by Croix, J. H.
Tess didn’t hesitate. “Oh yeah. I’m up for dinner. If everything hadn’t turned out okay, perhaps not,” she responded. “Plus, you’ve talked this place up so much that now I’m ready to see if the food and beer is as amazing as you say.”
She felt Nathan’s grin before she looked over. He kept his eyes on the road. “Guessing I’ll hear about it if it doesn’t meet your standards.”
Chapter 7
Nathan held the door for Tess when they entered Diamond Creek Brewery. After the hostess advised it would be a few minutes, he waited beside Tess in the small and crowded entryway.
“I wouldn’t have thought a brewery in Diamond Creek would have a hostess,” Tess remarked.
“Only in the summer. Gets so busy that if they don’t have someone managing the front, it’s a mess. Seeing as you’re here in the midst of tourist season, probably hard to imagine that the town only has about a quarter of the summer population year-round. Much quieter in the winter,” he explained, his eyes traveling around the restaurant to see if he recognized anyone.
The brewery was in an old refurbished plane hangar. What had once been a cavernous space, large enough to accommodate two small planes was now an expansive restaurant and brewery. The back end of the building housed the brewery part of the business, the stainless steel brewing equipment partially visible behind a brick wall that separated the area. A decorative copper storage vessel sat beside the entrance into the brewery area. The high open space afforded in the hangar was broken up with elaborate model planes hanging from the ceiling, most of them models of the small two to six-seater planes used throughout Alaska. The hangar had been modified with additional windows cut into the walls, offering a view of an adjacent marshy field where moose were often seen against a backdrop of the bay and mountains in the distance. The restaurant area had booths lining the walls and a large grouping of tables scattered in the middle. The kitchen was against the far wall, a bar separating it from the rest of the room. The restaurant was at capacity, tables and booths filled with a crowded bar. What could have been a noisy space was softened with a plethora of fabric wall hangings and colorful rugs under every table and booth.
Nathan saw a few friends at the bar, including Travis who offered a quick wave. Returning the wave, he realized he’d better be ready for some teasing from Travis and his brothers. Seeing as Travis had already discerned Nathan might be interested Tess, Nathan’s presence with her tonight would only add to that speculation.
Nathan sighed internally and purposefully looked away from Travis, only to have his eyes land on Tess, who appeared lost in thought. He took advantage of the moment to take a long look at her. Her hair was a rumpled cluster of honey-gold curls, the light catching in them, creating bright shimmers when she moved. Nathan found himself picturing how mussed her hair would look if he ever had a chance to make love to her. That thought led directly to the memory of the feel of her lips against his. Given the reticent vibe she gave off, he hadn’t expected her to throw herself into a kiss that way. Yet she hadn’t held anything back. Neither had he—only to force himself to stop when it was the last thing he’d wanted to do. He still wasn’t quite sure how he’d managed that, calling on every ounce of restraint he had. Though he wasn’t sure of much, he had a good hunch that if they’d gone much further, it would have been near to impossible to stop. He thought Tess would’ve regretted that later and likely doubled her resistance to getting to know him. He wasn’t sure what lay behind it, but she had a strong wall of reserve with a hint of bitterness to it. Nathan wanted to know the seeds of that reserve and bitterness. He also felt spurred by the challenge to erase it.
Tess lifted her eyes to his—almost cat-like, corners tipped up, that tawny ginger color hypnotizing him. Nathan held her gaze for a moment, heat arced between them.
An eyebrow quirked. “Yes?” she asked.
With a mental shake, Nathan pushed his heated thoughts about Tess away. “Just looking around.”
Tess looked doubtful, but she didn’t push. “I’m so glad everyone ended up okay after that accident,” she said.
“You and me both. Could have been much worse given how banged up both vehicles were. That’s one thing I’ve learned here—watch out for moose.”
“I didn’t really get it when I read that moose were so common around here. I figured they were mostly in the woods. We have deer everywhere in North Carolina, so I guess I should have realized moose were like that here. Just that deer are a lot smaller and pretty shy.”
