by Dianna Love
“Didn’t look like there were any fast food or delivery places nearby. You could starve out here.”
“I’ll just have to cook.”
“Is that burnt popcorn I smell?” He sniffed. “Hope he installed a smoke alarm.”
“Ha ha, so I’ll know when dinner is done. Funny. And yes. That’s what I had for dinner last night.”
Kasey was happy to see Jeremy, but she didn’t have much time before Scott came to pick her up. She hadn’t expected the unannounced company. Even though Scott wasn’t a date, she’d feel awkward if Jeremy was there when he arrived. She needed to get a move on. How was she going to get rid of Jeremy without being rude? She put the rest of the groceries away. She put the waders, a potted mum, and some ribbon on the table.
“What are you doing?” Jeremy asked, pulling up a chair.
“A project.” She took a pair of scissors out of the kitchen drawer and cut one of the waders down to a manageable size that would hold the potted plant. She folded the top of the boot over, cut slits in a row around it, ran a ribbon through the slits and tied a perfect bow. She wiggled the pot down into the boot until the bright flowers nestled into place.
“Cute,” Jeremy said.
“I’m not done. Wait here. Be right back.” She rushed down the hall into the darkroom. She dug through bins full of pictures that weren’t keepers but were too good to toss, and found what she was looking for. As she turned to stand, she slammed right into Jeremy. Her heart leaped into her throat.
“You scared me to death.” She swatted him on the arm and took a deep breath, hoping to slow her racing heart. “I didn’t hear you come up behind me.” She was inexplicably irked.
“Sorry. I followed you.”
Kasey pushed past him. “Don’t scare me like that again.”
“See. You are antsy about living out here, aren’t you?”
Irritated by his mocking tone, Kasey said, “No. Not at all.” Why was he challenging her?
She took the handful of photos back to the kitchen table.
“Well, I won’t hold you up. I just wanted to let you know about your grandmother and see how you were settling in. Give you the housewarming gift.”
She wiped her hands on her pants. Thank goodness. He was finally going to leave. She still needed to get ready. “I’ll walk you out. Oh, and thanks for the muffins. The dish towel matches the kitchen. That was sweet. ”
He just stood there for a moment, which was a little awkward. She made her way toward the door, hoping he would follow. He did, and she walked him to the car. He got into the car and rolled down the window, tossing something her way. She caught it in mid-air, then opened her hand. A butterscotch candy.
Of course.
She waved, feeling a little bad for being annoyed by his surprise visit.
Back in the kitchen, she cut the pictures and positioned them onto the boot, gluing and layering them into place. She hadn’t decoupaged anything in a long time. Hopefully the lacquer would dry before Scott arrived. She opened the first drawer in the kitchen to toss the butterscotch candy into it. There were already a few in there.
Old habits. Jake had probably emptied his little pockets in here on his visits. Before meals, it was their routine for Jake to empty his pockets of all his collections into the kitchen junk drawer. She missed that. Sometimes he’d have little army men or rocks, and oftentimes candy or Lucky Charms marshmallows that he’d tucked away.
She took a deep breath and turned her attention to the project before she got all misty-eyed. The planter turned out so cute, she thought about keeping it for herself. She gently placed it into a large paper sack and set it next to the door before she changed her mind.
She showered, blew her hair dry, and put on jeans and her favorite denim shirt. Her wide leather belt popped as she tugged it through the loops. She twisted to get a good look in the mirror, and pouffed the bottom of her shirt.
The idea of the cookout—of meeting a bunch of strangers—made her stomach queasy. It’s just a casual get-together, and the chance to meet new neighbors. She shoved her hands into her back pockets and rocked side to side, trying to burn her excess energy.
A few minutes later, Scott pulled the Thunderbird into the driveway. Even though she expected to see it this time, the sight of the car still made her heart skip a beat.
Scott tooted the horn twice.
