Free Sara's Promise by Deanna Lynn Sletten

beyond the kitchen, complete with a cozy, overstuffed sofa, chairs, and a large, wide screened television. Annie could easily picture the family lounging on the cushy sofa, watching a movie or football game together, while sharing a bowl of popcorn.
    "I love your kitchen," Annie told him. "It's both functional and cozy."
    William smiled. "Thanks. I like it, too." Since there were only a few dishes, they decided to quickly hand wash them instead of loading them into the dishwasher. William washed while Annie dried and put them away. William thought it was odd that Annie knew exactly where to put everything without asking him first, but then he decided she'd probably seen him getting the plates and silverware earlier so she knew where they belonged.
    "Would you like some coffee? We can drink it out on the deck." Annie nodded, and William started up the coffeemaker.
    "I'll get the mugs," Annie said, then walked directly over to the cabinet near the stove and opened it up to reveal a shelf full of brightly colored mugs. William frowned as he watched her stand on tiptoe and survey the mugs before carefully choosing a shiny black one, then reaching to the back of the cupboard to pull out a bright yellow mug.
    Annie walked back to where the coffeemaker sat and placed the mugs on the counter beside it. "I assume the black mug is yours. It looks like a mug you would use," Annie said lightly. When she looked up, she saw that William had backed up to lean against the counter, and there was a frown on his face.
    "Is something wrong?" she asked, wondering what could have possibly caused such a reaction.
    "How did you know which cabinet the mugs are in?" he asked.
    Annie paused a moment before answering. She realized that she had gone directly to the cabinet where the mugs were kept without thinking about it, as if she knew exactly where they were. But how could she have known? This was the first time she'd ever been in William's kitchen. No wonder William was looking at her funny. Annie lifted her eyes to meet his.  
    "Lucky guess," she said to William, who had been staring at her the entire time. "It's common to place kitchen items in certain places. I just figured that the mugs would be by the stove. I mean, that's where I would put them." Annie hoped she sounded convincing to William, because she sure as hell wasn't convincing herself.
    William thought about this a moment before a small smile crept up on his lips. "Of course, you're right. It only makes sense to think the mugs are by the stove where you would need them." He stepped over to the counter and picked up the yellow mug, handling it carefully. "You were right about the black mug being mine," he said as he carefully filled her mug, then his with coffee. He didn't mention to her that the yellow one had been his wife's, and that was why it was in the back of the cupboard.
    They took their mugs and headed out to the deck outside the living room again. William grabbed a throw blanket off the sofa before they went outside. They sat together on the swinging loveseat, the blanket wrapped around them. The air was quite crisp by now, but with the hot coffee and blanket keeping them warm, they felt comfortable and cozy.
    "I have to confess something to you," Annie said as they sipped their coffee and slowly moved the swing back and forth.
    "Oh, oh. Should I be scared?" William teased.
    Annie chuckled. "No, it's nothing like that. Yesterday, when you brought me here, I realized I had seen your house before, from the beach." When William raised his brows in question, Annie continued. "Not long after I moved to Seaside, I started taking walks along this strip of beach. I don't even know how I found it since it's away from the tourist beaches, but I was drawn here. I loved the peacefulness of this area and looking at the houses. I'd try to imagine what sort of people lived in such beautiful homes, and what their lives were like." Annie paused and took a sip of her coffee, building up her