“Moose are damn near everywhere. It’s cool to see ‘em, but steering clear is the way to go. Between today and the little run-in you and Jordan had the other day, you’ve had your quota. Promise me you’ll go the other direction if you see another one,” Nathan said.
Tess nodded vigorously, her curls bouncing on her shoulders. “Oh, I promise. I’ve had my fill of close encounters of the moose kind.”
Nathan thought back to the recent afternoon when he’d intercepted her and Jordan when that moose had charged and again to the accident they’d encountered this evening. A protective feeling toward her surged in him, ruffling his composure. He started to respond only to have the hostess call his name, the interruption a welcome relief.
The next few minutes passed with getting seated at a booth, a waitress taking their drink orders and reciting dinner specials—all the while Nathan wondering what to do with his feelings. He’d known he wanted a chance at something more after watching Luke fall for Hannah. He’d consciously pulled back from his casual partying for a reason. Yet he hadn’t expected to be drawn to a woman like Tess, nor to feel that he couldn’t control the sense of protectiveness that swelled whenever she was near—not to mention a craving for her that went beyond the physical. These thoughts ran through his mind while he reminded himself that she was only here for two more weeks, she didn’t live here, and she’d made it pretty damn clear she wasn’t looking for a relationship. Against this backdrop, he’d desperately wanted her to go to dinner with him. He wanted to dissolve her defenses and expunge the traces of bitterness he sensed in her. And damn if he wasn’t sure what to do about how much he wanted that.
Nathan stared blankly at the menu and didn’t notice that Travis had walked up to their booth.
“Hello there,” Travis said.
Nathan reeled his thoughts in fast and looked up to see Travis with a glint in his eyes. Tess might not notice, but Nathan knew damn well Travis was enjoying this moment.
“Hey man. What’s up?” Nathan asked, aiming for casual.
Travis took a swig of beer and held his glass up. “Enjoying a delicious Diamond Creek Alpine Brown—my favorite.” He turned toward Tess. “Nice to see you again. No more moose encounters, I hope. Nathan’s brought you to the best brewery in Alaska. Enjoy it.”
Tess grinned at Nathan, exchanging a look of amusement with him before turning her smile to Travis. “He swears it’s the best. I’ve noticed most of the food in Diamond Creek is good though, so I’m guessing this place will be too. As for moose, well…”
Nathan interjected. “On the way here, we came upon a fresh car accident—two moose and two cars swerving. Ran right into each other, the cars, that is. Not a scratch for the moose.”
Travis’s gaze sharpened, a look of concern flashing.
“Everyone’s okay, but we had a scare, complete with us having to wait on top of the overturned truck while a few moose milled about,” Nathan said, his gaze lingering on Tess for a moment.
Travis lifted his eyebrows. “You’re getting your fill of moose. Had enough yet?” he asked wryly with a nod to Tess.
“Seeing them from a distance from now on would be just fine with me,” Tess replied with a soft laugh. Occasionally, Tess’s soft southern drawl was more evident. Nathan could have listened to her say some words all day long and ‘fine’ was one of them. Her tongue lingered on the i, drawing it out and warming it up.
Travis turned his gaze to Nathan, an eyebrow lifting. “I’d ask what
you’re up to, but it appears to be dinner with Tess.”
“Hard to miss that,” Nathan replied. Right about now, he was hoping Travis would take the hint and move on.
Just as that thought crossed Nathan’s mind, another fishing buddy stopped by their table, Samuel Perkins. Samuel was the best cook to be found for fishing trips and a frequent presence at local bars. He’d likely have noticed Nathan’s absence lately, but he wasn’t one to comment. As Samuel was greeting them, Maggie and Jason Matthews appeared, another pair of local friends. They were high school sweethearts who reunited and married after college. Maggie had short black hair and dark eyes. Jason’s shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes were a contrast, yet they both tended to look as if they’d just walked off a hiking trail, typically attired in fleece outdoor gear, ruddy cheeked, and almost always entwined with each other. Their construction company was the one that had built the home Nathan and his brothers purchased. Nathan realized he needed to change gears fast and accept that this would not be a private dinner with Tess.