Kasey picked up her camera bag, grabbed the paper sack, slammed the door behind her, and went outside to meet him.
“Hey, girl,” Scott said as he climbed out of the car.
“Hey, yourself.” She walked to the passenger side.
He followed behind her and closed the door after she’d settled into the seat. With a click of the lap belt, she was ready to go. “All set.”
Scott got into the car and nodded toward the paper sack, her purse and the camera bag all shoved onto the floor board. “Do you ever travel light?”
“I have to have my camera with me. Occupational hazard.”
“I suppose.” He pointed to the side of the house. “Who does the RV belong to?”
“Me.”
He gave her a sidelong glance. “You drive that thing?”
“Yep. For work. I used to do a lot of work on the road before I married Nick. That thing is fully equipped—darkroom and all my backdrops, lighting and stuff. A self-contained photo studio. I haven’t used it much over the last couple of years, but I’m afraid no one would be interested in buying it.”
“Sounds cool.” He nodded, looking impressed, then put the car in reverse and backed out of the long driveway.
Big puffy cotton-candy clouds filled the sky. The kind of clouds that somehow never get in the way of the sunshine, even though they’re everywhere.
The silence was a bit awkward. Kasey asked, “How far away do you live?”
“About eight miles.”
“You said your mom lives out this way?”
His mouth curved as if he was on the verge of laughter. “She lives at the other end of Nickel Creek, near the river.”
“I haven’t been to that end of the road yet.”
He turned to her, his thick hair skimming his shirt collar in the back. “It’s nice. There’s a boat ramp down that way, too. Most people take Bradford Junction Road to get to it, though, so your road is pretty quiet.” Scott looked relaxed, one of his arms propped on the console as he drove.
“Yeah. It is quiet. I think I’ve seen two cars in the last two days.” She looked out the window as he turned off the main road. “Hey, this is a regular neighborhood.”
He chuckled. “What did you expect? Cows?”
“Quit laughing. But yeah, maybe.”
He drove past the row of houses, a mishmash of new and turn-of-the-century buildings. Scott’s house was at the very end of the road, nestled amidst huge old trees. “The river runs behind the house,” he said as he parked the car.
He offered to help her with her bags, but she insisted on carrying them herself. Kasey followed closely behind him to the side door. She could see the water from there.
“You are right on the water.”
“Yep. I grew up on these rivers, boating and fishing with my dad.” He pointed down the slope to a boathouse and dock. “I have a pontoon boat and a fishing boat. We’ll have to go out sometime.”
“That sounds like fun.”
Inside, the house was tidy but lacked a feminine touch. It had an open floor plan. From where she stood, she could see the living room, dining room and kitchen. In the living room, a stone fireplace stretched across one entire wall. Its heavy wooden mantel appeared to be hand-carved. Oversized leather and suede furniture looked comfortable enough to nap in. She found herself mentally redecorating the place in something other than shades of brown.
The kitchen was huge and very upscale. It looked like something off the Food Network, with tons of cabinets and a fancy multi-burner gas range. It even had two ovens. An array of food cluttered the counter, an assortment of pots nearby.
She felt totally inadequate already.
“I take it you’re a pretty good cook?” Kasey couldn’t hide her surprise or keep from feeling a little jealous. He even had things prepped and ready to go without a mess.
He blushed, grinning. A dimple became visible on his left cheek. “Yeah. I’ve been a bachelor a long time. I had to learn to cook or starve, and I figured out pretty fast that I couldn’t live on take out with the limited options we have in this town.”
“I’m impressed.”
He pulled fresh ingredients out of the refrigerator. “Are you going to show me what you have in that huge paper sack?”
“I’d love to.” She placed the paper bag on the center island, its black granite countertop cool to her touch. “It’s a little present to thank you for springing me out of jail and inviting me over.”
He cocked his head. “Really? That wasn’t necessary.” He set aside what he had in his hands and rubbed them together like an excited eight-year-old. “But I love surprises.”
