Read Tender Vow for Free Online Page B

“I couldn’t very well sit idle while you sweated away, could I?”
    His smile widened. She took care not to return the expression, going back to her mail, instead. “I do appreciate all you’ve done, Jason, but you can leave whenever. You’re probably tired.”
    “Not till we’ve eaten. Come on; let me make a hamburger run.”
    “No need,” she said, even as her stomach growled audibly.
    “Yeah!” Meagan cheered, jumping up and down. “I want a kid’s meal with chicken nuggets! Can I have a root beer?”
    “Of course,” Jason said, laughing. “You want to ride with me, sugar plum?”
    “Yes!” Meagan squealed, jumping up and down like a grasshopper on caffeine.
    “Do you have a child seat in your car?” Rachel asked, despising herself for relenting.
    “I’ll take your car.”
    Argh! Begrudgingly, she told him her order, then opened the desk drawer to get some cash, but he disappeared before giving her a chance to hand it over. “The keys are—,” she called out.
    “Got ’em!” he yelled back.
    Once they’d finished dinner, Jason lingered for a while. When the kids had been put down for the night, he and Rachel sat on the sofa and watched a mindless TV sitcom, one that had them both laughing, despite her wish to remain reserved in his presence. The truth was, there were few things better than a satisfied stomach and a good laugh, and she’d been without both for a long time.
    At the show’s conclusion, they both stood up, she as if propelled by an explosive force, he in a leisurely fashion, unfolding his long, burly body and stretching both arms toward the ceiling, his supple muscles creating a distraction. With a hard swallow, she squared her shoulders. “Thanks for coming over, Jason. I appreciate all you did, and…well, it’s been a while since I ate a good, old-fashioned, juicy cheeseburger.”
    “My pleasure,” he said.
    She walked him to the door and smiled, trying to make it look as genuine as possible. “I know Meagan loved seeing you.”
    “I plan to come back, you know. How’s next weekend look?”
    “I have plans,” she shot out.
    He arched a dark eyebrow. “Okay, then, but I promised Meaggie I’d watch some princess movie with her, and she needs to know I keep my word, so I do plan to return.”
    “Great. The next time you come visit your folks, I’ll send her over with the movie. You can watch it there.”
    He angled his head and gave her that sizing-up look. “You’re not still mad at me for the way I surprised you today, are you?”
    “No, I’m not mad.”
    He leaned forward with a glint in his eyes. “Slightly annoyed?”
    A hollow chuckle pushed out. “Well, after all, you didn’t have an invitation.”
    “Would I have gotten one if I’d waited?”
    “Point taken. Good-bye, Jason,” she said, opening the door and stepping aside.
    Thankfully, he didn’t press her; he just grinned and tugged a strand of her hair as he walked past. “I’ll see you, Rachel. And I do mean that in the literal sense.”
    He whistled a popular tune on his way to the car.
    ***
    “Got a hot date tonight, boss? A little bird told me it was your birthday.”
    Jason loaded the last of his tools into the back of his pickup truck and looked across the yard at his foreman, Todd Carter. The rest of the crew had already cut out for the day. An overcast sky threatened rain.
    “A little bird, huh? I suppose her name was Diane Leverance.” Rarely did his office assistant forget anyone’s birthday or anniversary.
    “She told me today when I stopped in the office. Meant to wish you a happy birthday. ’Fraid I forgot.”
    “No biggie. Pretty much celebrated it this past Sunday anyway, up at my folks’ house. Then, last night, Candace treated me to a steak at Harvey’s Place. She’s working the late shift at the hospital tonight.”
    Todd gave an absent nod. “So, you’re spending your birthday alone, in other words.”
    “Birthdays have never been a big deal to me.” Especially