Stranger's Promise

TER

their kiss, so

inch she took up. He cooked again. Sat across from her during breakfast. Fixed a broken step o

ticed ev

ushed hers when they passed a dish. The way he listened when

were sti

oken

t in sepa

hours at a time w

bout the girl in

d those sile

te, repainting samples across the walls. The r

ps in the hallway, she smi

now where I a

e, arms folded. "You're not hard

hed. "I

er test swatches, then pointed. "This

"You know c

"I've seen a

in his presence. "Why ar

lifted. "I

not what

silence pa

night," he said. "Befor

you d

eyes. "No

dropped.

took her paint-stai

how to stay," he said so

en take it. But d

ightly. "I won't. Not if y

here," sh

back porch, watching mist roll off the gar

n't mo

lipped his ar

aybe he was still learning how. But Elias Bla

meant e