by Jenna Mindel
Bree held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Cam gave her a wink.
Bree quickly pulled away and headed for the fireplace. Her eyes glowed. “You built a fire!”
“To take the chill off.” Darren didn’t know what else to say. She looked so pleased, and he wished his friends and brother were anywhere else but here.
“See, those s’mores will come in handy.” Her dimples showed.
He’d never roasted marshmallows inside before, but doing that with Bree seemed dangerous somehow. “Huh.”
She slipped off her sweater, revealing a white top that was far from his idea of a simple T-shirt with its ruffled hem. “So, what do we do now?”
Neil gave Cam a pointed look. “Maybe we should disappear.”
Cam laughed and headed for the recliner. “I’m watching the news.”
Darren quit gawking. He was thinking too much about making those s’mores. “We’ll set up an assembly line to clean, dredge and then fry up the smelt.”
Bree padded straight to his sink and washed her hands. “I’m ready.”
Kate laughed. “You might want to work at my end with the flour and frying.”
Bree shook her head. “No way. I caught them. I need to learn how to clean them.”
Kate raised her eyebrows and glanced at him.
Darren shrugged. One thing he’d learned about Bree—she went at a task with determination. He’d never seen anyone work this hard to have fun. “Let me show you what to do, and then you can decide.”
He grabbed the half-full bucket of smelt and set it next to the sink, then washed up. Taking one of the small fish in one hand and scissors in the other, he turned to Bree. “First, we make a cut at the back of the head, and then another cut along the underside starting from the tail, like so, up toward the head.”
Bree watched closely. “Then what?”
“Then gently pull the head away and all the innards come with it. See?” He showed her the cleaned out smelt. It wasn’t a messy process. Cleaning smelt was easier than filleting other fish. It simply took longer because there were more of them. “We rinse them real good, bread them and fry them.”
“Okay.” She sounded a little shaky.
He laughed. “You don’t have to do this.”
Bree stared at the smelt. “Yes, I do.”
“Why? What’s with all this trying new things?”
She squared her shoulders. “It’s a confidence booster.”
This woman seemed confident to him. Her choppy bangs screamed that she didn’t care what people thought, but maybe it was all a ruse. A front to hide behind, like Raleigh had hidden behind that rebellious spirit of hers.
He wanted to know why Bree needed a confidence boost, but he didn’t ask. The less he knew about her down deep, the better. “Want to cut or clean?”
Looking like she approached a dissection assignment in science class, Bree considered the options, then finally answered, “I don’t think I can use scissors like that, so I’ll do the cleaning.”
“Alright, let’s get started.” He glanced at Neil, who’d finished making the flour coating. “We’ll get a few cleaned in advance.”
His buddy grabbed a couple of beverages from the fridge and joined his wife and Cam in the living room to catch the local news. “Take your time.”
Darren looked at Bree. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
He made the cut and handed the fish over.
She tried to grab the head, hesitated and then tried again.
“Like this.” Darren covered her hand with his own. “Stick your index finger in where I made the cut here and then pull down.”
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and inviting.
Darren didn’t look away. “See, not bad.”
“No. Not bad at all.” Her voice sounded soft and a little breathless.
Awareness kicked him hard. He wasn’t so sure they were talking about the fish. He quickly let go of her hand, concentrated on the next smelt and handed it over. “Here, try on your own.”
Bree did as asked, without hesitation this time. Then she rinsed the fish off and tossed it in the big stainless steel bowl he’d placed on the counter next to her.
“Good job.”
“Thanks.” She reached for the next one.
Darren obliged with one smelt after the other. Soon Bree was cleaning them like a pro, but she refused to cut the heads. They kicked up the pace when Kate joined them to heat up the oil in a big fry pan.
They’d soon have dinner, and then what? Roasting marshmallows by the fire sure sounded like something to do on a date. He hoped Neil and Kate didn’t leave early. Cam would no doubt duck out after dinner.
All Darren knew was that he didn’t want to be left alone with Bree.
* * *
Bree took a deep breath when dinner was finally on the table. She needed to sit as far away from Darren as possible. It was bad enough standing close by the sink where their fingers touched every time he handed her a smelt.
Maybe she’d imagined the mushroom cloud of awareness that had billowed between them. Maybe it was all one-sided. Hers. Explosive attraction was foreign to her. She’d never felt this way with Philip. Was never drawn to him the way Darren pulled at her with invisible strings.
“Let’s pray so we can eat.” Kate sat down and reached for her husband’s hand on one side and Cam’s on the other.
Oh, no. Not more hand-holding. Bree slipped into the only open chair across from Kate, putting her right next Darren. Okay, maybe sitting next to him, she wouldn’t get lost in his bright blue eyes.
“Neil, do you mind?” He wrapped his hand around hers. Darren had honest hands, callused in spots and work-worn. Warm and strong.
Bree bowed her head and listened to the prayer of gratitude for the food. Surprised when Neil mentioned her name, she looked up.
