Free In His Dreams by Gail Gaymer Martin Page A

watched Jeff as he straddled the bathtub and dug into the old caulking. The discolored curls of putty broke and dropped into the tub as he pried it loose so he could recaulk.
    Jeff’s broad shoulders flexed beneath his shirt, and Marsha let her gaze slip to the muscles that knotted beneath the pressure of the scraper. Jeff’s lean build disguised his strength. Marsha couldn’t help but admire his physique.
    “How’s it going?” she asked, wondering if he realized she’d been watching him. She leaned against the sink counter as he brushed perspiration from his forehead.
    “Slow going, but I’m getting there.” He swung his leg over the tub edge and rested both feet on the floor. “What’s up?”
    She gave her head a toss toward the doorway. “I’m running to McDonough’s Market and thought I’d take Bonnie. Okay?”
    Jeff’s shoulders raised as he took a deep breath. “Are you sure you can handle it?”
    “I only need a couple of things. It’ll give her something to do.”
    Jeff didn’t respond for a moment. “You know, she can be a handful.”
    “I can handle her.”
    He rose and tilted her chin upward. “You’re an amazing woman.”
    She had never been called amazing, and she stretched upward and kissed his cheek. “You’re even more amazing.”
    A tender look filled his eyes, and warmth swept through her. “I need to go.” She pulled away, afraid of the intimacy she felt standing beside him. She needed to keep her distance. In-laws weren’t supposed to be that affectionate. As the concern bolted into her mind, she asked herself, why not? Friends showed affection. It was natural.
    Hoping she hadn’t made a mistake with her decision to take Bonnie along, she grabbed her grocery list and her shoulder bag. Bonnie charged from the porch into the kitchen and nearly tripped over Marsha as she headed out the door. Marsha wished she could harness that kind of energy.
    For some reason, getting Bonnie into a seat belt felt like trying to lasso a wild boar. “I don’t need a seat belt,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
    Marsha sat behind the wheel, counting and asking God to keep her calm.
    “Let’s go. Let’s go,” Bonnie yelled, slapping at the steering wheel.
    “We can’t go anywhere, Bonnie,” Marsha said, keeping her voice as controlled as she could under the circumstances.
    “Yes, you can.” She gave the wheel another wallop.
    “It’s against the law. I’d be in jail for letting you ride without a seat belt.”
    Bonnie threw herself against the seat cushion, but, in a moment, she fumbled with the buckle and strapped herself in.
    “Thank you,” Marsha said, sending up a prayer for patience.
    During the short trip to town, Bonnie returned to her more pleasant self, and Marsha’s confidence grew. So did her admiration for Jeff. She’d been critical of him, but today, she had second thoughts. Not that she didn’t worry about Bonnie needing to understand how her body was growing, but she realized the difficulty in explaining this to the mentally immature girl.
    Only a few cars were parked in front of the market. Marsha pulled into a slot and turned off the ignition.
    “Can I push the basket?” Bonnie asked as she slipped from the car.
    Marsha weighed the request and agreed. Though Bonnie darted too quickly through the doorway and whacked the cart against the glass, she slowed when she reached the aisles.
    Marsha tossed items into the cart and, before long, Bonnie left her position behind the handle and wandered to a cookie display. Sugar was one thing her niece didn’t need, but Bonnie snatched a package off the shelf and knocked a few to the floor.
    “We have some at the cottage, already,” Marsha said, picking up the fallen boxes and returning them to the shelf. She held out her hand for the package.
    Bonnie tucked them behind her back. “They’re mine. You can’t have them.”
    “They’re not yours until you pay for them.”
    “They’re mine,” she