Harvest Moon (Brook Haven Romance Book 1)

by Charlene Bright

  “Oh no! The poor thing. Mom said she called him on Wednesday. They were supposed to go to the library. She said he didn’t answer and never called her back.”

  “I don’t know what to do. I thought about getting him a puppy or something, but I’m just afraid of making things worse. I feel terrible.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “It kind of feels like it is,” he said.

  “Do you think he’d appreciate a visit from Mom?”

  “I know that he talked all the way home Sunday about how much he enjoyed getting to know her … but honestly, I just don’t know. He’s been pretty gruff with me lately. I’d hate for him to be rude or something and hurt her feelings.”

  Sophie laughed. “You’ve seen me at my absolute rudest … it hasn’t scared my mom off yet. I’ll ask her to go see him. It couldn’t hurt.”

  Drake put his hand on the side of her face, and she wanted to melt into it. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Thank you for doing so much around here.”

  He leaned his face in close and said, “That’s my job … besides, I have a lot at stake.”

  She smiled and tried to breathe. It was hard with him so close. In a husky voice, she said, “You’re entitled to a break … maybe you should take one now …”

  He shifted his body so that she was between him and the house, and then he used it to gently nudge her back. She was trapped between him and the cold wood at her back, but her insides were like hot liquid as he stared into her eyes. “What should I do with my break … boss?”

  She slid her arms up around his neck and said, “Just do whatever comes natural.” He closed the space between their faces and covered her lips with his. She could feel the raw desire he had for her pulsing through him as his tongue explored her mouth. He kissed as if he were starving and she was his sustenance.

  She kissed him back with the same fervor as she was truly ravenous for him. She held his head tightly and his hands held on to her waist, and the world around them fell away for the time the kiss lasted. When he finally pulled back, it was only because they both needed to breathe, and he pressed his forehead into hers as they panted and tried to calm themselves down.

  “Best. Break. Ever,” he said with a grin. Sophie still couldn’t speak, so she nodded. Drake was about to go in for another kiss and Sophie was going to let him when they heard the window to the left of her slide open. They jumped apart like two guilty teenagers as Brenda stuck out her head. Her eyes went from her daughter’s face to Drake’s, and a little smile played at her lips.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt … there’s a Mr. Randall on the phone for you, honey.”

  Still breathing raggedly, Sophie said, “You didn’t interrupt anything. Will you tell him that I’ll be right there?”

  Brenda smirked again before she closed the window.

  Drake laughed. “She’s proud of herself, you know.”

  “Proud of herself for what?”

  “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice that she’s been trying to get us together.”

  Flushing slightly, Sophie said, “Oh no … I noticed. I was hoping that you didn’t. It’s a little embarrassing to be twenty-seven and still have your mother fixing you up on dates.”

  She yelped a little, startled, when he pulled her body back into his again. He put his mouth against her ear and said, “She fixed you up on a lot more than a date.”

  “Meaning?”

  He held his face back so that he could see hers and he said, “I’m willing to start with a date, and I’m willing to wait as long as you need me to, but I’m telling you right now, Sophie Michelson, when I look into the future, I already can’t imagine it without you.” He kissed her softly and let her go.

  She stood there in shock and watched him climb back up the ladder. She had to admit to herself that when she lay awake in her bed at night and thought about him, it was always more than a simple “date” she imagined as well. She saw them running this place together … getting married in the meadow out behind the house and spending their honeymoon making love for hours. But that was supposed to just be her secret little fantasy. Now that she knew he was thinking along the same lines, getting anything done was going to be that much harder.

  “Sophie … Mr. Randall …” Brenda was calling from inside the window this time.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m coming.”

  ****

  Brenda stood holding her crutch in one hand and a cake in the other while she tried to balance long enough to knock on Mac’s door. She almost fell over before she grabbed the crutch and righted herself. Sophie had asked her to come out here and see Mac and then tried to drive her out like she was an invalid once again. Her left foot was the broken one. She didn’t need that one to drive, which she had reminded Sophie to convince her that she didn’t need a chauffeur. Brenda often wondered when they had switched roles.

  “Drake?” Mac called from inside the house.

  “No, Mac. It’s me, Brenda.”

  She heard the crunch of his wheels against what she assumed was a wood floor and then the latch on the door being opened. He pulled open the inside door and looked at her through the screen. “Hi. What are you doing here?”