He reached into the bag and pulled out the planter. Kasey waited for his reaction.
“Neat.” He smiled, but then lowered his eyebrows. “How did you get so many pictures of my car?”
“It’s not your car, but only you and I have to know that.”
“It looks just like mine.”
“They’re pictures of my husband’s Thunderbird.”
Scott looked surprised. “Your husband’s? He had a car just like mine?”
She nodded. “I know. Isn’t that crazy? It’s in the garage behind the house.”
“I have to admit something about the day my car broke down. When I turned around and saw you getting out of that Thunderbird to rescue me, I thought that big rig had hit me—I’d died and Nick had come to take me to heaven.”
“No wonder you were all out of sorts that day.”
That memory was still so sharp. “Oh, yeah. You got that right.”
“It does look just like my car.” He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a friendly squeeze. “Thanks. That was thoughtful. I love it.”
“I’m glad.” She casually leaned against the island. “I hope you love it so much that I’m off the hook for any cooking assignments. I warned you—my talents lie elsewhere.” She scrunched her face.
“You’re off duty.” He pulled a bar stool next to the counter and patted the seat. “Here you go. The best guest seat in the house.”
She hopped up on the chair, happy to follow the order.
He poured two glasses of wine, then chopped and sliced. Kasey sipped wine and watched him move around the kitchen like a Top Chef. She picked up a magazine featuring do-it-yourself projects from the counter and flipped through it as they talked.
Kasey held the magazine up in front of her. “You must be kind of handy if you’re going to take on any of these projects.”
He tossed a wooden spoon in the air and caught it behind his back. “I’m full of untapped talent.”
“Impressive.” She put down the magazine and applauded.
“My mom got me that subscription for my birthday. I have built a few things I saw in there. A deck box, the picnic table, and a rocking horse for some friends who had a baby boy last year.” He tossed salad as he spoke.
“You are talented.” She picked up the magazine and flipped through it again, paying closer attention this time. “This is really cute.” She turned the magazine to face him. He leaned over as he smoothed olive oil over baked potatoes and rolled them in kosher salt.
“The swing?”
“Yeah, isn’t it cute? I love the stars and stripes. My Jake would love it.”
“That’s a five-minute job,” he said.
“Yeah, right. It’s adorable.” Kasey smiled as she pictured Jake swinging, pumping his legs to go as high as possible. In the photo, the swing’s plank seat hung from thick ropes that knotted beneath it. She left the magazine opened to that page and laid it on the counter.
Scott opened the pre-heated oven and slid the cookie sheet of potatoes inside. Ears of corn, still in the husk, lined the counter. Beside them was a plastic container of steaks in a marinade of herbs that tickled her nose.
Scott washed his hands and dried them on a dish towel.
“Come on, we have some time. Let me introduce you to Maggie and show you the boat house before everyone gets here. Better grab your jacket.”
“Maggie?”
“You’ll love her.”
She put on her jacket. and he led her out of the kitchen through the back door. They walked down a path to the water’s edge.
A black lab ran up to Scott with her tail wagging. “This is Maggie.”
Kasey stooped down and let the dog sniff her hand. Once Maggie gave her an approving lick, Kasey patted her head.
“How’s my girl today?” Scott asked. “You ready for some supper?”
Maggie spun in excitement.
“Maggie, show Miss Kasey what you’ve been up to while I get your food.”
Maggie headed to the boathouse that bordered the dock at the bottom of Scott’s property. She barked and led Kasey to the back of the building to a smaller room.
Kasey raised a brow and looked in Scott’s direction.
“Lassie doesn’t have anything on my Maggie.
“All-righty then.” Kasey followed in Maggie’s footsteps.
In the corner of the room was an empty kiddie pool. Well, not really empty. It was filled with a dog's bed and puppies. Lots of puppies!
Maggie stepped gingerly into the middle of the pool, then sat proudly next to her litter, thumping her tail.
