by Coralie Moss
A muffled reply sounded from the closet as he struggled to extract the apparatus. Leo returned to the kitchen, triumphant, the tangle of wood rods held aloft like a trophy. “Time to make the pasta!”
Anna reassembled the slightly warped pieces while Leo dusted the surface of the cutting board with fresh flour. He did the same with the rolling pin, his movements elegant and sure.
She leaned one elbow on the counter, openly appraising the man’s skill and the flourishes he added for her viewing pleasure. It was nice to have a competent cook in her kitchen after these years by herself. She’d been meaning to try her hand at pasta-making, and besides, he had a beautiful, aquiline nose and a story-filled face, and she was still experiencing post-orgasm aftershocks from their earlier encounter.
When he reached a flour-covered hand to his hair and ruffled the longish bits at the top, a random memory tapped at Anna’s shoulder. She shook it off, unsure what it had to do with anything going on in her kitchen, in this moment.
A light honk announced Gigi’s arrival. Anna went into panic mode and dashed into the living room, hurriedly rolling up the blankets and tossing them, along with the pillows, into her bedroom and closing the door.
“Leo,” she hissed, “if you call me Saffron, my daughter’s really going to wonder what’s going on here.”
“Time to drop the cloak of anonymity, I guess. I’ll go first.” He wiped his hands on the frilly apron and affected a mock bow. “Liam Galbraith, at your service.”
Two bodies barreled in the kitchen door as he picked up the rolling pin.
“Mom, hi! Cedar was hitchhiking. I gave her a ride, and she’s starving too.” Gigi went straight to Anna and enveloped her in a tight hug. “Mm, you smell good, like coconuts.”
Anna caught Liam’s gaze and blushed. The cottage’s boxy kitchen was suddenly very crowded. She herded the two young women into the living room and introduced them to the apron-clad man at her counter.
“This is Liam,” she said. “He arrived on the island last week, and I’m putting him to work. Liam, my daughter, Gigi, and her friend, Cedar.”
They exchanged a round of hellos before Gigi poked her head into the second bedroom. “Okay if we stay the night? We’ll be out super early for the ferry to Van.”
“You know where the sheets are. Help yourself.” Anna nudged Liam away from the lower cupboard and withdrew a large pot. Gigi and Cedar giggled as they made the bunkbeds, generating enough noise to cover the conversation happening in the kitchen.
“That was close,” Anna muttered under her breath. “Do you want me to add anything to the water?”
“Salt. And the noodles should be ready for cooking in about fifteen minutes. Oh, Saffron? You forgot to tell me your name.”
“It’s Anna.” She lifted her heels to find his mouth to exchange a quick kiss. Letting him go, she reached into the pantry closet for rolled oats and stoneground flour. She was ready to start another apple crumble when she noticed Liam’s body had gone from languid to alert.
“Did you say your name’s Anna?”
“Yes. Why?”
He shook his head and relaxed his stance. “It’s nothing. I just wanted to be sure I heard correctly because I don’t want to trip up and call you Saffron. Or Nutmeg.”
“Very funny.” She swatted his arm and wrinkled her nose. “Can you step aside again?”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“Apples.” She crouched and extracted a slatted box filled with paper-wrapped fruit.
Liam took the box from her and placed it on the counter. “You keep apples in a cupboard?”
“To age them,” she explained. “The flavor changes over time, and these Belle de Boskoops should be ready to use now.”
“I’ve never seen an apple this big.” The piece of fruit he cupped in both hands had slightly rough skin colored pale yellow-green, with blushes of red and rose.
Anna pulled out another one and sniffed. The fruit was ageing nicely. She’d be putting up jars of applesauce by the end of the week. “They’re a variety of Norwegian apple. One of my favorites. Can you pull out two more, about the same size?”
He chose more apples and carefully rearranged the paper and fruit in the box before sliding it into the lower cupboard. Anna kept her attention on the bowl of dry ingredients in front of her. Sugar, cinnamon and fresh-ground cardamom were next. She cut butter into the bowl and pinched the chunks into the oats and flour. The kitchen overflowed with homey smells, and the rhythm involved in making the dessert helped focus her jumpiness.
