More Than Pancakes (The Maple Leaf Series Book 1)

by Christine DePetrillo

  “It didn’t take. I belong here. I will stay here.”

  “Well, I don’t want to buy all of Vermont for Utopia.” She stood next to him and leaned against the porch railing. The wind stirred up and something smoky, woodsy, reached out to her. It took her a few moments to realize the scent came from Rick.

  “No, you just want the one piece that means everything to me.” He gestured to the trees in front of them. “The two pieces.”

  “I can’t sell you this property, Rick.” Lily clamped her lips closed at the use of his first name. It had slipped out, but her ears rather liked the sound of it.

  He narrowed his pale blue eyes. “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Can’t. I really can’t. My orders are to secure these two properties for Utopia Resorts.”

  “What happens if you don’t?”

  “I’m going to piss off a lot of people with salaries bigger than mine. The president of Utopia Resorts saw my designs and approved them for this location.” Lily shivered a little at the breeze gnawing through her sweater.

  “Do you like your job?” Rick shifted again, and Lily so wanted him to come inside. To sit. That was all. Nothing more.

  “I love my job,” she said.

  “So do I.”

  ****

  He wanted to hate her. He really did. Rick wanted to let his wrath loose on Lily so she’d pack up her sexy outfits and head on back to California. So she’d leave him the hell alone, and he could continue his quiet little existence hidden away from the world. Vermont was as much a prescription for him as any pill ever was.

  “If I did find another spot in Vermont,” Lily began, “not that I have the time to do so, but if I did, would you be okay with that?”

  Well, this is unexpected. She seemed like the type to get one plan into her pretty little head and stick with it. What was making her consider folding on taking his land?

  “No, I wouldn’t be okay with that,” he said. “A super hotel doesn’t belong anywhere in Vermont. It doesn’t go with the way of life up here.”

  “And by ‘life,’ you mean no life.” Lily threw up her hands and let them flop down against her hips. “This is the most boring place I’ve ever been. There is absolutely nothing to do here.”

  Rick shuffled back and sat on the wooden bench on the porch. He knew he’d pushed his limits walking over from his place, but he’d been so mad at Hope and Sage he hadn’t been thinking practically. Now he was paying. His ankle throbbed, sending flashes of pain up his entire leg.

  “There are things to do here,” he said.

  “Besides making maple syrup?” she asked. “Like what?” She stayed where she was leaning against the porch railing, but Rick imagined her sitting next to him on the bench.

  Don’t do that, man.

  “Snowmobiling, skiing, hiking, canoeing, bicycling, snowshoeing, though I’d be careful with that one.” He indicated his left leg stretched out in front of him. “Mountain climbing, fishing, hunting…” Rick glanced up at Lily to see if he’d named enough activities to convince her.

  “Those are all outside things.” Her arms were folded across her chest as if she were cold in that black sweater offering a hint of the breasts it covered.

  “Well, there’s a lot of outdoors to explore here.”

  “I prefer exploring the insides of stores, restaurants, bars, dance clubs…”

  An image of her tight body dancing to some bass-heavy club music had Rick’s hand curling around the cane resting against his knee.

  “I mean, I couldn’t even get a cup of coffee anywhere around here,” she said.

  “That’s because you don’t know where to go,” he said. “In about a week or so, the best coffee will be right next door. Aunt Joy makes six different kinds with maple syrup in them, but for now, decent coffee is at Black Wolf Tavern two streets over that way.” He pointed to the west.

  “Two real streets or these snowy and muddy one-lane jobs?” Lily waved a hand at the driveway.

  “Snowy and muddy one-lanes, but it’s worth it for good coffee, no?”

  “I’d murder for good coffee,” she said. “What if I want dinner, alcohol, or live music?”

  “Also Black Wolf Tavern. Jake Peters, the owner, has it all over there. It’s where the locals gather.”

  She took a few steps away from the railing closer to Rick. “Do you gather there?”