  “I’m sorry to just drop by, but you haven’t been answering your phone …”

  “I’m sorry … I haven’t charged it.” He was still just staring at her and she was beginning to wonder if this was a mistake.

  “It’s okay, but I’m kind of having a hard time balancing myself right now. Do you think I could come in and at least set this cake down?”

  “Shoot … yeah, I’m sorry. Come on in.” He unlatched the screen door and rolled back out of the doorway. Brenda very carefully let herself in. There was a coffee table in the center of the room, and it was riddled with take-out containers from Huckleberry’s. Some of them looked as if they hadn’t been touched.

  “Where should I set this?” she asked him.

  “The counter over there is fine,” he said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I know … I wanted to. How are you, Mac?”

  “Did Drake send you out here?”

  “Not really. He told Sophie you were having a hard time and she told me. I was just hoping a visit and some cake might cheer you up.”

  “Thanks Brenda, really, but I’m fine.”

  “Are you really? I mean, forgive me, but Sophie told me the time she was over here that your house was spotless clean. You look like you haven’t been sleeping or eating or shaving—”

  He held his palms up. “Listen, I’m a little … under the weather, that’s all. Drake seems to think I’m going to crack over losing a couple of kits that weren’t even mine to begin with. Give me a break.”

  “Can I sit down?”

  He gave her a half smile, like he was either annoyed or impressed with her perseverance. “Sure.”

  She sat down on his couch and said, “Hear me out, and when I’m finished, if you want me to leave, I will. I know that we barely know each other, but I also am able to know a kindred spirit when I see one. Since my husband died, I’ve been so incredibly lonely. I was in a deep depression for a long time and the only reason I finally snapped out of it was that I realized what I was doing to Sophie. I’m still lonely. I have my beautiful daughter and I thank God for her every day, but sometimes we need something beyond that. We need something that touches our souls like my husband did for me.”

  “I’d hardly compare losing a spouse to two wild critters I only had for a few weeks.”

  Brenda smiled. “Mac, can I ask you how old you were when you had your accident?”

  “Twenty-one,” he said.

  “Drake says that you don’t date and you’ve never been married.”

  “Drake’s quite the talking little fool, isn’t he?”

  She laughed. “He means well, trust me. That kid is so worried about you.”

  Mac looked guilty for a second. “I know. I hate worrying him. But really, t
his is not the same as you losing your husband.”

  “Have you ever been in love?”

  He seemed reluctant to answer her, and just about the time she thought he wasn’t going to, he said, “No.”

  “So Drake is your only real contact with the world until these two helpless little kits fall into your hands. You feed them and keep them warm and safe, and because you did all of that for them, they bonded with you and you with them. That’s love, Mac, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Don’t you think that Drake is going to have a hard time when his old dog passes away?”

  “Yeah, but it’s not the same either.”

  “Why? Because you only knew them for a short time? That doesn’t mean you didn’t love them. You poured yourself into them, Mac. You kept them alive. That’s huge. It’s like being a parent, and if I’d only had Sophie for the first three weeks of her life, I would have still loved her every bit as much as I do today. What you’re feeling is normal and not at all something to be ashamed of. I find it admirable that you cared that much about two little creatures you could have easily just set loose to fend for themselves. But even though the loss hurts so much, you can’t lock yourself away here and wallow in it all alone. You need to eat, and you need to sleep, and you need to take care of yourself.”

  He sat there quietly for a long time, and finally Brenda said, “I’m sorry … I probably took this visit-and-cheer-you-up thing too far. I do that.”

  She stood up, and Mac surprised her by taking hold of her hand. She looked down at it, and he quickly let her go and said, “I’m sorry … please stay.”

  She sat back down and said, “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

  “I don’t know how much Drake told you about me. When I had my accident, I was in college. I’d come home that weekend and I was staying with my sister and her husband. Our grandfather lived in this house and our parents had already passed away. I had a girlfriend here in town, and I’d come home mostly to see her. I’d driven most of the night to get here, and then she and I went out to the city that night. I was going on about thirty-six hours of no sleep, and the one thing I thank God for is that I dropped her off before I fell asleep at the wheel. I don’t remember any of that.

