by Donna Alward
Lying under a blanket on her couch, he considered the unlikely truth that she mattered more than he’d realized. Despite what she’d said, last night hadn’t felt like a one-off; it had been a first step to something new.
The question was, did he want to pursue it? Did she?
And when the hell had he started thinking about stuff like this, anyway?
“Good morning,” she said, her voice soft and a little timid. He pushed himself to sitting and saw her standing in her bedroom doorway, dressed in baggy gray sweatpants and an oversized T-shirt. She looked adorable, and warm, and still sleepy.
“Looks like the storm’s over,” he said, thinking that probably wasn’t what he should have said at this moment but at a loss for anything else.
“Now it’s time for cleanup,” she answered, and moved away from the door. “I’ve got to get over to the main house to get breakfast for that crew. Take your time and come over when you’re ready.”
She disappeared into the bathroom and he flopped back on the sofa. Hardly a smile from her this morning, definitely no mention of last night. It was as if nothing had ever happened.
A few minutes later she emerged, her hair gathered up in some sort of knot, and he noticed a sheen to her lips that hadn’t been there before. She went straight to her bedroom and popped back out in no time flat, dressed in skinny jeans and an oversized sweater.
“I’m late,” she said, going to the door for her coat and boots. “I can’t really hang around. But in twenty minutes or so there’ll be scrambled eggs and pancakes if you’re hungry.”
He was. Starving. The few muffins he’d had last night, coupled with the alcohol, had left his stomach raw and rumbling this morning.
“I’ll be over soon,” he replied, getting up from the sofa. He picked up the blanket and started folding it. “I’ll start some of the shoveling, too.”
“You don’t have to do that. You’re probably wanted at work.”
Wow. Talk about wanting to get rid of him.
“Well, I kind of have to shovel out so I can get to my car, don’t I?”
Lainey shoved her arms into her coat sleeves. “Oh, right. We’ll just have to figure it out one thing at a time, won’t we?”
She opened the door and stopped. “Oh,” she said.
He went up behind her and started to laugh. A good two feet of snow had been packed against the door and now formed a semi-wall.
“Give me two minutes and I’ll shovel you a path.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll do it.”
The shovel was still stuck in the snowbank beside the door, and he watched as she reached for it, trying not to touch the wall of snow and knock it indoors. She managed it, but when she stuck the shovel in the first time, the drift started to collapse on itself. Powdery snow fell back inside the doorway.
“Dammit.”
Todd was going to offer to help again, but he saw the determined set to her jaw and let her be. Instead, while she began clearing a path to the back door of the inn, he finished tidying his bedding and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and clean up a bit. There was a lot of snow. She’d be sick of it by the time she reached the back, and he’d take the shovel and do the front walks down to the parking lot.
By the time he got outside, she was three-quarters of the way to the back door, clearing a two-foot-wide path that would need to be widened later. When he reached her, he took the shovel from her hands and started throwing snow in big scoops.
“You didn’t take long getting out here,” she said, stepping back.
“You’re going to be busy, and I figured I should earn my breakfast,” he replied, turning around and smiling for a moment, wanting to leave things on a friendlier note than this morning’s cool reception. “At least it’s not heavy, wet stuff.”
“There’s enough of it though that moving it will be an adventure. The plows are going to be busy for a day or two.”
He got to the back step and started clearing the entire width. “I’m sure the main highways will be open. You won’t have to worry about putting up with me for a second night.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
The fact that he wouldn’t have minded being stranded another night was probably bad news. From all the signs, he was pretty sure that she regretted what had happened between them. He was more sorry about that than he expected.
Todd started on the next step, but paused when Lainey put her hand on his arm. He looked down at the thick mitten and swallowed, tightly. She’d hardly looked at him since getting up, let alone touched him. He lifted his gaze and found her eyes steady on him, her cheeks bright pink. That could have been caused by the cold and the physical exertion of shoveling, though.
“Todd, I really don’t know what to say this morning. And I’m responsible for what happens for about a dozen people today, and maybe tomorrow, too, so my mind is running overtime, and I don’t want this to be awkward, you know?”
Maybe not regret then. Maybe Lainey was just overwhelmed. She was running this place single-handed, which normally would be okay in the off season, but she was full up right now. She didn’t have time to think about him or them or what had happened last night.
“It’s okay.” He smiled down at her. “You’ve got a lot on your plate this morning. Let’s tackle that first.”
“First?” She looked unsure, so he let go of the shovel and cupped her chin in his gloved hand, just lightly, but enough that it held her still as he dropped the lightest of kisses on her surprised lips.
“Yes, first,” he replied. Last night wasn’t the end of it, but today wasn’t the time to get into it. He let go of her chin and went back to throwing snow off the steps until a path was cleared to the door. “Go on in and warm up,” he ordered, “and I’ll be in as soon as I can.”
She nodded quickly, and passed him on her way to the door. He couldn’t resist. On her way by he gave her bum a tap with his hand, and she yelped and scooted forward. When she looked back at him, a scowl on her face, he laughed and winked at her. One of them needed to do something to lighten the atmosphere around here.