  “Me?” He shook his head. “I’m not so much of a gatherer, but Hope and Sage hang out there. I’m sure they’d love to take you, the traitors.”

  “They weren’t trying to piss you off.” Lily sat on the edge of the bench and hooked some of her hair behind her ear. Rick was fascinated by the way the curls bunched up and sat on her shoulder.

  “Trying? No, they don’t have to try. It comes naturally to those two.”

  “I’m not trying to piss you off either, Rick. It’s not my intent. It all looked good on paper, you know? I wanted to get rid of this place. Your place is right next door. Together the properties are the perfect size for Utopia.”

  He looked around. “Why do you want to get rid of this place? It’s a coveted spot among the locals. I’m not the only one who wants to buy it, Lily.” Her name rolled off his tongue, and something warm stirred in his chest.

  Her skin went pale, her California goldenness high-tailing it right off her face. “I don’t want anything to do with this place.”

  She rocked in her seat for a moment as if consoling herself. Rick had the urge to slide his arm around her shoulders and pull her close. He sat on his hand to keep from doing so.

  “When I was a little girl,” she started, “I visited my grandmother here. I was in the hot tub around back and—”

  A phone ringing inside interrupted Lily. The sound of it pulled her out of her story, and she filed it back where she kept it locked apparently.

  “I’d better get that.” She stood and Rick hauled himself to his feet. “Did you walk here?”

  He nodded. “It didn’t seem like a bad idea at the time, but now…”

  She walked toward the front door then paused. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll give you a ride back. Just let me answer that.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m okay.” Rick started for the stairs, but his left leg buckled beneath him when he took a step. He had time to grab the railing so he didn’t crash to the ground. When Lily’s hand touched his back, he stopped breathing for a moment.

  “Come in and wait. Please.” She jogged inside and he could hear her answering the phone.

  He made his way to the door and stood there. He felt as if he were throwing away all his arguments against Lily if he crossed the threshold. He could call his aunt or cousins. They’d come and get him. Hope and Sage owed him now, but something about the inside of that eccentric and pretentious house called to him. Some force he couldn’t see pulled at his body.

  When Lily appeared around the corner, phone to her ear, and waved him in, Rick couldn’t stop his feet from stepping inside. She led him to the great room and pointed to the couch. He craned his head up to take in the huge expanse of the room and turned in a wobbly circle to view it all. A purply-blue sky was framed in each of the skylights above, and Rick knew if he didn’t go now, there wouldn’t be enough light for him to walk home if he wanted to. A quick glance toward Lily, however, had him lowering to the couch.

  If I hang around, maybe I can convince her to pick another state for her ridiculous hotel. Sounded doable, logical. A perfectly good reason to be sitting on her couch.

  The leather creaked and moaned against his jeans as he repositioned himself. Too noisy, too fancy. This wasn’t a couch. More like a piece of art meant for a museum, not a home.

  Lily paced by and turned on the TV. She flicked on the overhead lights in the great room and the hall lights. The kitchen ones too. Squinting in the brightness, Rick watched her as she walked away, spun on her heel, and walked back toward him. The hand not holding the phone flapped around as she spoke. He could only hear her side of
the conversation, but it didn’t sound as if it were going well.

  “Not yet,” she said.

  A pause as she listened.

  “No.”

  Another pause and a stop to the pacing. She eyed Rick and shook her head at whatever the caller was saying.

  “I said it’s not necessary. Look, I have a guest, so I should—”

  Pause. Her head went back as she studied the ceiling. Rick wanted to run his fingers down the length of her throat. The skin there looked amazingly smooth. He cleared his throat trying to rid himself of the thought.

  “It doesn’t matter who my guest is. I have one and that’s that. I’m working.”

  Lily threw herself into the matching leather recliner near the couch. A muscle twitched in her jaw as she listened to what must have been a tirade.

  “Don’t come here. I mean it. I’m all right, and Rita wants you there. I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. Bye.”

  Lily hung up and let her phone fall onto the cushion beneath her. Her chest heaved up and down as she stared at the coffee table between them.

