Free My Holiday House Guest by Carolyn Gibbs Page A

Evan said.
    “Well, I’m glad
you didn’t. You need to keep your mind on your studies. And I’m glad you’re
here, Douglas.” I felt coy and giddy like a schoolgirl with a crush on the
football quarterback, and Douglas would make a fine quarterback.  Then I caught
the look on my son’s face, and knew I had to reel it in. He rolled his eyes and
winced with embarrassment. Evan wasn’t used to seeing me flirt with men,
especially one of his friends. I needed to come back down to earth.  He went to
his room leaving Douglas and I alone.
    “Well thank you,
Miss… I mean Ravon.  Can I help you do anything?  I’d like to help with
dinner,” Douglas said.
    “Oh thanks, but
you don’t have to, you’re our guest.”
    “No, I insist on
helping.  It’s a Thanksgiving dinner, so I know there’s plenty to do.”
    “Okay then, do
you mind preparing the string beans?”
    “No problem, I
used to help my mom do this. Back then if we didn’t help, we didn’t eat.  The
beans will be stingless after I’m finished with them.”
    We laughed as I
put the bag of fresh string beans in front of him with a pot.  I stood across
from him at the table and chopped celery and onions for the stuffing.  We
worked quietly for awhile.  I glanced up occasionally and watched him
meticulously pulling strings from the beans.  I thought, What a catch. Too
bad I’m not ten or more years younger.   Once when I took a break from my
chopping to steal a quick glance at him, I looked up and found him staring at
me.  We held the eye contact for a bit longer than what was comfortable and
then both of us laughed.
    “I caught you,”
he said, smiling.
    “Caught me doing
what?”
    “Caught you
checking me out,” he said, laughing while pretending to squirm in his seat.
    “Oh, right, and
how would you know that I’m checking you out if you weren’t checking me out?” 
    “Truce, my
lady.  But in stating my case, let me say that any other guy in my place,
sitting across from you, such a beautiful woman, would be checking you out. 
And that’s the truth.”
    I felt my
body heating up at the hint of having a flirtatious exchange with Douglas. It
was both unexpected and exciting. I could feel my pulse quicken.  I better be
careful with this knife in my hand, and pay attention to what I’m doing with
these vegetables. Right on cue, Evan walked into the kitchen and went straight
to the refrigerator without even looking at us.  He grabbed a can of soda and
an apple.
    “Hey, do you
want to hang out with us in here?” I asked.
    “If you don’t
mind I’d really like to call James and Kevin. They’re probably home for the
holiday, too.  Maybe I’ll catch up with them later.”  And he was off to his
room to call his friends he hadn’t seen in months.  I know he’d missed them. 
So that left Douglas and me alone…again.  I must admit I was glad as well as a
bit apprehensive.  I enjoyed talking with him, but felt a little off balance
because I knew I was attracted to him, but felt I shouldn’t be. 
    Douglas and I
talked while he cleaned and chopped more vegetables and I prepared pies. 
    “So, tell me,
Ravon, what do you like to do when you’re not up to your elbows in sweet
potatoes and apples?  What do you like to do?”
    I shifted in
my chair and felt his eyes on me as I spoke, which I liked very much.  “It’s
probably going to sound really simple, but I love nothing more than to spend
time outdoors.  I love hiking and kayaking and camping out.”
    “Really? So
do I.”
    “In fact Evan
and I love camping so much, sometimes during the summer we take our sleeping
bags out and sleep under the stars on the backyard lawn.”
    We talked
about the things we like to do, and found that we had quite a few things in
common. Along with hiking, kayaking and camping out, we also loved jazz music
and going to comedy clubs.
    And he told
me more about himself.
    “I’m half way
through with my master’s in psychology,” he