It's a Love Story

"You can stay with me. We have plenty of rooms and I know my mom would want to help you." he said. "Let us at least give you money for food."

"I don't want to be given anything," she stopped, shaking her head. "I want to earn it myself."

"Then you can work for my dad or for my mom." he said.

"Doing what," she asked.

"Well, works the ranch. You could help him with the horses." he offered.

She thought hard about it. It was tempting, that was for sure. Horses were definitely her favorite animal.

"You don't have to decide right now. But, I'll give you a little money so that you can buy yourself some food when I drop you off tonight. I'll also talk to my parents. But, right now," he smiled and gestured to the ice cream. "Pick what you want."

She looked up at him, her eyes big. "Whatever I want? Really?"

He nodded, smiling. "Anything."

She smiled and looked at all the flavors of ice cream, as excited as a five year old. "Cookie dough, please," she told the clerk, smiling.

"In a cup or a cone?" the clerk asked.

"Cone, please," she smiled, doing a little bounce.

Jon chuckled as the clerk got the ice cream. "Do you want any special toppings?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, thanks."

He nodded and handed over the cone then looked at Jon. "I'll take two scoops of cotton candy." he told him then looked at Ren. "How do you like it?"

Ren smiled, somehow managing to get it on her nose as she licked the ice cream. "It's good," she said.

He laughed and nodded, wiping the ice cream off her nose with her thumb. "Good. Glad you like it."

She smiled happily. "Thank you, Jon," she told him, meaning it wholeheartedly.

"You're welcome." he smiled, taking his ice cream and then paying. Once done, they walked out, him holding onto his sketch book. "So, where do you want to go?"

"Can we go see the river," she asked, starting to bite into her cone now.

He nodded. "Of course." he said, leading the way.

She smiled and followed him cheerfully.

"You're pretty when you smile." he said to her as they walked.

She blushed and looked away from him, too involved in her icecream cone to hide her face.

He smiled and kept walking, going to a secluded part of the river.