Finding Submission (Service & Submission Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

have an estate sale.”
    While he was stopped at a stop sign, he adjusted the air conditioner. “Are you comfortable, Avery? Do you need me to make it warmer? Colder?”
    “I’m a little cold, if you could turn it up, please.” Avery rubbed her hands over her arms briskly.
    Preston reached behind him and pulled his suit coat out of the back seat. “Here put this over yourself until you warm up.”
    “No. I’ll get it dirty. I haven’t had a shower and, you know, I was in jail and all.” She tried pushing the suit coat back at him.
    “Stop that. You’re fine. I’m more worried about you getting a chill. It’s a half hour ride; and you can’t be cold for that long. Put the coat on, Avery. Please. I promise you, I’m not going to hurt you — well, not in a way that matters. You’ll be safe at my house.”
    He thrust the coat back at her.
    ‘Not in a way that matters’. What does he mean by that?
    * * *
     
    They had light conversation most of the way to his house. Avery watched him quietly as he drove, talking the whole time. When he spoke about the arrangement or the hot water she’d gotten herself into, his jaw firmed, the cadence of his deep voice deliberate, even somber. But when discussing his family, sports or movies, he was funny and talkative. He laughed easily and had a great sense of humor. He had gorgeous eyes — the color of deep blue sky — and with that black hair, it was just stunning.
    “So, have you been married before, Preston?”
    He appeared shocked by her question. His head jerked, and he looked at her, as if calculating her motives. Looking back at the road, his eyes narrowed. “No. I haven’t. I almost got engaged in college, but realized that my career needed to be my focus at that time in my life.”
    Avery nodded. “And now? You don’t see your career as the focus of your life?”
    “No, my career isn’t the focus of my life completely. I mean, I’m single and don’t’ have a wife or kids — or for that matter even a dog — so I spend a lot of time at work. But I don’t think it’s the focus of my life like it was when I was in my twenties. If I was to have a serious relationship or get a wife, I would make changes to my life. You know, reorder my priorities. I’d change things up a little. Just getting this house has changed some of my priorities.”
    “Why’d you choose an old house? I mean even I know they require a lot of time and work. Your job must take a lot of time, so why would you add to your responsibilities?”
    “Well, I like old houses. I like the charm, the fancy woodworking. I like opening a door and feeling the weight of it. When I look around the house and outbuildings I think about all the families that have lived there before me. I find myself wondering about their lives and children, the relationships that occurred before me. I’m kind of nostalgic like that.” Preston shrugged, glancing at Avery before continuing. “I could’ve purchased something new with no upkeep, but then I wouldn’t have the satisfaction of a weekend of fixing, say, the steps up to the front door. I love spending all day building something and then when it’s all done, having a beer and looking at it. You know? There’s a feeling of… I did that. I made those steps.”
    “I hate that. I want to just have a house where there are no projects or work involved. I hate working on something senseless all day long.”
    Avery shook her head at Preston, totally confused by him. Why would anyone want to work on steps to a front porch all weekend? It made no sense to her.
    “So, I take it you’ve never completed a project on your own? Like painting your bedroom? Building a tree house? Putting together a piece of furniture on your own?”
    Avery looked at him like he was crazy. “No. That’s why you hire people. I don’t think anyone at my house has ever painted. At least not that I’ve seen. And I’ve never built, or even had a tree house. Daddy was always too busy