by Rachel Hanna
“Hey, Addy,” she said.
“How’s Brett doing? I know he was so close to Miss Elda.” She put down her pruning shears and walked to the other side of the white picket fence that ran across the front of her property.
“I think he’s doing well. We’re going out to Clover Lake this weekend to spread her ashes where he grew up.”
“Oh, what a nice thing for him to do. That’s exactly where she should be. Listen, would you like to come in for some coffee?”
“Thanks for the invitation, but I’ve got to run by the bookstore to give the temp some instructions before Brett picks me up a little later.”
Addy smiled. “I understand. Maybe when you get back? I miss having our talks on the porch,” she said with a smile.
“I do too. Let’s definitely get together when I get back.” She waved and started walking toward the bookstore.
“Because I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about when you get back!” Addy called to her with a giggle. Paige rolled her eyes and just kept walking.
As they pulled back down the long dirt road to Clover Lake, Paige started to relax immediately. There was just something about this place that calmed her soul at the deepest levels.
Maybe it was the smell of grass clippings and the crispness of the warm spring air. The sky seemed bluer here, and the sound of birds chirping in the trees took every ounce of her stress away.
Clover Lake - and January Cove - were both so far removed from anywhere she’d lived in her life. New York City had been beautiful in its own way, of course, but there was never quiet there. Never the sound of a bird chirping nearby, and she hadn’t realized until now how much she had missed that sound.
Of course, there had been plenty of pigeons, but most New Yorkers thought they were basically flying rats and not worthy of the title “bird”. She tended to agree with that thought process.
Brett stopped the truck in front of the house and got out. He opened her door, helped her to the ground and grabbed both of their bags from the back.
“Ready?” he said, his voice a little lower and gruffer than normal, sending chills up and down her spine.
“Yes,” she said with a smile.
This trip was about Elda and laying her to rest in the place where she spent most of her life. No matter how attracted she was to Brett, this wasn’t the weekend to act on that. Unless he wanted to, of course. She mentally threw a bucket of cold ice water on her face.
“I thought we’d just relax tonight, eat some dinner. Then we can have a proper remembrance of Aunt Elda tomorrow. That okay with you?” he asked as they stopped in the foyer.
“Of course. Whatever you want, Brett.”
He smiled. “Good. I’m going to go chat with Lou and Phil, let them know we’re here. I’ll let you get settled in.”
If he was really honest with himself, this trip was just as much about spending more time alone with Paige as it was about Elda. He surely wanted to be honorable about spreading her ashes, but somewhere from the great beyond he could hear his aunt cheering him on about falling for Paige.
Yep. He was falling for Paige.
There was no doubt about it. Every time she was around, his brain turned to mush and other parts of him hardened up.
She was the whole package. Cute. Sweet. Caring. Daring. Strong. Smart. Sexy.
And yet she was still grieving for someone he couldn’t compete with. It wasn’t that he wanted her to forget Daniel; that wasn’t even realistic. But he wanted a chance with her, and this weekend was his interview for the job of being her new boyfriend.
But she didn’t need to know that.
He was going to woo her any way he knew how. For a brief moment, he thought about a singing telegram or a hot air balloon or maybe one of those planes that writes things in the sky.
Too much. Most definitely any of those would be too much.
Paige was easy to scare off. She was hardened on the outside sometimes, but soft on the inside. He had to take this slowly and hope that he could prove to her that she deserved to have love in her life again.
Love?
He couldn’t think about that right now.
Paige walked outside and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Clover Lake had its own smell, full of grass and flowers and yeah, a little manure. But somehow it was a good smell. A clean, real life smell.
“Hey, girl,” she said, working up her courage to reach her hand out to Noelle as she approached the fence. The horse was grazing but had walked to the fence out of curiosity when Paige approached. “You’re a pretty girl.”
“I bet she’s thinking the same thing about you.” She turned to see Brett behind her, smiling. He had changed clothes and was now wearing form hugging jeans, brown cowboy boots and a tight black t-shirt that showed off his muscular build. Why was her mouth watering so much?
“Hey. I didn’t see you there. Just thought I’d take a little walk.”
“She likes you,” he said, pointing to Noelle.
“Oh yeah? And how can you tell?” Paige laughed.
“She never walks up to the fence like this. In fact, she’s not a fan of strangers.”
“I’m not a stranger. Am I, girl?” she said, rubbing the side of Noelle’s face.
“Want to take a ride?” he asked.
Paige cleared her throat. “Sure. I guess you’re going to make me ride my own horse this time?”
Brett looked down and then back up at her, a glint in his eye. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Oh. That’s fine with me.”
He climbed over the wooden fence and reached out for Paige. She put one boot - which she had remembered to bring - onto the wooden slat and he pulled her over.
The best part of getting on the horse was Brett putting his hand on her butt to push her up there. Now that she knew how to do it, she could probably get up there on her own, but there was no reason for him to know that.