“Would you like me to cut the apples?” Liam asked.
“Yes, but wash and peel them first. Toss them in this.” Anna plunked a creamy white stoneware bowl next to the cutting board. “I’ll butter the baking dish. Oh, and squeeze some lemon juice over the apples so they don’t turn brown.”
“I can finish the crumble if you’d like,” he offered, staying attentive to his task.
“Sure, thanks. The oven’s preheated, and the water’s about to boil.”
Anna walked toward the bedroom and knocked on the door. “Girls, could you set the table, please?”
Gigi motioned to her to step in all the way. “Who’s the cute guy, Mom?”
Anna closed the door behind her and affected a stern glance. “He’s my new neighbor. He’s rented the MacMasters’ cottage for three months.”
Gigi and Cedar looked at each and waggled their eyebrows.
“Gigi, it’s not like that at all,” Anna insisted. “Now, c’mon out. I’m hungry, and the table won’t set itself.”
Liam had put the apple crumble into the oven and was stirring the pasta into simmering water. Anna had thought she was finished with missing the hustle and bustle of her cooking days, but the giggly girls dancing as they set the table and the presence of a man in her kitchen was verging on too much.
She moved to the side door, lifted her oiled canvas jacket from its hook, and stepped onto the deck.
“I’ll be right back.” Outside, the moon was waning, and patches of sky were clearing. Anna stood on the unlit section of deck hidden from the driveway. The kitchen door opened inward before the screen door creaked, announcing she had company. Scissors snipped, filling the night air with the scent of fresh cut herbs from the flower boxes hanging along the railing.
“Are you okay?” Liam asked, stepping closer.
“My house isn’t usually this full on a Friday night.” Anna looked from him to the tableaux visible through the wide windows. Her living room glowed with light, and four sets of plates and sparkling glassware beckoned. He rubbed the space between her shoulder blades and spoke into the side of her head.
“Shall we eat?”
Dinner was lively and loud. Liam and Gigi’s mutual interest in design kept the conversation rolling, and the fluidly familiar interaction between the three women made for a pleasurable dance.
“I got my mad sewing skills from my mom,” Gigi explained, “and this semester we’ve been focusing on all natural dyes and more one-of-a-kind pieces. Here, scroll through these.”
She was a taller, more slender version of her mother, with an asymmetrical haircut that flashed bright green highlights whenever she moved her head. She handed her phone to Liam. He reached into a pocket for his reading glasses. Anna shifted her chair so she could look over his shoulder. The pictures showed racks of clothing and individual pieces, as well as the sewing studio and Gigi’s coworkers.
Liam pointed to the garments hanging on the mannequins. “You’re doing both pattern-making and draping?”
“Yeah. The draping is harder,” she admitted, “and I’m not so good at it. Tailored clothing is more the direction I’m going in. I designed the pants my mom’s wearing.”
The buzzer for the oven sounded. Anna stood and made a mock show of modelling Gigi’s creation. She loved these pants. Darts and insets shaped the buttock and waist areas, and embroidery in the same rich wine shade as the knit fabric swirled over the left side of her ass
and down her thigh.
She turned off the oven timer and brought the baking dish of apple crumble to the table. “We should let it sit a bit to cool. Tea, anyone?”
“I’d love to make some chai,” Cedar volunteered. She had worked summers at Elaine’s breakfast-themed food truck, and her spicy chai was a perfect finish to the meal.
“You know where everything is. Go right ahead.”
The young women busied themselves grinding spices and slamming doors, pots, and measuring spoons.
Liam leaned in. “That was the best meal I’ve had in a while, especially the appetizer.”
Anna smiled and stroked her fingers down the part of his leg hidden by the table. “I’d love to learn how to make pasta, if you’re up for teaching me.”
“And I’d love to negotiate a trade.” He slid his hand over hers and intertwined their fingers. Anna squeezed in response, happy to simply sit and watch the kitchen dance while lingering in Liam’s presence.