When her lips twitched just a little, he knew he’d succeeded. And when she shut the door, he started to whistle as he began working his way around the house to the front door.
* * *
Lainey stomped the snow from her boots and pulled off her gloves, lifting her cold hands to her flaming cheeks.
The last fifteen minutes had been excruciating.
It wasn’t bad enough that she’d had a terrible time trying to sleep, but she’d stood in her bedroom doorway for a good ten or fifteen seconds, watching Todd before he’d realized she was there. He was so sexy, so … wonderful. He was the total package, and guys like that never hung around for long. But she had last night to remember, and she’d indulged in a little daydreaming for a few seconds. Like what it might be like to crawl under that blanket with him and wake him up with a kiss.
Once she’d said good morning, though, she’d gotten so bashful. Last night she’d been sprawled on that sofa beneath him, half undressed, probably sounding like an idiot. The only way to keep her composure at all was to focus on getting over to the inn and looking after the guests.
And then he’d kissed her. And swatted her butt and winked at her and she’d gotten all giggly and flustered again. Stupid man.
“Good morning, Ms. Price,” Mr. Sewell said, entering the room.
“Good morning.” She banished her thoughts and smiled at him. “Sorry I’m a little late getting things started. I had to shovel the walk.”
“I think I’m the first one up, except for the pair in the living room. I heard voices there on my way past. I was just going to see if I could find some coffee.”
“Give me two minutes, and I’ll have it brewing.” She took off her boots and slipped on a pair of shoes she kept for indoors. “I hope you slept well.”
“It was just fine. And way better than being stuck in my car.” He laughed lightly at his own qui
p. “Speaking of, I hope that police officer got home okay. The roads were a mess last night.”
Lainey focused on scooping coffee into the filter. “Actually, by the time you got here, they’d closed the highways. He ended up on my couch last night, and he’s kindly offered to shovel the front walk in lieu of board and breakfast.”
There. That sounded businesslike enough, didn’t it?
“You really did have a full house last night.”
She poured water into the reservoir. “Fullest I can ever remember, and I’ve been here a few years now.” She looked over at him and smiled. He was a pleasant-looking man, and she wondered what kind of business brought him here this close to the holiday. “So you’re a lawyer,” she said, taking out mugs. “What brings you to Jewell Cove in a bitterly cold December?”
“I’m working with Ian Martin on the Aquteg Island case,” he said, grinning. It lit his face up considerably and made him look much younger. “The details are so unique that it’s been fun. Very different from any other property deal I’ve worked on.”
Lainey knew some of the details; everyone in Jewell Cove did. Aquteg Island—commonly known as Lovers’ Island—had been a waypoint for the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. Mystique had surrounded it for decades, but lately the pieces had come together. The rumors of treasure had been true after all. Some of it had been distributed in antique jewelry pieces now owned by descendants of the Foster and Arseneault families. Then Josh Collins had discovered coins over the summer, and had donated them to the historical society. But the biggest discovery had happened this past fall, when a relative of Edward Jewell, the town’s founder, had taken an interest. Rich in his own right, Christopher Jewell had funded a treasure hunt that had netted articles more valuable, at least in Lainey’s mind, than any gold pieces or ruby necklaces.
He’d found documents. Records. Ship manifests and names of slaves who traveled to the island, aided by privateer-turned-abolitionist Charles Arseneault and his future wife, Constance Arnold. It was particularly important to Lainey, because her ancestors, Isaiah and Jerusha Price, had been aboard Charles’s ship during one of those trips. There was a move now to have the island classified as a national historic site.
She smiled at Sewell. “What an exciting thing to be involved in,” she said, handing him a cup of hot coffee. He sat at the table and she put cream and sugar in front of him. “You know, my great-great-grandparents traveled that railroad. They stayed here in Maine, though, rather than travel on to Canada.”
“Good heavens.” Sewell looked up at her. “That’s amazing.”
She nodded, understanding the confusion when he looked at her skin, which was more the color of the bottle of whiskey from last night than black. “My grandfather married my grandmother in the sixties,” she explained. “It was pretty unusual to have a mixed marriage here at the time, and they caused a big sensation. Then my dad married my mom, and she’s Irish—red hair and freckles and all. So I’m kind of a melting-pot kid. Still, I love that the history of the island is part of my heritage.”
“You’ve seen the books? The ones they found?”
She nodded. The books were in bad shape, having been preserved in a sea chest deep in a cave on the island. But the names had been unmistakable.
The back door opened and Todd came in, stamping his feet on the mat. “Well. That’s the start of a morning workout.” He grinned at Lainey, his cheeks ruddy beneath his hat. “It’s going to be a while before the streets are clean. Hope you have lots of food.”
“Any chance of me getting out to Refuge Point today, do you think?” Mr. Sewell said.
Todd shook his head. “I doubt it.”
“I guess I’ll have to phone Ian and let him know,” Sewell said with a sigh.
“Tomorrow for sure, I would think,” Todd told him as he unzipped his jacket. “You’re going out there to see Ian?”
“Mr. Sewell is part of the deal with the island,” Lainey said. She went to the fridge and started taking out ingredients.