As he slid in behind her, she felt the warmth of his legs around the outside of hers. It made her feel safe, which then immediately made her feel at risk. For loss. For heartbreak.
But she pushed those feelings away, somehow, and leaned back into him, allowing him to do all the work as she stared out over the open spaces.
Clover Lake was gorgeous. From its pastures to its thick woods to its small lake, it was like this oasis dropped into the middle of her desert of a life.
She was thirsty, dehydrated, but not for water. For love. She’d had it for an instant, and then it had slipped through her grasp. Daniel was the only one who had ever really loved her, including her biological family. His loss had changed so many things inside of her, not all good.
Her defenses were up, that much was sure. But when she was at Clover Lake - and with Brett - she felt like she could tackle anything. Take on the world. Take a risk.
Maybe fall in love again.
No, she couldn’t think about things like that now. Her focus needed to be on laying Elda to rest, but a part of her felt like this weekend might also be about finally laying Daniel to rest. For real this time.
“What is this place?” she asked as they came upon a small cleared piece of the property that she hadn’t seen before. Brett slid off the horse and then reached up to help her off.
“This is where Elda’s house stood.”
Paige didn’t speak for a moment and just looked at the Earth. This is where Elda grew up, played outside, spent her childhood years. She imagined her as a wide-eyed young girl, kicking a ball around the yard, not knowing that over ninety years stretched in front of her.
“I remember when we brought her here just after the house burned, before we cleared the charred remains away. She walked around and around this place, touching the remnants of her house. It was one of the saddest things I’d ever seen.”
He spoke softly as they stood there, staring at the lush green grass surrounded by a battalion of tall trees.
“I can feel her here,” Paige said, instinctively putting her arm aro
und Brett’s waist and resting her head on his upper arm. He stiffened for a moment under her touch and then slid his arm around her.
After their ride, Paige had a much better understanding of why Elda and Brett loved this place so much. It was like a world all its own, and she never wanted to leave. But she loved January Cove too.
For the first time in her life, she felt like she had more good in her life than she could handle. It was a strange sensation.
Chapter 11
Paige walked downstairs, following the smell coming from the kitchen. It was a mixture of apples and spices of some kind, and her mouth was watering at the aroma of it.
“What on Earth is that smell?” she asked with a smile as she saw Brett standing there wearing a “Kiss The Cook” apron.
“Aunt Elda’s famous apple fritters. I thought we could have some for dessert.” He looked down at the apron and laughed. “Like my apron?”
“I do,” she said walking closer.
“Want to follow the instructions?” His tone was both playful and hopeful at the same time. She paused for a moment, actually considering the question. “I was just joking, Paige,” he said with a chuckle before turning back around toward the counter.
Opportunity missed.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” she asked, trying to will away the blush on her face before he saw it.
“Well, I was thinking we could have a picnic.”
She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Um… a nighttime picnic? It’s starting to get dark out there already.”
“But it’s a clear, beautiful night. I have an idea if you’re willing?”
She nodded. “Who am I to screw up anyone’s idea?”
“Let’s go then!” he said, walking around the breakfast bar and taking her hand. He picked up a real picnic basket - woven and all - as they went out the side door to the house. He walked to his truck, put the basket behind the passenger seat and helped her inside.
When he got in and cranked it up, she finally had to ask. “Okay, we’re now in your truck. I thought we were picnicking here?”
“We are,” he said, and then he didn’t utter another word for several minutes until he pulled up at a clearing. They hadn’t been to this part of the property together yet, but it was beautiful from what she could see. The edge of the creek poked out of the woods nearby, but it was mostly a clear spot, much like where Elda’s house had once stood.
He stopped and walked around to open her door, helping her down into the lush green grass. She looked around, wondering where they’d be having a picnic since it was pitch black dark and there was no blanket anywhere in sight. Unless he’d shoved one in the picnic basket, they would be sitting on the grass which seemed awfully itchy and uncomfortable.
But this was Brett, and he always seemed to have a plan. He took her hand again - a new welcome feeling in her life - and led her to the back of the truck. “I’ll help you up.”
“Help me up? Into the back of the truck?”
“Trust me, Paige.” She liked hearing those words coming from his mouth.
He stabilized her hand as she climbed up, and then he quickly followed her over with the basket in hand.
“Oh my gosh…” she said softly when she noticed that the back of the truck was filled with pillows and blankets. He had lined all sides with bright red pillows - from where she didn’t know - and the bottom of the truck bed was cushioned with a couple of blankets and comforters. There was also a wooden bed tray that stood on four legs, and he was opening it as she watched. He pulled two large candles from the basket and lit them, his face finally illuminated under the night sky.
“Surprised?” he asked, his dimples catching the perfect light.
“I am. How’d you come up with this?”
“I guess you inspire me.” He wasn’t laughing. She wasn’t either. “So, I hope you like sandwiches, because that’s what I brought. I figured it’d be hard to eat much else in the dark in the back of a truck.”