Travis seemed to read his mind. He leaned over. “There goes your private dinner,” he said just above a whisper.
Nathan looked askance at Travis to catch him grinning. Knowing he couldn’t say much without Tess wondering what Travis was talking about, he ignored him and made introductions for Tess. Over the next few minutes, he watched Tess relax in a way she hadn’t with him. She was naturally inquisitive and had gracious manners that drew others out in conversation. She had Samuel explaining the challenges of cooking at sea, and Jason and Maggie expounding upon the best way to create a sustainable energy home. Having met Tess’s mother, who was the epitome of the famed gracious Southern manners, this didn’t surprise Nathan. Yet, it illuminated the guarded quality he experienced when they were alone. That reserve only heightened the contrast with her unrestrained passion when they’d kissed. He wanted to break through that reserve—again and again and again.
While Tess was busy chatting with Maggie, Travis tugged a chair to his side. “So, still just flirting with Tess?” he asked.
“Dude, let up, would you? It’s just dinner. I didn’t deny that I thought she was cute as hell. So, I asked her to dinner. That’s it,” Nathan replied. He shifted his shoulders, restless at Travis’s curiosity.
“Hmm. If it wasn’t so obvious that it bothered you for anyone to notice you were interested in her, it wouldn’t be so tempting to give you a hard time,” Travis said, his eyes holding a teasing glint.
Nathan sighed and looked over at Tess. Her honey curls moved with her gestures. She had expressive hands. Her eyes were warm and lively as she talked. Just watching her lips move raised his temperature. Her mouth was a perfect bow, her lips plump and soft. He wished they were alone, so he could kiss those decadent lips and feel her go wild in his arms, that polite reserve dissolving.
“Okay, trying to be helpful here. If you don’t want the whole damn town to notice that you’re totally into Tess, you might want to stop staring at her like that,” Travis said, his voice low.
Travis’s words cut into Nathan’s train of thought. Much as he didn’t want to admit anything to Travis, he knew Travis was right. His attraction to Tess went well beyond superficial. While he couldn’t have explained it, he knew that what lay between them was special. His body thrummed with electricity any time she was near, and he just wanted…to know her…on every level. He chuckled softly.
“Good point,” Nathan said. With a mental shake, he looked to Travis and past him around the restaurant. “Did you decide what day you’re headed up to dipnet?” he asked, abruptly changing the subject.
“Aiming for Wednesday. Anything scheduled for you guys?”
Nathan thought for a moment, realizing the only trip he knew for certain was with Tess’s family. “Not that I know of. Let me check with Jared tomorrow. I’ll call to confirm but should be able to go.”
Samuel joined their talk of dipnetting. Nathan was relieved to get off the topic of Tess and back onto the familiar terrain of fishing. In the meantime, their food arrived; talk turning to how good it was and the various recommendations for Tess of every local restaurant her family should try while they were in Diamond Creek. Just as he thought he was in safe territory and back in control, Maggie cut into their conversation. He’d gotten to know Maggie and Jason mostly through Hannah, Luke’s wife. They’d grown up in Diamond Creek. Though he enjoyed Maggie, she tended to think everyone’s business was hers.
“So Nathan, rumor has it you haven’t been out and about much lately. Word on the street is you must be flying solo with someone. Is Tess the lucky girl?” Maggie asked.
Nathan flinched internally and silently cursed Maggie. She was known for her utter lack of tact in social situations. Glancing around the table, he saw Jason elbow Maggie, Samuel lift his eyebrows, and Travis visibly choke back a laugh. As for Tess, her reserve was back in full force, her gaze guarded and questioning.
“Damn, can’t do much of anything around here without people coming up with all kinds of ideas,” Nathan said, deciding deflection was his best option, especially with Maggie. She’d just keep on with the questions if he didn’t redirect her. “We’ve taken Tess and her family out fishing twice now. Thought she oughta see what Diamond Creek had to offer beyond good fishing, so we’re just having dinner. As for my evening habits…seriously? So I haven’t been out as much lately—didn’t know anyone cared all that much.”