“Miss Maggie, you’ve been busy. How many pups do you have there, girl?” Kasey counted. “My goodness, eight, nine, ten? You must be one pooped pup.”
Maggie charged out of the pool toward Scott, who entered the room carrying her bowl.
Scott put the bowl of food on the floor, then squatted next to Kasey. “Are they the cutest little things you’ve ever seen?”
“They’re adorable. And so many. The brown one is huge. He looks like someone snuck him in from an older litter.”
“Yeah. She usually has a couple chocolates. This time they were all black with the exception of those two. One brown and one yellow. The yellow pup is the runt. She’s my favorite.”
“Ohhhh, she’s cute, too.”
Scott scooped up the tiny yellow lab and handed her to Kasey. The puppy snuggled against her chest.
“Their eyes just opened about a week ago.” Scott picked up another puppy.
The yellow lab licked at Kasey’s nose. “Puppy breath. There’s just nothing better than puppy breath. I have got to get my camera.”
“You can take pictures later. They won’t be going far for a while. Let me show you the boats.”
“Okay.” She kissed the puppy on the nose. It reached its tiny paws toward her face. Kasey nuzzled it one last time, then followed Scott out to the dock.
Kasey felt a tug of regret. “That makes me miss our black lab, Dutch. I left him back at the other farm. Everyone thought he was too old to uproot. He’ll get way more attention there from familiar folks, too. It was the right thing to do, but it was hard. I miss him.”
“I bet.” Scott took her hand and helped her step onto the floating dock. “Steady there.”
“Two boats,” she said, looking from the big pontoon boat to the bright glitter-bottomed boat.
“Yep.”
“That one has quite a bit of bling on it, doesn’t it,” she teased.
“The fish love it.”
“You’d think it would scare them away.”
“They like shiny stuff.” He leaned back against one of the dock posts. “Do you like to fish?”
“I’ve got my fair share of fishing stories, and I have to admit I do like shiny stuff.”
“Ahhhh. There’s nothing like fishing early in the morning as the sun just peeks over the horizon. So peaceful, you can hear the fish wake up.”
“Sounds nice.” She looked
out over the water. Trees hung over the edges of the river, lush and green. “It’s pretty down here.”
“I grew up on this river. I never tire of it.” He glanced at his watch. “We’d better get back up to the house. Folks should be here soon.”
“Okay.”
They hiked back up the steep incline to the house. People were already in the kitchen, making themselves at home.
Scott opened the screen door.
“Hey.” Scott cuffed a guy on the shoulder, then hugged the woman next to him.
“That your famous marinade?” the man asked.
“You better believe it. Y’all would run me out on a rail if I didn’t produce the best steak in town, as promised.” Scott turned away from them, then looped a black apron over his head and tied the strings behind him.
He faced them and everyone laughed.
Best Mooin’ Marinade was embroidered on the front of the apron in bright red. Beneath it was a caricature of Scott with a chef’s hat, grill fork, and a sheriff’s badge, chasing cows.
“You like?” he asked.
Scott reached for Kasey and pulled her in to the group. “This is Kasey. She just moved in over on Nickel Creek.”
“The house they’ve been renovating for like a year?” a tall, lanky brown-haired man asked.
Kasey extended her hand and shook his. “Yep. That’s the one.”
He gave her a firm handshake. “I’m Dusty. I did the tile work over there.”
She brightened. “You’re kidding.”
“Bathroom and kitchen,” he said, satisfaction in his eyes.
“It’s lovely. It’s so nice to meet you.”
He smiled and tilted his head toward the woman who stood by his side. “This is my bride, Angie.”
“Nice to meet you, Dusty and Angie.”
“Angie made this apron for me,” Scott said. “She’s quite talented with that embroidery machine.”
“Did you design it, too?” Kasey asked.
Angie nodded.
“Beautiful needlework. I love the detail.”
She blushed. “Thanks.”