“Guide her, Lord, in this next step of her life. Amen.”
Darren surprised her even more by squeezing her hand before letting go. No one had ever prayed so specifically for her before. She looked at Neil. “Thank you.”
Neil smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“So, what’s up?” Cam asked.
“I’m moving to Seattle for a music residency there.” Bree accepted the platter of fried smelt and stared at it. She’d caught them, cleaned them, and now it was time to eat them. Could she do it?
“Don’t worry about the bones,” Cam said. “You can’t tell they’re even there.”
Bree nodded and scooped a few onto her plate.
“How long will you be gone?” Cam asked.
“Two years.” Bree looked around the table, watching the others fill their plates. She took a tentative bite of fish. It was good. Really good. So when the platter was set before her, she grabbed a few more.
“Will you stay out there afterward, then? At the end you’ll have a job waiting for you?” Kate offered her the bowl of coleslaw.
“Maybe.” A lot depended on her. Was she good enough actually to compose? She wouldn’t ever give up her cello, but it’d be nice to do more, maybe even mentor others. There were tons of opportunities out west where the music business spanned so much wider for composition than here, in the Midwest.
“We may never see you again,” Kate said.
Bree knew this had been stated for Darren’s benefit. His friends were trying to protect him. From her. It was laughable considering how timid she’d been dating Philip. Until recently, she’d never rocked the boat. It wouldn’t be smart to get involved with someone whose roots were planted so deep here. “I suppose that might be true.”
“Her parents have a place in Bay Willows.” Darren winked at her.
Bree smiled. “I guess I’ll be back
sometime. I can’t imagine a better place for summer vacations.”
“I can. It’s called the Bahamas,” Neil said.
They all laughed.
Bree turned to Darren. “Where do you go on vacation?”
Darren shrugged. “The Upper Peninsula, mostly. My uncle has a camp there.”
Bree tipped her head. “Like a whole campground?”
He chuckled. “No, it’s a cabin on a small lake.”
“I’ve never been to the UP.”
He looked at her, shocked. “Never been over the bridge?”
She shrugged. There had never been a reason to go. “Nope.”
“Something you should remedy before you leave.” Cam scooped more smelt onto his plate.
“Oh, I’ve seen it. I’ve been to Mackinac Island.” Bree knew the beauty of the five-mile-long Mighty Mac. She’d even toured the bridge museum in Mackinaw City.
“Take her for a burger at that drive-in restaurant,” Neil said.
Darren chuckled. “Yeah, maybe.”
Bree didn’t jump on that one. It sounded too much like a real date, and she wasn’t looking to date Darren. Getting to know him better was fine, as long as it remained friendly. “I think I’d rather see those elk roaming.”
Darren nodded. “We can do that.”
Cam looked aghast, as if they were both crazy. “Yeah, there’s a real good time.”
Bree glanced between brothers. The resemblance was strong, but Cam was blond and struck her as a flirt.
Finished with dinner, Bree helped Kate clear the table while the guys took the makings for s’mores into the living room.
Bree handed Kate the platter with a few leftover smelt.
“Thanks.” Kate hesitated as if grappling with something she wanted to say.
“What?” Bree prodded.
Kate waved her hand in dismissal. “Nothing.”
Bree knew it was something and more than likely something about Darren. And her. “I know you’re concerned for him because of his broken engagement and all.”
Kate’s eyes grew wide. “He told you about that?”
“Stella, Raleigh’s grandmother, is a friend of mine. She told me her granddaughter broke it off.”
“Did she tell you how?” Kate glanced into the living room to be sure they weren’t overheard. The guys had the TV tuned into a baseball game. The volume was up and they were loud too.
Bree had never been very good at listening or remembering rumors, but the look on Kate’s face clued her in that this wasn’t going to be good. “No. Not really.”
“He won’t talk about it.” Kate lowered her voice to a mere whisper. “But his bride ran off with the best man the night before the wedding.”
Bree’s stomach dropped. “Wow...”
“Yeah. ‘Wow.’ He’s had a rough time of it.” Kate loaded up the dishwasher with the plates Bree had stacked on the counter.
“It’s no wonder.” And no wonder he was wary. Bree couldn’t imagine the sting of that kind of betrayal.
Kate stopped arranging dishes and looked at Bree. “He fell pretty hard and got engaged only a month after meeting her.”
Bree’s mind whirled. She gripped the counter as if it were the room spinning and not her thoughts. Her heart. Darren didn’t dawdle when it came to falling in love.
“You two coming in or what?” Darren poked his head around the corner.
Bree glanced at Kate. Had he heard them?
“We’re on our way.” Kate gave her a pointed look, then whispered, “He’d have a fit if he knew I’d told you.”
Bree made a zipping gesture across her lips. Walking into the living room, Bree drew close to the hearth and sat down on the floor. The snap and crackle of the fire soothed, but she couldn’t get what Kate said out of her head. Only a month. He’d decided to spend the rest of his life with someone after only a month.
Would Darren truly be mad if he knew that she knew?
