopping for a new coat
with him.
    I was helping clean up the kitchen with
Rebecca when the doorbell rang. We both lunged for it, but I beat
her to it, thankfully. I opened the door, and there he was. He was
wearing a dark blue puffer coat that hugged his body and jeans that
fit him beautifully. He stood in the doorway holding a carrier with
four drinks from the coffee shop around the corner. His face was
etched in anxiety, but he quickly replaced that with a bright smile
when he saw I had answered the door dressed in something other than
pajamas.
    “Hello” he said cautiously, as his eyes swept
over me.
    “Hi.” I answered back, hating my lame
reply.
    “Is it okay if I come back in? I brought
coffee for you and your sister and a hot chocolate for Tabitha.” He
held up the drink carrier. “I hope that’s all right. I promise not
to spill it on you.” He laughed nervously and I wanted to roll my
eyes. Would he never let me forget that embarrassing moment?
    “Jillian! Let the man in!” Rebecca demanded
from the kitchen. I swung the door open farther, and Lincoln
stepped inside. I took the drink carrier from him and started
toward the kitchen.
    “Tabby Cat! Lincoln brought you a treat!” I
called to my niece who was playing on the computer in the living
room. I heard the thump of Tabitha’s feet hit the floor and the
quick pitter-patter of her bare feet as she raced into the
kitchen.
    “What is it?! What is it?!” Tabitha squealed
as she ran up and made a quick stop next to me. I pulled out the
small cup.
    “It’s hot chocolate from the coffeehouse.”
Tabitha’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. “Sit down
on the stool and I’ll set it here. It’s very hot, so be
careful.”
    Tabitha started jumping up and down and made
a move to grab the cup. “Uh-uh!” I stopped her. “It’s really hot.
And you have to thank Lincoln first.”
    Tabitha stopped jumping and ran toward
Lincoln, wrapping her arms around his legs. “Thank you, Mr.
Lincoln!” Tabitha said with her face pressed into Lincoln’s
side.
    “Whoa,” Lincoln said as Tabitha knocked him
back slightly with the force of her hug. “Uh, you’re welcome,
squirt,” he replied with a smile and patted her on the head.
Tabitha released him, took a sip of the drink, and ran back to the
living room.
    “Sorry about her. She was at a sleepover last
night and is kind of running on lack of sleep and a sugar high
right now,” I said with a laugh.
    “That’s okay. I was just hoping to get the
same reaction from you over the coffee.” He smiled suggestively at
me. I looked away awkwardly and I felt my face blush. I was not
sure what to respond to that. I heard Rebecca sputter into her
coffee and then start coughing. Lincoln smile grew even bigger.
    “Um, yeah. Thank you for the coffee,” I said,
although I was not going to hug him like Tabitha did.
    “Yeah, thanks Lincoln!” Rebecca said, and I
looked over at her. She was standing on the opposite side of the
kitchen island, looking back and forth between Lincoln and me with
a shit-eating grin on her face. Crossing my arms over my chest, I
bugged my eyes out at her in an attempt to get her to take the hint
to leave.
    “Oh! Right! I’ll just go see what Tabby is
looking at on the computer,” Rebecca said and walked out of the
room with her drink, leaving Lincoln and me alone in the
kitchen.
    “Your sister seems nice,” Lincoln said,
breaking the silence in an attempt to encourage conversation.
    “She is.” I looked up at Lincoln and into his
eyes. I made a decision right then and there. I would follow my
sister’s advice. I would let down the metaphoric walls I put up to
block him out, at least temporarily. I was curious as to