She smiled. “I love sandwiches. Ate a lot of them in my… traveling… days.”
“I’d love to hear more about that sometime,” he said softly as he handed her a wrapped sandwich and bag a potato chips. She reached into the basket and took a bottle of water.
“Not much to tell, really. It was a tough time of my life, but looking back I think it made me stronger.”
“So it was worth it?” he asked, leaning back against one of the pillows.
She took a sip of her water. “I guess it was, not that I had much of a choice.” Her pocket vibrated and she looked down to see Sandi calling. “Sorry about that,” she said, pressing the decline button. Then she decided she didn’t want to be bothered by anyone tonight, so she turned her phone off.
“If you need to take that…”
“I don’t. It was just my friend Sandi back in New York. She knows where I am, but maybe she forgot. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
They continued to eat, with Paige regaling him with stories about her days as a gypsy, of sorts. He laughed at the funny ones, went serious at the stories that warranted that reaction. He seemed to hang on her every word, and that made her feel somewhat human again. Maybe she wouldn’t always be “the mourning, grieving Paige”. Maybe she could just be Paige again.
“So what about you? Any exciting things in your past, Brett Larson?” she asked as she leaned back against a pillow across from him.
“Compared to you, I think I’m pretty dull. Never sang on a street corner. Never worked as a puppeteer…”
Paige giggled. “I have a wide variety if skills.”
“I bet you do.” That comment made her whole body heat up.
“What about… women?” Why was she asking him this? It was really none of her business, but she was desperate to know how this handsome, smart cowboy was still single.
He sighed. “Not such a great track record there, I’m afraid.”
Her stomach clenched. Just as she’d thought - something was wrong with him to be single this long.
“Oh.”
“Not many women are suited for ranch life.”
Her stomach loosened. “Really? This place seems like heaven on Earth to me. Of course, I’ve lived on the streets, under bridges and once in an airport bathroom for a weekend, so…”
“An airport bathroom?”
“Yeah, and let me tell you that it’s hard to keep your feet up on the wall of a bathroom stall and sleep for very many hours.”
Brett started laughing. “You are one interesting woman, Paige.”
“So, no close calls? No marriage proposals?”
He became quiet and took a long drink of his water before answering. “I was engaged. About three years ago.”
“Oh,” she answered yet again. Conversation wasn’t always her strong suit. “What happened?”
He sighed. “A lot of things, really. She thought she wanted this life, but it turned out she wanted something else. Someone else, to be clear.”
“I’m sorry, Brett.”
He looked up at her, his eyes catching the light of the candles. “I’m not. If that had worked out, I wouldn’t be sitting in the back of a pickup truck, eating dinner by candlelight with the most interesting and beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
Was it possible for a heart to literally explode? This was something she wished that she had researched before their dinner because hers was doing some kind of somersault-laden gymnastics routine in her chest.
“Thank you,” she said softly, trying not to look at him now because there was a distinct possibility she might crawl across the blanket and kiss him so hard that his jaw broke.
“You have to get used to it, Paige.”
“Used to what?” she said quietly after she finally looked up.
“I’m going to compliment you. I can’t help it.”
“Oh.” She had to come up with a new word, but her language skills were escaping her at the moment.
He thought it was working. Not that he w
as trying to play her or something. Everything he was saying was true, coming directly from his heart. He was putting himself out there like he never had before, and it was risky.
Still, she seemed to be enjoying herself. She was smiling a lot, laughing sometimes, asking questions. They had finished dinner at least an hour ago, and now they were lost in conversation about anything and everything.
Everything about being with her was easy. It was like his best friend in life had suddenly appeared from nowhere, and he didn’t know how he’d ever survived without her.
But desperation wasn’t cool on a guy. He couldn’t come off that way even if he felt like she held onto the air that he breathed, and if she got up and left his whole world might come crashing down around him.
Right now she was talking about Daniel’s family and how they treated her. Every time she spoke about Madeline Richmond, he wanted to drive his truck to New York and break his rule of never hitting a woman. He’d never do it, but the urge was definitely there.
“What about his other family?” Brett asked, trying to shake the violent feelings.
“He had a sister - Tori - and she was almost as bad as his mother. Her husband, Hampton, he wasn’t as bad although when push came to shove, he’d stay on the Richmond side.”
“Sounds like a wimp.”
“Yeah, I think that’s an appropriate word.”
“So, can I ask you something without you getting mad at me?”
She laughed. “I can’t promise that, but go ahead anyway.”
She was honest; he’d give her that. “If this was the way his family treated you, what was your long-term plan?”
“What do you mean?”
“I see you as this strong and confident woman. I just can’t imagine that you’d have taken her crap for very long. How did you think your future was going to look?”
She paused for a moment. “I guess I didn’t really think that far into it. My life has been about moments. I had to survive one moment to the next, always on high alert. Daniel took that guard down, but I never really thought past that. He made promises that we’d travel and help people, so I assumed we would get away from them, I suppose.”