  “Husband?” Rick asked before he could stop himself.

  “No.”

  “Boyfriend?”

  “Boss.” Lily finally looked over at Rick. He’d thought he’d seen her bad mood already when she’d come to the store, but her eyes shot fire right now.

  “Oh.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. He wasn’t any good at this talking stuff, and all the lights blaring down on him made him feel so exposed.

  “Didn’t sound like I was speaking to my boss, did it?” Lily leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

  “Not really. No. But that’s none of my business.”

  “Normally, I would agree with you, but actually Drew Ashburn is your business. More specifically, your problem. If I don’t get you to sell your land to Utopia, he’ll try.”

  “So let him.” Rick shrugged.

  “Think you’re invincible?”

  He let out a short laugh. “Not at all, but on this, I am a mountain. I won’t be moved.”

  “Okay, because we’re throwing metaphors around, Drew is dynamite. If he wants a mountain moved, he’s going to move it.” She stood and started, pacing again across the great room. “It’s what makes him good at his job, but annoying to have a relationship with.”

  “I see.” Boss and boyfriend. That was the way they played it in California.

  “No.” Lily sat beside him on the couch, closer than was safe for either of them. “It’s not like that. Well, it was. For a little while. But I’ve been trying to break it off for months now. He just won’t hear it. He keeps wanting more and…” She peeked over at Rick. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Forget it.” She stood again. “I need some time to think of a plan.”

  “A plan to steal my land?” He wanted off this Ferris wheel with her.

  “No. A new plan. Drew might come here, though I told him not to. He knows I’m freaked about being in Vermont, and he thinks he can make me feel better. He also thinks he’ll be able to change your mind. He wants to close the deal.”

  Rick wanted to ask why she was freaked. She had almost told him before the phone call, but it didn’t seem right to ask her now. She was pretty frazzled. And which deal did this Drew guy want to close? The hotel deal or the Lily deal? Probably both, and though Rick didn’t know him, he didn’t want Drew to succeed at either.

  “Don’t you have to get approval from the state to build a huge hotel?” Red tape. That could work for his case.

  “Yes, but Utopia has a powerful legal team that handles all that. It’s in the works according to Drew.”

  Rick found that hard to believe. Certainly other Vermonters didn’t want this resort any more than he did. It clashed with everything the state stood for.

  As if reading his thoughts, Lily said, “Most people respond to dollars and cents, Rick. It didn’t work on you, but in these economic times, people are doing things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. Why not accept a perfectly legal offer from a success-guaranteed company now instead of resorting to some other means of survival later?”

  “You have a point.”

  “I do? Good. Now sell me your land.” Lily reached for that damn envelope on the coffee table next to her laptop.

  “Nice try, but not a chance.” He grinned when he said this and noted the defeat in Lily’s eyes barely masked the amusement present on her lips.

  “C’mon, you’d be helping a girl out if you signed these and agreed to the sale.” She wiggled a pen in front of him.

  “Helping a girl out isn’t a bad idea.” Rick took the pen.

  “It isn’t?” Lily’s eyebrows arched hopefully as she slid the sale documents onto his lap.

  “I’m not signing these, Lily.”

  “I know.” She let out a breath and leaned back against the couch.

  “But, what if we could show Utopia Resorts that this isn’t the right location?” He pushed to the edge of the couch and angled to face Lily. “You have a camera with you?”

  “I brought a digital one and I’ve got my phone.”

  “Good. Come over tomorrow. We’ll make a little production that shows my business, the woods and all her beauty, the small town mentality around here. Your company will see this is literally the middle of nowhere. People won’t come here to stay in a resort no matter how natural its theme. It’s not the right place. We’ll show them.”

  Lily’s brows drew together as she pulled on her lower lip. “Do you think it’ll work?”

  “No idea, but it’s all we have.”

  When did Lily and I become a we? Rick shifted the cane from his left hand to his right and back to his left. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he would do whatever it took to keep his property, his life, his quiet.