“Here.” Darren handed her one of a handful of metal skewers with a couple marshmallows stuck on the end.
“Thanks.” She held it over the flames, watching the white puff of sugar slowly turn brown. The mellow warmth of burning wood coupled with a hearty dinner made Bree’s eyelids droop.
“Tired?” Darren sat next to her.
Maybe she was too comfortable here, hanging out with Darren’s friends and even his brother. And maybe she wanted to know more than she should about this man who once gave his heart so easily. She raised her s’more. “After this, I’d better go.”
“Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding? It was great. I like smelt. The whole thing.”
Darren laughed. “You did good cleaning them.”
The compliment warmed her more than the fire. “Thanks.”
“Here, your marshmallow’s about to fall.” Darren held out a graham cracker layered with chocolate.
Bree concentrated on getting the wobbly mass of mallow in between the crackers without dropping it and then laughed when she succeeded. “Aren’t you having one?”
Darren shrugged. “Not much of a s’more guy.”
“I love these things. In a pinch, I’ve made them over the gas stove in my apartment.” Bree took a bite, smearing melted chocolate all over the corner of her mouth. A gooey bit of marshmallow stuck to her chin. She wiped it off with the heel of her hand. Her fingers were sticky, too.
“You have chocolate right here, in that crazy dimple.” Darren wiped near her cheek.
Bree froze, hardly breathing.
“I do like chocolate.” He licked his thumb. “And dimples.”
She panicked at the softness of Darren’s voice and glanced toward the couch. Kate and Neil snuggled at one end, glued to the ball game, and Darren’s brother had gone into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. She connected with his smirking gaze, and her stomach turned. Had he seen them?
Cam gave her a saucy wink.
She felt her cheeks flush with heat. That answered that. She needed to get out of here fast. Another two bites and her s’more was gone. Bree brushed her hands off on her jeans and stood. “I’m going to head home.”
Darren stood, too. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
“Thanks.”
“Good night, Bree.” Kate gave her a wave, and her husband did the same.
“Be careful,” Cam said and then chuckled.
Bree knew her face was on fire. The rest of her was, too. Really, this wasn’t good. She heard the beagles bellow from downstairs and was grateful for the distraction. “Your dogs?”
“They want up.”
“Aww, I didn’t get to see them.” Bree wasn’t about to stay, though.
“Next time.” Darren opened the door and leaned against the frame. “You okay to drive home?”
“I’ll be fine.” But she’d stifled a yawn. “I’ll text you when I get there.”
The dogs barked again.
Bree needed to leave. She opened the storm door, glad for the cool night air. “See you at class.”
“Good night, Bree.” His deep voice sounded dangerously sweet.
“Night.” She scrambled off the deck and skipped down the steps as quickly as possible.
She’d had fun this evening. Maybe too much fun, and certainly too much food and too much of Darren. Near him, she got a heady feeling as if she’d drunk wine. Not good.
Slipping into the driver’s seat, she started her car, and her phone buzzed from inside her purse. She’d left it in the car. Two messages from Philip. One a text, the other a voice mail with an agitated male voice asking where she was.
Pulling out of the driveway, she returned the call.
“Bree, ’bout time—”
She cut him
off. “Philip, this has got to stop. Why do you keep calling me?”
“I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“Still accepting that residency?”
“I’m not backing out.” Not for anything.
Silence.
“Philip, I’ve got to go. I’m driving. And please stop calling.”
“Driving? Where are you?”
“That’s none of your concern.” Her voice sounded shrill.
“Fine.” He sounded annoyed. Then his tone softened. “Okay. Take care, Bree.”
Maybe this would be it. Maybe he’d finally gotten the message that they were through. “You, too.”
The chill air made her shiver. Rolling up her window, she reached for her sweater and realized she’d left it at Darren’s. She’d text him to bring it to class when she got home.
Home.
Here couldn’t be home. There were no opportunities for her here. Right now, she didn’t have a place to call home, and yet there was something about the way Darren made her feel at home with him. She thought about what Kate had told her. Darren had asked Raleigh to marry him after only a month. She’d never thought that possible before. Never thought feelings could be real after such a short time. But now—
She repeated what she’d told Philip out loud and with volume. “I’m not backing out of this residency. Not for anything or anyone.”
Chapter Six
Sunday morning, Darren stepped out of the church he’d attended all his life. He still went where his parents went along with some of his siblings. He didn’t see any reason to change. Attending his traditional church service was the one place he didn’t worry about running into Tony or Raleigh.
His reluctance to try another church had been one of the many bones of contention he’d had with his ex-fiancée. He liked going where he’d gone since childhood, but Raleigh didn’t. In hindsight, maybe he should have been more flexible, tried someplace else. It was too easy to go through the motions here, where he’d never had to get involved deeper than simply showing up.
“Brrr...” His mom pulled her jacket closer. “It’s chilly today.”
“Supposed to get even colder.” His dad stood on the wide church steps and surveyed downtown.
