Lonely widower (closed for goldenbraid)

[Wolfie605]

Casey was the average man. He kept his brown but peppered hair short and his beard trim although these days he had trouble finding a reason to look nice. He barely left his home in the last 3 years since his wife passed away. Today was different he was retiring early and moving back to his childhood home out in the country or so he thought.

As he had the truck packed and ready to go, he drove away from the bustling city of Lexington and made the 3 hour trip to the countryside of Jackson. Once he got into that small town he realized it didn't stay small, thinking to himself "nothing truly stays the same". Reaching his old neighborhood he finds himself seeing that it has grown and not exactly next door but about 3 acres over his a house. He mumbles to himself inside the truck "damn".

Casey finally back home park's his moving truck to a screeching halt in the drive way and begins unloading the truck. He began carry large boxes into the house as the sun beats down on him, sweat begins to soak his shirt so he takes it off. Even though Casey was nearly 40 his body was fairly decent shape but was still rocking a bit of a dad bod. Tan with a few tattoos on his chest and arms, his slightly chiseled chest glisten with sweat as he unloaded the rest of the truck.

 

[Goldenbraid]

Kristen Miller turned onto the country road that led to the house she had leased for the time, wanting to get away from the stress of the city and recuperate.

Though in her late thirties, she was still unmarried as she seemed to have bad luck with men or the pool to fish from in the big city appeared to have a very poor selection it seemed. Every guy she dated or got involved with turned out to be a creep or ner=do-well even her last fiancé, he'd been slicker that the others and she'd just about walked up the aisle with him, luckily finding out in the nick of time he was a cheater and a scoundrel and cancelled the wedding with only a day to spare.

So she'd decided to get away from things and recenter herself, so she'd headed for the town of her high school days..... not that it had been a better time in her life, as she'd lived here with her step father and step brother, as well as she mother. Butch her step-dad was a belligerent and crude neanderthal who angered almost everyone he knew and was hated or avoided by those he didn't. Her step-brother was egotistical jerk most times, not to mention a rapt womanizer. It also did help she'd been more of an anti-social bookworm type who only stood for her always good marks that generally annoyed her classmates for 'throwing off the curve' and making them look bad, so she'd been mostly invisible or ignored. Plus she'd not been as concerned with her appearance and dressed 'frumpy', further making her unnoticed generally.

When Kristen had moved away to go to university, she'd put the things behind her, changed her last name back to her mother's maiden one and soon discovered the appearance was nearly as important as ability, so she had exercised more to trim her figure, started to dress better and learned a bit about makeup and caring for her hair. It was why she choice to come back here to Jackson for her hiatus, as she figure no one would recognize her and is was a smaller and more out of the way place to recoup.

So far it had proved true, as the few people she'd run into she knew from before hadn't seemed to recognize her, or connect her with her former dumpy self, she thought grinning. A grin that faded as she approached the house for there was a moving truck in the drive of the place next door.

"Wonder if they sold the place?" She said to herself, pushing a strand of her shoulder length dark blonde hair behind her ear, as she pulled the secondhand truck she bought to get around in, to a stop in her driveway.

Far as she knew, or had heard, the place had been empty for years, the family who supposedly owned it having moved away or passed on, years back, so she had to assume it had sold to someone new. Kristen guessed she might as well go greet her new neighbor, or neighbors and be friendly..... plus scope out what kind of neighbors they were going to be.

She left her packages in the truck for now, and walked down the road in her pants and top to the next driveway, her sneakers kicking up loose gravel, and approached a man who was shirtless and moving boxes.

"Hi neighbor." She said in a cheerful voice, tipping her sun hat so she could see without getting the sun in her eyes.

 

[Wolfie605]

As he was carrying boxes inside he had heard the foot steps of someone coming and through the corner of his eye seen a silhouette coming down the drive. Casey walked inside with a box and just as he stepped out he seen this beautiful woman in a big sun hat.

As she greeted him, Casey stepped forward his face sweaty and red both from the heat and embarrassment of being shirtless. As he got closer a smile could be seen curling on his face before he spoke. "Howdy there. Names Casey" he then extended a hand to shake hers. "Sorry I am a bit sweaty and half naked." As he spoke it was slow with a heavy southern draw and smokey voice.

upon shaking hands Casey looked her over a bit, something about her face was familiar but also new a different. He vaguely remembered a girl living next door but he wasn't sure if this was her, and decided there was no way it could be.

 

[Goldenbraid]

"A pleasure Casey." She replied shaking his hand. "I'm Kristen, Kristen Miller. And no need to apologize, you're working pretty hard it appears and it is hot out date." She added. "No really surprising, and you men are lucky that way. Some off those really hot days i with i could go around shirtless for the extra coolness." She commented chuckling. "Summer top for women maybe be light on material, but make up for it in how clingy and tight they can be."

Kristen blushed slightly as she suddenly though how bold and forward that comment might seem before changing the subject. "You buy the house recently from the owners?" She asked curious. "Place has sat empty for awhile i understand."

She stood thinking as she listened to his reply, if she should maybe offer to help or not, as it would be neighborly but it was quite hot to be exerting herself..... she'd look far worst sweating than he did..... not that he looked bad that way as guys seemed to look great sweating and bare-chested.

 

[Wolfie605]

Standing in front of you, Casey chest rose with each breath as he listened to her. As she spoke his eyes watched her closely, then when she mentioned the tight but revealing warm weather clothes for a woman he chuckles and smiled.

with a shine in his greenish blue eyes, he turns to grab a small box. Turning back Casey says "My parents have moved away after divorcing, mom went ti Florida and not sure nor do I care where dad went"

As he spoke and remembered her words of saying the house had been empty a while. "How bout you come inside for a bite to eat? Don't have much maybe some bologna for sandwiches. You can tell me about growing up next door?" With the box in one hand he boldly takes Kristin by the hand with other, silently offering to lead the way.

 

[Goldenbraid]

Kristen tried to hide her surprise as he mentioned his parents moving away after being divorced, realizing his family were the owners making him the boy who use to live there and left to start his own life.... much like her.... and she wondered if he was back for a similar reason to hers.

"Bologna is fine." She told him as he offered her food, but his comment sounded like he might have recognized her, which had been trying to avoid.

His taking her hand and leading her towards to inside was a bit unexpected but Kristen decided not to saying anything as he took her into his house.

 

[Wolfie605]

Inside the Kristin first sees a few boxes stacked but the house was already furnished. The living room they stood in had a large sectional covered with a tarp to preserve is pristine condition, a partially uncovered piano in front of the giant windows looking out across a field of tall grass that moved like wavy waters in the wind. Casey leading her through to the kitchen he stops at the island surrounded by 4 stools.

"Please take a seat, make yourself at home honestly." He tells her as he approaches the tall double door stainless steel fridge. Casey grabs everything needed for the sandwiches. He grabs a knife cutting the bologna into thick slices, two slices for each sandwich and mashes some regular chips in between them as he puts the bread over top of them.

"Hope it's good. So what brought you all the way out here?" Casey ask setting the plates down and sitting across from Kristin sliding ice cold sweet tea to her. A smile on his face as he sipped on his to punctuate his question.