“That mystery has kept this town guessing for years,” Todd confirmed. “I know some people believe it should be left as is, but I think it should be preserved as a historic site. It’s important and shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Lainey looked over her shoulder at him. He was completely serious, and her admiration for him went up another notch. She felt that way, too.
“Todd, help yourself to some coffee. If neither of you mind, I’m going to get breakfast going. People are going to be hungry soon.”
Todd and Sewell chatted easily over coffee while she sliced ham to fry, beat eggs for scrambling, and stirred up pancakes with a healthy helping of Maine blueberries in the batter. As everything started cooking, she took a pretty plate from the cupboard and filled it with mini croissants and Danishes from the bakery and put a dish of whipped butter beside it. For several minutes she was busy watching the food as it cooked. While she didn’t usually have to cook for this many at once, she enjoyed this part of the job. She’d always been comfortable in the kitchen.
“That smells amazing,” Todd said, standing at her shoulder. She hadn’t heard him get up from the table, and she jumped a little in surprise.
“Thanks.”
“Do you want help with anything?”
The door to the kitchen opened and the two sisters stuck their heads in. “Good morning,” one of them said.
A pancake was ready to be flipped and the eggs were setting up nicely, so Lainey let out a breath. “Actually, you could help. If you could pour the coffee into that carafe and take it and the cream and sugar to the dining room, that’d be great. There are mugs on the buffet that everyone can use.”
“No problem.”
Once he was headed for the dining room, she started another pot brewing and heated water for a pot of tea for those who preferred it. The ham was lightly browned, the eggs at a delicate point, and a warming tray filled with pancakes. Lainey transferred everything to the serving dishes and made her way to the dining room, putting out the food so guests could serve themselves buffet-style. Lastly she grabbed a bottle of maple syrup, a glass pitcher of juice, and a bowl of strawberries and the meal was ready.
The table seated twelve, which left no room for Lainey, who usually made a point of eating with her guests. Instead she refilled coffee and tea, fetched more cream, replaced the empty strawberry bowl with sliced oranges. Neither was there room for Todd, but he snagged a bar stool from the kitchen and perched on it, holding his plate on his knee. He talked and laughed with the guests, answering questions about the town and the storm with ease. Once he caught her eye and gave a little wink, which made her blush. She covered it by fussing with the plate of pastries. It was clear that Todd had all the guests in the palm of his hand, particularly the ladies. His good looks and easy charm had everyone smiling and laughing, and she started to wonder if he had any flaws at all.
As the meal wound down, Lainey made sure to remind the guests of the DVD shelf in the living room, or the library in the parlor where they might find a book to their liking. Todd also mentioned that the town streets would likely be cleared later in the afternoon, and that he’d keep everyone posted.
“Does that mean you’re hanging around?” Lainey asked, stacking plates as the guests began to rise. She half hoped he would, but knew it was probably better if he didn’t.
“I called Bryce this morning. He wanted to know if I could stay in town today and help out. Not much going on now, with everyone snowed in, but with the potential for accidents and how slow we’re probably going to be to respond, I’m kind of on call. I’m going to head to the station in a bit.”
“Be careful out there,” she cautioned, frowning. “It looks so beautiful and sunny, but the roads are probably terrible.”
“Don’t worry.” He looked down at her, and she felt that warm, melty sensation again.
“I’d better get this cleaned up,” she said, stepping away. “I’m guessing I’ll have people to feed for lunch a
nd probably dinner, too, depending on whether or not other restaurants are open and if people want to brave the sidewalks.”
“Are you set for groceries?”
She thought for a minute. “I am for lunch. I’ll worry about dinner after that’s over.”
He went to the buffet and grabbed a clean plate. “What, going for second breakfast?” she joked.
He loaded it with ham, eggs, and two pancakes and then shoved it into her hands. “You didn’t eat. And you need to. I don’t have to check in until ten. Sit down for five minutes and fuel up.”
There wasn’t much in the way of sentimentality in his words, but Lainey felt her throat tighten at the attention he gave her. It wasn’t just that he’d noticed. He’d also fixed her a plate and pulled out a chair for her. She sat, and he handed her the syrup. “It’s a damn fine breakfast,” he said, pouring her some coffee. “You should enjoy it, too.”
“Thanks, Todd. For everything today. You were really a hit with the guests.”
“It’s my sparkling personality.” To her continued surprise, he started stacking plates and put them on a tray to go to the kitchen.
“Well, it is, actually,” she agreed. “But then you always were charming. Almost too charming.”
He grinned. “I know.”
“And so modest, and humble.”
He laughed. “See? This is why I never asked you out before. You’re too quick. A man’s ego could be sliced to shreds before he even knew what was happening. And mine’s more fragile than you might think.”
She put down her fork. “Is it all an act, then?”
“Maybe not all.” He stopped by her chair and knelt down a little. “But I don’t show people the real me that often. Come on, you must know that a lot of people hide behind humor and charm.”
“It’s deliberate.”
“Sometimes. Not always. If I’m really comfortable with someone, it’s easier.”
