Read The Face In The Mirror for Free Online Page B

be red and
swollen. I can feel them puffy, now. I just don’t think I’m up for it.”
I’m a business contract administrator and had documents in my briefcase
that I knew I could look over from home. “I just can’t go there today.”
He scooted closer and whispered in my ear. His breath was warm on my
neck as I curled into him. “If you call out, I will.”
“You can’t, you need to go to work,” I laughed, nervously.
He owned an electrical repair and installation business, and reminded me,
“I’m the boss, remember? Just say it, Renie.”
“It,” I laughed.
n
    We spent the day together not doing much of anything. There was a lot of
conversation, something we weren’t so good at toward the end of our marriage.
Actually, it was me who wasn’t good at it. Mitchell tried, but I’d had my
stubborn head made up that we weren’t in a good place, so I’d just shut him
out, pushed him as far away as I could.
    He didn’t bring up the past, focusing instead on the future, and I was glad.
I needed more time to think about what I would say to him about the past. I
knew I had to address it, but I needed to arrange my thoughts and have a plan.
    “So, with this money from your mom, it seems that you might be in a place
to make some changes. What are you thinking?” he asked as I was looking for
something to fix for dinner.
“Do you really want to know?”
    “I wouldn’t have asked,” he said, his grin making that dimple appear as a
beacon drawing me to him.
“It’s been a dream for a long time.”
“Something with cooking, I’m sure,” he smiled as he said the words. He
knew my dreams like no one else.
“I’ve explored it some, but there’s plenty more homework to do. I want to
prepare ‘grab and go’ meals for others. Everything they need to throw dinner
together in about twenty minutes, or throw in a crockpot before they leave for
work. Fresh for the ‘grab and go’, and frozen for plan-ahead meals.”
“It sounds like something that could be a winner in this area. This part of
town is full of working moms, in an age where people want to eat healthy. The
thing about that is that a drive through is so much easier after a busy day. You
should do it. Do your research and figure out what it takes. Do it, Renie. I’ll be
happy to help you.”
We finished dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. I watched him. My mind
was racing. I wanted to ask him to stay, but I wasn’t sure where we were.
“I need to go, or I’m going to want to stay,” Mitchell said after he’d dried
and put the last pot away.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“I’m going to make this easy for both of us, Renie.” He turned to me and
pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said, grabbing his
things.
It was late June. Mitchell called every day to check on me, and I was always
happy when it was him - hesitant, but happy. I went back to work, but
reviewing contracts was not what was on my mind. Well, maybe it was, only I
was thinking more of reviewing and researching the idea for my business, so I
guess I was thinking of a contract of my own.
    Finally, Mitchell invited himself over. I didn’t say yes, but I dang sure
couldn’t make my mouth spit out the word no.
I hadn’t seen him since the day we played hooky. I’d just gotten home from
work when he arrived. I opened the door to greet him and I felt giddy… but I
kept that to myself.
I’d thrown beef tips and a mole sauce, in the crockpot before I’d left for
work, and had green peppers and onions to sauté and serve with yellow rice.
“Wow, something smells scrumptious!” he said as he followed me to the
kitchen.
It’s you, I thought. He was fresh out of the shower, his hair still damp, and
he smelled like heaven. He brought a bottle of wine and opened it, pouring us
each a glass.
“Let’s sit a few minutes and chill. Is that OK?” he asked.
“Sure, I could put my feet up a minute,” I said. We talked about the last
two