“You accused me of trying to be a saint, but you’re wearing the wings today.” She took the thermos and coffee cups into the kitchen and made quick work of pouring them each a mug.
He walked to the table, where a large stockpot sat with the lid partially in place. “I brought a more suitable living environment for the bird.”
Sage laughed. “You don’t think keeping it in a stockpot by the stove is a good idea?”
He opened the lid to expose the tiny thing that sat on a soft towel. “I’ll only worry when you add water and spices.”
She playfully punched him in the arm, and it felt good to have a moment of lightness in a life covered by clouds.
He opened the ventilated shoebox and transferred the bird to its new home.
Beside him, Sage let out a hum after her first sip of coffee. “Oh my God, that’s so good.”
His mind played with her words. His imagination had her naked and under his body, saying the same words for different reasons. He shook the image from his head.
“It’s just coffee.” He tucked the little dish of water to the side of the box and covered the bird back up. “You ready?”
She pulled the mug from her lips and sighed. “It’s life’s elixir, and yes, I’m ready.” She tucked the thermos under her arm and snatched her purse from the table. “Can Otis come? He loves to ride.”
Cannon peeked into the great room to find Otis waiting at the entrance. “No problem.”
He rushed ahead and opened the door for Sage and her dog. “Do I need to lift him in?”
Sage leaned in close and whispered, “Let’s see if he can make it himself. He doesn’t know he’s different.”
That comment hit him in the chest, hard. Cannon felt the same about his cat. He didn’t coddle Mike because he had one eye. He celebrated his ability to overcome the obstacle. There was something to learn from how animals faced adversity.
He patted the seat and watched as Otis leaped up without help. Sage, on the other hand, needed a little boost, or maybe he simply wanted to touch her. His hands went around her tiny waist, and he lifted her to her seat. Her snug sweater and jeans didn’t go unnoticed. She was a tiny package of perfection. Her personality was as fiery as her red hair; he liked that she had spirit. She was a welcome respite to his mundane life here in Aspen Cove. Part of him wanted to ignore her because she wasn’t staying. The other part wanted to enjoy spending time with her while she was here. He rounded the front of the truck and climbed in the driver’s seat. Otis sat chaperone between them.
“I hate to ask, but can we stop at a grocery store? I have guests arriving tonight.”
“Friends?” Did she have a boyfriend?
Her head shook left to right before she answered. “No. Guests booked by Bea.”
He pulled out of the driveway and headed north. “Really? I would have thought you’d cancel.”
She turned to face him. “Oh, I was going to cancel until the woman cried. I didn’t have the heart to ruin her weekend. She’s a newlywed.”
“You’re one of those.” Otis curled up and laid his head on Cannon’s lap.
“One of what?” Her voice rose with each word.
“A bleeding heart.” He knew she was a softie. It showed in her concern for his father and the way she reacted with the bird. Additional proof sat next to him, drooling on his lap. Most people wouldn’t adopt a tripod. Sage was a rescuer.
“Call me what you want. I couldn’t take away the girl’s honeymoon weekend when I could provide it.”
Cannon couldn’t argue with her logic. It was what brought him back to Aspen Cove. He couldn’t let his father wither alone, so he came home, not realizing he’d wither alongside him.
“You should have lots of guests on the books. This is the time of year when things pick up. I’ll open the bait and tackle shop soon.”
“You run both the bar and the shop?”
He shrugged. “I have little choice.” He left the words unsaid, and he hoped she didn’t bring up his father. “I run the shop during the day, and the bar at night.”
“That’s a lot of work.”
“I’ve never been afraid of hard work. Tell me about yourself.”
Over the next forty minutes, Cannon learned Sage was an orphan with one sibling who was a doctor.
“It’s funny,” she said, “but the plan was for us to work together someday. She’d be the general practitioner, and I’d be her nurse.”
“Is that possible?” He pulled into the Liquor Warehouse and killed the engine.
“Not really. She got her residency in emergency medicine. I got hired in a different ward.”
Her hand sat on Otis’s back. He laid his palm over hers. “Don’t give up your dreams.”
“What about you?” She didn’t move her hand but stacked her other palm over his. “What are your dreams?”
Her touch created a sense of vulnerability. Did he dare share pieces of himself with a woman destined to leave? “Right now, my dream is to run our errands and grab the best burger within a hundred miles for lunch.” He pulled his hand free and exited the truck.
She’d opened her door and hopped out before he could reach her. Cannon lifted his chin toward the dog. “Is he staying or going?”
“He’ll stay.”
She followed him inside the warehouse.
Just his luck that Melanie was on shift today. She didn’t normally work Fridays, and he wondered if it was coincidence she happened to be here on the day he always came for supplies.
She approached like a predator. The glow of jealousy lit up Mel’s eyes. “Good to see you again, Cannon.” She ignored Sage and pushed her body into his.
Sage took in the exchange and stepped back.
“Mel, this is my new neighbor, Sage.”
Mel licked her lips and smiled. “Hey.” She leaned in like she was inspecting the competition. “That looks painful. I hope the other guy looks worse.” She looked at Cannon. “You’re not the other guy, are you?”