  “I guess it’s worth a try. We’ll have to do it all tomorrow, so I can email it to Drew before he hops on the next plane here.”

  “Let him come. Seeing it firsthand would probably be better.”

  “You don’t want Drew here,” Lily said. “Trust me. We want to avoid that. I’ve seen him in action. He can get pretty… passionate about achieving a goal. We need to handle this ourselves.”

  “And we will.” Rick stretched out his left leg and let out a groan.

  “Let me get you back to your place.” Lily reached for her car keys in a leaf-shaped bowl on the coffee table. “Don’t you have some drugs for that?”

  “I stopped taking them a week after I sprained my ankle.”

  She stood, but turned around as he got to his feet, relying heavily on the cane. “Why would you stop taking them? You look as if you’re hurting right now.”

  “I overdid it walking here, but I don’t need more pills.” He followed her, moving at the embarrassing speed of an old geezer.

  “You need something.” She held the front door open as she grabbed her coat.

  Rick motioned for her to go first and stepped onto the porch after her. He enjoyed the sway of her hips as she walked toward the Jeep.

  Lily was right. He did need something, but not for his ankle.

  Chapter Seven

  Lily sat in the Jeep in Rick’s driveway watching him limp to his front door. She probably should have gotten out and helped him, but a little voice in her head said getting that close to him would be dangerous. She’d have to scoot up beside him, circle an arm around his waist, and let him lean on her.

  No. She couldn’t have that. Besides, he didn’t seem like someone who wanted help. A-man’s-got-to-take-care-of-himself type for sure.

  When Rick reached the door of his cabin, he gave her a small wave, and the stupid desire to run inside with him nearly overwhelmed her.

  Run inside and do what, moron? He’s making my life complicated by not selling. I despise him.

  Lily gripped the steering wheel, managed an aloof wave back, and put the Jeep in reverse. As Rick disappeared into his cabin, that coyote of his came skulking out of the woods beside the driveway. It
paused as it saw the Jeep, licked its chops, and released a quick bark, its German Shepherd-like ears twitching. The front door of the cabin opened again, but the coyote didn’t race into the house. Instead, its golden eyes got caught in the headlights and focused on Lily. Images of it jumping to the hood of the Jeep and pounding its muzzle into the windshield until it shattered into a million pieces flashed in Lily’s mind.

  “Poe, get in here.” Rick’s voice floated on the breeze and pulled the coyote from its scrutiny of Lily. With another bark and a swish of its bushy tail, it slipped into the cabin, and Rick shut the door.

  Lily hit the gas and turned the Jeep around. Mud and slushy snow splashed up onto the windows as she gunned it down Rick’s driveway wanting to get out of there before anything else considered her prey. In three minutes she was rolling to a stop in front of her grandmother’s cabin. Almost fully dark now, she faced the task of getting from the Jeep to the cabin again while secret things behind the trees watched her every move. She hadn’t thought much about what lurked outside when Rick was sitting on her couch earlier, but now she couldn’t think of anything else.

  “Suck it up and do it, Hinsdale.”

  She pulled the key out of the ignition and zipped up her coat. Why hadn’t she left a floodlight on? Too busy worrying about the ankle of a complete stranger who was making this entire trip a bigger ordeal than it already was. She could have been back in California right now if Rick had only signed the papers agreeing to sell his land. It should have been so simple. Instead, she was still in Vermont, still huddled in the Jeep, still wondering exactly how many animals lived in the nearby woods and how hungry they might be.

  She put a hand to her chest, willing her heart to calm the hell down. “Pull yourself together and get inside.”

  She opened the Jeep door and ran for the house. After tripping on the front steps, Lily managed to make it inside with just a small scrape on her palm where she’d stopped her fall. A little trickle of blood welled up in her hand, and her mind magnified it to traumatic proportions. Running to the closest bathroom, Lily thrust her hand under the faucet and washed the insignificant slice. She grabbed tissues and blotted at the injury. It only took a few moments for the cut to stop bleeding, but her hands were shaking.