The Executioner: A Love Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

against the bar that separated the living room and kitchen. She had very few pots and enough dinner ware for four. It was a cheap set, but it would do. This was not her home, this was a base. But she’d already decided she would have dinner ready for Jordan when he made it home. She showered, braided her long brown hair, and dressed warmly.
    She had completely forgotten about the phone in the back of her small convertible. When she finished shopping and walked back to her apartment she carried the phone with her. She plugged it in and left it to charge as she put away her groceries.
    She’d decided to make macaroni and cheese; an easy dish loved by all, even vegetarians. She would add a salad and rolls and call it a dinner, and she hoped he agreed.
    When her phone was fully charged it beeped, and she went to it to turn it on. She found a message from the Secretary. Good job in California , it read. Have another when you’re ready .
    She hadn’t even been home an entire day and the Secretary was ready with another.
    Well the Secretary would have to wait, she decided. She wanted to be a normal person for a little while. Her main goal was cooking dinner.
    She heard footsteps on the stairs outside as she put the dish in the oven. She was glad she showered and dressed earlier. She even wore makeup as she opened the door when she heard keys rattling.
    “Hi.” She hoped the happiness she felt in seeing him transferred to her voice and her expression.
    She felt her heart skip a beat when he turned to her with a shy smile. “Hi.” He looked so handsome all bundled up in his wool coat she couldn’t help but grin.
    “I wanted to say thank you for taking care of me last night.” She took a step outside her door just to get closer to him. His eyes looked even darker against his dark clothes. “So I made dinner; homemade macaroni and cheese and salad.”
    “That sounds better than a sandwich,” he said thoughtfully.
    She tried not to laugh. “It’s one of my favorite dinners. And it’s easy,” she admitted. “It’ll be ready in about half an hour.”
    “I’d love some. Just let me put my things away and change and I’ll be over.” She nodded and closed her door. She glanced around her apartment and felt a little happier with it. She bought colorful placemats for the bar. She even bought some rainbow colored daisies and placed a vase on either end of the bar.
    Just before he knocked she put a pan of dinner rolls in the oven. The whole apartment smelled welcoming. She really wanted to impress him. And she’d always heard the way to a man’s heart was his stomach.
    She changed the playlist on her mp3 player to soft jazz, and turned the volume down. She wanted just the right mood. He knocked on her door as she finished applying another coat of pink lip gloss. She wanted to look as pretty as possible.
    “I brought my own salad dressing. I hope you don’t mind,” he said as he held it up. “It’s just my favorite.” He wore jeans with holes in the knees and a black t-shirt. His skin looked even more pale, and his eyes looked darker.
    “No that’s fine.” She couldn’t get over how quirky and adorable he was. “Do you like wine? I bought a bottle of white and blush.”
    “I don’t drink.” He looked around her apartment, and then turned back to her. “Are you sure you’re not a spy?”
    “No, I’m not a spy,” she shook her head, and motioned toward a stool. “Like I said, I spent my money on my car. I have a small TV in my bedroom. I watch in there.”
    “You don’t have a computer?” He asked it as if it was the strangest thing he’d ever seen.
    “No, I never figured out how to use them,” she laughed. “My sister studied computer science, but I didn’t even know how to turn one on.” She realized that she brought up her sister again. She tried not to frown as she turned toward the oven to remove the casserole and the bread.
    She filled two bowls with salad, and filled her glass with wine.