Scrumptious by Amanda Usen

stared at the sunset through the screen door. What on earth had made her turn him down?
    A silhouette blocked the fading light, and she jumped, recognizing her downstairs neighbor as he knocked sharply on the door.
    “C’mon in,” she called. Good thing she hadn’t decided to nap.
    Thomas stepped into the kitchen and quirked one dark, winged eyebrow at her. “Were you standing there waiting for me?”
    She shook her head. “Danny just left a second ago.”
    He stroked a long-fingered hand through his short goatee, which was starting to echo the thick, silver streaks at his temples. The man had a glorious head of salt and pepper hair, thick, coarse, and wild, and his unironed oxford, wrinkled khakis, and distracted expression completed the distracted English professor image. “Bill and I were thinking about heading out of town this weekend. Would you be willing to watch Samson?”
    “I’d love it,” she replied instantly. “When can I have him?”
    His expression was sheepish. “Now? Bill’s downstairs packing the car. We were going to take him if we had to, but if Aunt Marlene’s available…”
    She nodded eagerly, and he backed out the door, returning a few minutes later with the panting beagle, his leash, and a sack of dog food. Samson yipped and ran in excited circles while they exchanged the necessary details.
    “Thanks, Marlene. We won’t be home late on Sunday, I promise.”
    “He’s no trouble. I love the company.”
    Thomas leaned down to give Samson a kiss. “Be good, monkey man.”
    Samson kissed him back and Thomas left, laughing and wiping his face on his sleeve.
    “C’mon, Sam, let’s go see Grandma.” Marlene snapped the leash onto his collar, grabbed her purse, and led him out the door. The tip-tapping of his claws on the wooden stairs was a cheerful sound and she smiled, feeling optimistic about the turn her day had taken.
    She’d been too hungover and shell-shocked this morning to talk to Olivia about working on the line again, but tomorrow was another day. It was probably better to wait and see what happened with Keith anyway. Joe was right about one thing: things rarely changed. If Olivia let Keith come back to work, Marly would be in the exact same situation as before.
    She opened her car door. “Get up in there,” she said to Sam, who leaped up into the driver’s seat and clambered over the console. She started her car and pulled out of the driveway. Samson sat on the seat next to her during the drive, shedding like crazy.
    Just as she turned into the driveway of her mom’s new house, she remembered she hadn’t called to say she was coming. She put the car in park and pulled her cell out of her purse. She’d better make sure she was still welcome.
    A man answered her mother’s phone. Even though she should be used to it by now, Marlene stammered. “Oh, hey, um…is Kate there?”
    “Sure thing.” She heard him call, “Honey?”
    A moment later, her mother answered, “Hello?”
    “Hi, Mom, it’s me.”
    “Baby! It’s so good to hear from you — ”
    “Actually, I’m in your driveway.” As soon as it was out of her mouth, she regretted not slowly backing out into the street and driving away from the house. The man’s voice had killed her anticipation of an evening spent alone with her mother. She was almost certain her mom was going to marry this one too, and it was going to be painful to be nice to him. “I don’t want to interrupt your night, Mom — ”
    Samson barked, and her mother squealed, “Have you got Sam with you? Get in here, silly, I can’t wait to see him, and I want you to meet Richard!”
    “Sure,” Marlene sighed, staring at the brilliant orange-pink line on the horizon and wishing she had stayed home to watch the sun set from her roof. This was certainly turning out to be a full day, she thought wryly, as she pushed the car door open with her leg so Samson could scramble over her. He jumped to the ground, and she snatched his leash as it