Sage lifted her hand to her nose. “He’s not, and everyone survived.”
Mel ignored Sage and turned her eyes back on him. “I can come to the bar tonight.” She tugged on her low-cut T-shirt so hard, Cannon feared she’d expose herself.
“I can’t stop you from coming, but all you’ll get from me is a beer.” He hopped on the other side of the flatbed cart next to Sage. He wasn’t sure if he was protecting her or seeking refuge.
“Dalton’s friends are still around, though, in case you’re looking.”
Mel’s face turned red. “You can be such an asshole.” She looked at Sage and said, “Walk away from this one. He’s as slippery as a fish.” She spun around and stomped away.
“Spurned girlfriend?” Sage asked as they moved down the row of whiskey.
“Never a girlfriend.” He put a case of Jack Daniels on the cart and moved toward the Jim Beam.
“Just spurned, then.”
“Something like that.” He wanted to talk about Mel as much as he wanted to discuss his father. “You need something from here? I get a discount.”
She blessed him with a smile. “Wine. I could use a few bottles.”
Cannon led her to the wine aisle, where she chose two reds and two whites. He moved on to pick up several kegs of beer, and they checked out.
Next stop was the pet store for worm mush and seeds. The final errand was Target. He’d never seen a woman get so excited over a superstore, but as soon as she went to the appliance aisle and put a Keurig into her basket, he understood. A good cup of coffee made the difference in a day.
“Had I known this was here, I wouldn’t have suffered through days of caffeine withdrawal.” She tossed everything from Milk Bones to eggs in her cart. When she passed the floral section, she let out a whoop of glee. “Lilacs . . . they’re my favorite.” She touched the pinked petals of the flower.
“They look like pom-poms.”
She lowered her nose to the petals and inhaled. “I don’t know. They�
��re happy flowers. They look hopeful.” She pulled back and looked at the delicate petals. “I look at these, and I see possibilities. If nature can make something so perfect, then anything is imaginable.” She tucked several bouquets into her basket, and he followed her to the checkout.
They put their purchases into the truck. It was great he had a super cab. “If we buy anything else today, Otis will have to ride in the back.” Cannon shut the door to the back seat. “You hungry?”
Otis lifted his head while Sage nodded. “Starved. I’ve been working through the casserole dishes, but a girl can only eat so many noodles.”
Copper Creek offered many options for dining, but his favorite place was a little hole-in-the-wall called Chico’s that sold the best green chili burgers around.
“How brave are you?”
She laughed. “I packed up my car and came to Aspen Cove.”
“Let’s go then.” Cannon drove to a little hole in the wall. Once parked, he looked at Otis. “Can he join us, or do you want to leave him here?”
Sage shook her head. “There’s no way he’d stay in the truck. He loves hamburger.” She hopped out with Otis following close behind.
Cannon left them at an outside table. The sun was high in the sky, and its warmth soaked into him. Or maybe that was Sage’s presence. As long as she wasn’t yelling at him or talking about his father, he liked her. She was easy to be around. Uncomplicated.
When he returned, he had two green chili-drenched burgers and a plain patty for Otis.
“I think you’re trying to win my dog’s heart.” She pulled their meals off the tray and set the table for two.
“I think your dog, like my cat, likes whoever has food.”
Sage shook her head. “There’s no loyalty these days.”
“Maybe you’re trusting the wrong people.” He picked up his burger and took a bite.
“I trust everyone until I can’t.”
“I trust no one until I can.” He knew a lot about trust. He’d been dealt some shitty hands in life and found out the hard way trust is not without limits.
“I’ll trust this is the best burger I’ve ever eaten because you said so.”
“Not sure I should be trusted.” He wanted to be the kind of man a woman like Sage could count on, but he wasn’t certain he had anything to offer.
She took a bite, and her eyes grew big. “So good.” She waited a few seconds. Her cheeks turned from pink to red. She reached for her soda. “So hot.”
“Good though, right?”
“The best.” She fanned her face. “I’d say you’re trustworthy.”
An hour later, they were back in Aspen Cove. It was the best day Cannon had in a long time. He helped her bring in her groceries. While she put things away, he tended to the bird that picked at the seed and worms he’d placed inside the box.
“I should go.” He rose from the chair and walked toward the front door. He’d spent a thousand lifetimes in this house. Some of his best memories happened in the great room, where both families used to get together for game nights and barbecues.
He turned around to call out a goodbye but found Sage standing next to him. She flung her body into his. Her arms wrapped around his waist while her head leaned against his chest. He was well over a foot taller than she was, but she felt perfect against him.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long minute before they both dropped their arms.
“Sorry,” she said. “I just . . . today was nice. Thank you.”
He looked down into her eyes and knew he was in big trouble. This woman would drive him crazy, but he wasn’t sure if it was crazy good or crazy bad.
“It was kind of nice, wasn’t it?” He didn’t elaborate on what he was referring to, but he liked the day and the hug.
Chapter Seventeen
Sage had two hours before her guests were due to arrive. In that time, she second-guessed everything from the wine she put in their room to the vase that held the flowers.