Gigi reached over the counter, interrupting Anna’s bliss with what sounded like an admonishment. “Mom, dessert will cool faster if you dish it out.”
Anna released Liam’s hand and set to scooping out generous portions of the apple dish.
Liam lifted his bowl for a deeper whiff when she handed it to him. “Smells good, doesn’t it?”
She followed his lead, lifted her bowl to her nose, and agreed. “A foodie like you should be right at home with the abundance of this island.”
“I’m hooked already,” he said, holding her gaze and treating her to his sexy smile.
Cedar and Gigi returned to the table, passing around steaming mugs of milky chai. The four tucked in to bowls of apple crumble, metal spoons clinking against the stoneware as quiet murmurs of satisfaction circled the table. When they were done, the two younger women set about cleaning the kitchen, and Liam and Anna took their tea to the couch.
“I really enjoyed talking with Gigi,” he said. “I’m struggling a bit with how to move forward with my own work. Her youthful enthusiasm is contagious.”
Anna smiled at him then turned her gaze to her daughter’s back. Something in Gigi’s attitude shifted during dinner, and she couldn’t put her finger on what about it bothered her. She shrugged to herself and turned her attention to Liam when he nudged her elbow.
“This was an unexpectedly lovely evening. I don’t want it to end.”
“What are you suggesting?” she asked.
“Take a walk with me?”
“Love to. Let me say goodnight to the girls, and I’ll meet you at your house.”
Chapter Ten
“Liam’s nice, Mom.”
“Yes, he is.” Anna’s clipped answer signaled the conversation could stop there.
“He’s into you.” No such luck. Gigi was going to keep digging. “And I think you’re kinda into him.”
“I second that,” Cedar hollered from the bathroom.
“I’m being neighborly,” Anna stated.
“No law says neighbors can’t be into each other.”
“But there is a law about nosy daughters.” Anna tweaked Gigi’s nose and cracked a little when her daughter abruptly turned her head. “Gigi, what’s wrong?”
“Like I said last week, Mom, I’m okay with you dating people. Oh, and I’ll be back for Thanksgiving. Bro said we’re all getting together here. Just family.”
The location was news to Anna, but she was secretly thrilled. “Can you get here Sunday night or early Monday to help me cook?”
“Sure. Let me see what Neena says. If she has no plans, can I invite her to join us?”
“And what about me?” called Cedar, still in the bathroom.
“I think your mom would have something to say about that,” Anna answered before returning to her negotiations with Gigi. “Invite whoever you want. I might bring a friend too.”
Gigi lowered her gaze. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean anything by what I said. I…” She let loose a protracted sigh before she shrugged. “Forget I said anything. I’m just feeling a little cranky.”
Anna slid her arms into her overcoat and dropped the jar of coconut oil into one of the outer pockets. “I’m going for a walk with Liam. Don’t wait up.”
She fired up her flashlight and walked to where her driveway met the road. Liam’s voice coming from the darkened bushes lining the drive startled her when he called her name.
“Sorry if I scared you,” he said. “I forgot to bring a flashlight.” He draped one arm over her shoulders and let her guide them down the rutted road. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Mostly. Care to sit outside for a bit? I’d love to look at the stars.”
“You read my mind. I’ll get us something to sit on.” Anna lowered herself onto the top stair of the MacMasters’ wide deck and leaned back on her elbows. Light coming from inside the house dimmed her view of the stars. Liam dropped two cushions and a quilt next to her and switched off the living room’s sole lamp. Within a few minutes of their eyes adjusting to the depth of the darkness, the night sky blossomed with stars.
“I sometimes forget how beautiful it is here, until someone new comes along and then I get to rediscover what I love about living on this island.”
Liam moved one of the cushions under him and lay face up on the deck. His hand swept over the exterior of her jacket, looking for a way under, past her sweater, to her skin. “Do you ever think about moving or traveling?”
Anna took her time considering his question, relaxing incrementally into the support of Liam’s wandering hand. The silence between them extended.