“Do I have to worry about the rumor mill if I breathe the wrong way?” Travis asked. “I’ve seen plenty of Nathan lately, and not much has changed far as I can tell.”
Nathan sent a silent thanks to Travis. Much as he knew he’d have to put up with all kinds of teasing for this, the rumor mill in Diamond Creek was a sore point for Travis. He’d once had a relationship go south after a few incorrect assumptions blossomed into a breakup. As such, he went out of his way to deter it.
Between Jason’s elbow practically dislocating her rib and Travis’s comment, Maggie looked apologetic. “Sorry Nathan. You know me, just sticking my foot in my mouth over rumors. If anyone knows better, it’s me. If I’d listened to the local gossip, I’d have never believed Jason still loved me and we wouldn’t even be together now,” Maggie said dramatically. She proceeded to throw her arms around Jason who returned the hug, all the while shaking his head.
“Babe, love you too,” Jason said, in reply to Maggie’s declaration.
Nathan took the chance to look in Tess’s direction again. The guarded look had eased a little. He didn’t want her speculating about Maggie comment and running with it. Not for the first time, he wished his penchant for being a flirt wasn’t typically interpreted as him being a player. He didn’t like to explain himself to others so he’d allowed that perception to stick. Now he just hoped Tess wouldn’t believe his false persona and could see through it, see who he really was.
Between Travis and Jason, they got the conversation back off of Maggie’s questions. Within minutes, Travis was saying his goodbyes with the rest following in his wake. Somehow, the time he’d hoped to get to know Tess had turned into a mini social hour. Dinner had come and gone. He felt like he’d lost something, he’d wanted a chance to actually talk to her, start to know who she was underneath that reserve. Her head was turned as she looked out the window. She must have sensed him looking at her because she turned toward him with a smile, her gaze open, that guarded look gone for a moment. Just a look from her and his stomach clenched and desire coursed through him.
***
Approaching nine in the evening, the sun was on its way to sliding behind the mountains when Nathan turned the truck into the parking lot at the harbor. He’d persuaded Tess that she should see the late sunset from the harbor. She’d been somewhat quiet on the ride from the brewery, commenting only that the food and beer had been as good as he’d promised. The quiet allowed him to ponder the missed chance to get to know her, to woo her, over dinner. The missed opportunity sharpened his interest. Several moments later, Nat
han followed Tess onto the deck of Iris, their commercial fishing vessel. The view was better on the boat, high enough to see past the smaller boats that filled the dock slips. This time of evening, the docks were quiet, the hustle and bustle of summer days ebbed with the setting sun. A few boats had cabin lights on in the fading light.
Tess had stepped to the bow, her hands curled over the railing. “Wow…beautiful. I’d want to live out here in the summer,” she said, turning to glance over her shoulder at him.
Nathan tucked his hands in his pockets and strode to her side. “Some do,” he said, tilting his head in the direction of one of the boats with lights on. “We used to stay on the boat in the summer when we came up from Seattle before we moved here. Loved it myself, but it gets damn cold come fall. Not practical beyond summer.” He leaned against the railing, angled toward Tess.
She nodded and pointed toward Mount Augustine, one of several volcanoes that could be seen from Diamond Creek. “Mount Augustine seems to have its own clouds every day,” she said.
Nathan followed her gaze to a cluster of clouds arrayed around its peak. At the moment, they were swirled with colors—a deep red shot through with streaks of gold. The volcano was dark in the fading light. “Augustine usually does have its own clouds. Not sure why, probably because it’s the only thing out in the middle of the bay.” Her nearness ratcheted up his desire, it pulsed through him in waves. His eyes traveled back to her, drawn to those kissable lips.
Tess nodded. “Were you here the last time it erupted? I read that it was only a few years ago.” She seemed entirely unaware that volcanoes were the last thing on his mind. He had to force himself to focus on her words.
“Yup. Not too eventful, although they had to reroute some airplane traffic due to visibility problems from the ash. Not to mention that the ash can clog up an engine in a second. About all I noticed was the ash on the snow and the plumes coming out of the top.”