She had no idea what was expected, but she didn’t want to fall short of success, so she erred on the side of excess. Next to the wine glasses and wine she placed a tray of snacks that included chocolates and cookies and fresh fruit.
She fluffed pillows and folded towels into pretty little parcels. She wrote a welcome note that included a wish for a happy and long marriage. After she’d dusted for the second time, she left the room.
The fireplace was ready with stacked logs and crumpled papers. All it needed was the strike of a match.
She transferred the bird to her room and closed the door to the guest wing. With a glass of wine and Otis right behind her, she walked out onto the back deck and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs. Otis settled in front of the wood rail to stare through the spindles at the lake. She was happy to have the enclosed deck, but she knew her dog would never run off. He liked food and Sage’s belly rubs too much.
While she waited for her guests to arrive, she called Katie.
“I was just going to call you. I have so much to tell you.”
Her voice was buoyant and happy. “I’m all ears.”
“Apparently, Saturday’s are apple-spice-muffin day.”
Sage sat up in the chair. “Another delivery?”
“Yes, ma’am. Everything to make Saturday’s special muffins.”
Sage was amazed. This was a tiny town, but they were taking care of a stranger. Kind of like Cannon had taken care of her today. “How did the raspberry muffins go today?”
She sipped her wine and leaned back into her chair, because although she knew little about Katie, she knew she was long winded. She took five minutes to get to the meat of the story. “I opened with two dozen muffins, thinking I’d have leftovers, but by ten o’clock I was out and had to mix again.”
“That’s amazing. Who bought them?”
“Lots of people came in. Some I recognized. Some I didn’t. Sheriff Cooper bought half of them. He told me I wasn’t charging enough, but how can I charge for a muffin made with donated materials?”
“I’m giving you more Sage advice. The sheriff is right. Your muffins are made with love. How can you put a fair price on love?”
Sage told Katie about the bird and her trip to Copper Creek. The two women were giddy with their new shopping options.
“How was spending the morning with Cannon?”
How did Sage describe bliss? “He’s not who I thought he was. I still don’t like the way he treated his father, but I don’t think he’s as bad as I believed.”
“So you like him?” There was a lilt of hope to her voice.
“I wouldn’t say I like him, but he’s tolerable.” She didn’t want to give Katie false hope. If Sage liked Cannon, it would give her another reason to stay in Aspen Cove. At first, Aspen Cove had offered way less than Denver. But now, she found herself conflicted. Aspen Cove had Katie and Cannon. Denver had neither.
Sage heard a noise at the front door. “I think my guests are here. I’ve got to go.”
Katie promised to deliver the muffins by seven-thirty in the morning before she hung up.
After the knock on the door, she waited to a count of five so as not to seem too eager. It surprised her that she was excited; then again, Sage never turned down a challenge. How many people got to test their hand at a new career without risk?
She checked her face in the mirror. Her bruising had faded, and the new concealer she bought at the store did a satisfactory job of hiding the worst of the injury. Just days ago she’d hoped the couple would look at her and run, but today she hoped they stayed.
With a smile pasted on her face, she opened the door. Wrapped around each other was a young couple not older than mid twenties, and by the look of happiness on their faces, they were in love.
“Welcome.” She stepped aside and opened her home to her guests. Her home? Her guests? “I’m Sage Nichols, your host.”
The couple walked inside. “Where’s Bea?” the young woman asked.
Sage
smiled and simply said, “Bea couldn’t make it.” There was no way she was telling them where Bea really was. Talk about a downer on a honeymoon.
She showed them to their room, which was at the end of the hallway, and hoped the buffer of one room in between hers and theirs would be enough. She didn’t want to disturb the newlyweds, but she wasn’t prepared to move into Bea’s room either.
“There are beverages in the refrigerator, coffee in the pot, and breakfast will be ready at nine, unless you need it earlier.”
The Morellos looked at her and laughed. “Even nine sounds too early,” the husband said. He leaned in toward his bride and nipped at her lip. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”
That was Sage’s cue to leave. She backed out of the room and shut the door. She hadn’t reached the end of the hallway when a loud thud came from the end of the room. It took on a steady rhythm. An incessant banging. She blushed for the couple, who wasted no time making the bed rock and the frame hit the wall.
She exited the hallway and closed the door behind her, trying to gain distance from the noise. When it mixed with moans and groans and expletives that could make a trucker blush, Sage poured herself a glass of wine and took Otis to the deck. They inched farther and farther away from the room, trying to escape the passion play going on in the house.
Sage had to hand it to Mr. Morello, he had staying power. She thought about his wife and wondered if she’d need an ice pack.
There was lull and quiet for about thirty minutes before it started again. This time, Sage gave up drinking wine by the glass and took the bottle and a chair down to the water’s edge. Even at that distance, she couldn’t escape the couple’s bliss.
Each time she heard the silence, she’d sneak into the house to get what she needed. A jacket. Snacks. More wine.
The sun had set and the air cooled, but the lights that flickered across the still lake mesmerized her. They were at least a distraction. Otis lay on her feet, keeping them warm. Each time an Oh God or a Yes came from the house, he lifted his head and she lifted the bottle.
One Hundred Reasons Page 10