“My husband’s death was such a shock that any time I thought about making any changes in my life—any—I froze up.”
“What else?” His fingers found her waist and the obstinate belly roll that would never go away. She understood some of what she carried was intimately tied to grief, that the moderate, but steady weight gain was due as much to hormonal changes as it was to a need to armor herself against the pain of loss.
Sitting next to Liam, she danced between wanting his hands on her skin and wondering why she was running toward so much intimacy, so fast. Cancer left him with side effects no man would wish upon himself. Did her proximity and lack of suitors make her an easy consolation prize?
She shrugged. “I haven’t changed much of anything in the house, like the furniture or even the way it’s arranged. I’m doing the same kind of work. And I haven’t made any kind of effort to date. My birthday kind of snuck up on me.”
Anna didn’t want to keep accentuating the fact that she was eight years older than him.
He continued to trace slow circles between her sweater and skin. “It seems to me you’ve been rocking the boat this past week, and I think Elaine’s gift to you was a wake-up call. It’s her way of saying she’s worried about you, that she loves you.”
She lowered herself beside him, settling her head in the dip below his shoulder. “How’d you get to be so smart?”
“Cancer,” he stated, his voice clear and matter-of-fact. “That was my wake-up call.”
Silence continued to connect them as they retreated into their own thoughts.
Liam was the first to speak. “I thought about what you said about the possibility of snow. My revised plan is to leave tomorrow afternoon, pick up whatever gear and maps I need in Vancouver, and head up the coast. I think I’ll be gone about two weeks.”
Feelings churned below the surface of her skin, new feelings. What was he trying to say? Was he trying to put some distance between them? Lowering her expectations?
“If I remember correctly, you’re going on a trip soon too?” he added.
“Yeah, I am. I’m meeting a friend I haven’t seen in a long time.”
“Do you think your trip could be another boat-rocker?”
“Maybe,” she answered, without offering any more commentary.
“We have less than twenty-four hours before I leave.”
“I know.”
He slid his hand over
the expanse of her back. “I’d like to spend as much of that as possible with you. We have some studying to do.”
Anna curled herself into his warmth, her eyes drawn to the stars. Familiar constellations twinkled above. “Let’s go to bed.”
The king-sized mattress spread in front of them, beckoning. Liam went to start a fire in the woodstove. Anna began to undress. She hesitated when all that was left was her bra and underpants. Seconds later, Liam’s back still to her, the flimsy pieces topped the pile on the floor.
“It’s cold in here!” She scrambled across the sheets and pulled them over her legs and breasts.
Liam turned away from the woodstove, caught her straightening the thick quilt, and laughed. “You could have waited for me to help warm the bed. I’ll be right there.”
Closing the glass-fronted door, he paused to make sure the draft had taken hold before moving to sit at the end of the bed. He peeled off his socks and stood facing Anna. Low light cast shadows under his eyes, cheekbones, and mouth. He undid the buttons at his cuffs, moved to the ones lining the front of his plaid shirt, and let the garment drop to the floor, adding to Anna’s pile.
“You can take your time with that,” she said. “I’m in no hurry.” She propped herself on one elbow and tucked the sheet tighter. Liam lowered the pull on his zipper tooth by tooth.
“Like this?” He slid his hands underneath his briefs and down his legs and left his pants on the floor. Anna admired the unfolding scene as he cupped himself, adjusted his cock, and kneeled on the bed.
“You’re naked,” she observed.
“So are you.” He pulled away the sheet, exposing her breasts. Anna’s skin tightened as cold air passed over her. “Would you roll over for me?”
She moved to her belly, propped the side of her face on her stacked hands. Liam slid one hand up the inside of her right thigh and pulled her legs apart. He kneeled between her calves, and stroked the backs of her legs, from her ankles to the crease under each butt cheek, squeezing, running his thumbs toward her hidden labia then down her legs. Every time his hands neared her ass, he took more of her flesh into each hand, massaging, reaching, letting his growing erection play against her skin.