  “When I woke up in the hospital, it was five months later. I was paralyzed from the waist down and I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t feed or in any way take care of myself. I spent almost two years in the hospital. By the time I came home, my grandfather had died and my sister was getting old taking care of me instead of having babies. If it wasn’t for that, I may have given up and just let her keep taking care of me. That’s how much I cared about myself at the time. I knew she wasn’t going to get on with her life until she knew I was going to be okay, so I pushed myself. I got better. I got stronger. I didn’t do any of that for myself. I no longer cared, and surviving had become a chore. When I woke up out of that coma, my girlfriend had already moved on. I knew I’d never be able to go back to college, and there were so many things I’d never be able to do. One of those things was have a normal relationship with a woman and have kids. I was never going to have a family, and that depression sunk in so deeply that I’ve really never recovered from it.

  “I do my best not to let Drake see it, but there was just nothing left in my life that really gave me joy any longer. Then he brought me those damned kits. I tried not to like them just like I’ve tried not to like every damned stray that boy brings home, but somehow they weaseled themselves into my heart and as reluctant as I am to admit this … it feels like it’s breaking. I know that it’s just about the loneliness and the fact that taking care of them made me feel useful and gave me something to look forward to. Now that they’re gone, I just sit here waiting for one day to slip into the next. It’s almost unbearable.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Sunday afternoon while Sophie was sitting at the computer in the office, Brenda knocked on the door. “Come in, Mom. You don’t have to knock.”

  “I didn’t want to disturb you,” she said, sitting in the chair across the desk and resting her crutch down next to her. “I wanted to ask you a favor.”

  “This doesn’t involve a gorgeous man and a bike ride, does it? Because he and I have that all figured out–”

  Brenda smiled. “No, but I am happy to hear that. One of these evenings when we’re sitting in front of a nice fire, I’d like to hear more about it.”

  Sophie winked at her. “You got it. What do you need, Mom?”

  “Well, I was hoping to borrow the car next Saturday to drive Mac to Westford.”

  “Westford? Isn’t that like a two-hour drive?”

  “Yes. It’s where the kits are. They’re at the wildlife rehabilitators there, and I think it would do him a world of good if he can just see firsthand that they’re being taken care of.”

  “What about your foot? Have you spoken to Brooke about driving with it?”

  “Honey, I really don’t use my left foot to drive. I haven’t spoken to Brooke about it, but I will if you absolutely want me to.”

  “No, it’s fine. You know I don’t mind if you use the car. I just worry about you.”

  Brenda laughed. “I know … way too much. You need to have a baby or two so you can refocus all of that unnecessary worry.”

  “All in due time, Grandma.”

  Brenda’s face lit up. “I like that. Or maybe Nana …”

  “Run along now. I’m taking reservations,” Sophie told her with a smile.

  “How exciting! How many now?”

  Sophie looked like she was about to burst as she said, “There’s only one room left, Mom! Two of the rooms were reserved for a week! I’m so excited!”

  “Oh honey, I’m so proud of you!”

  “Thanks Mom. You know I couldn’t have done any of this without you and Drake.”

  “I know,” Brenda said with a grin. “I’m going to get dinner started. I’m really, really proud of you.”

  “Thanks.”

  She left, and Sophie went back to answering her emails. An hour passed by quickly, and Brenda called out to her that dinner was ready. While they ate, her mother asked her, “So have you thought any more about hiring some help for reservations and housekeeping and all of that so you don’t have to work yourself to death?”

  “I’m thinking I’ll wait a while on that. I really want to do this myself, Mom.”

  “And what about Drake?”

  “What about him?”

  “I was under the impression the two of you had sort of … come to an agreement about how you feel about each other.”

  “Yes Cupid, we’ve discussed it. After I get the place open, there will be a little rush, but it should calm down enough to leave me with some time—”

  “Baby, ‘some’ time will not be enough for a new relationship. You’ll need to be there 100%.”

  “I understand that, Mom, but this place is virtually a new relationship too, right? I need to see this through, and then Drake and I will see where we go. I’ve already talked to him about that and he’s okay with it.”

  Brenda looked like she had more to say, but she held her tongue. Instead she said, “Did you know that Drake hasn’t gone to the farmer’s market for two weeks?”

  “He hasn’t? Why not?”

  “Mac told me yesterday that he’s been taking Sundays to help his other clients get ready for tourist season as well. He told them he was too busy at first, but then he felt bad.”

  Sophie smiled and shook her head. “Of course he did. He has such a good heart.”

  “Yes, he does. Oh! By the way, Mac showed me his workshop and the statues. I love them!”

  “I didn’t want to bring it up because Drake said he’s been so sad. Has he started on any for me?”

  “He hasn’t been working this week, but he has two that were already nearly finished and he showed them to me. One of them is a grizzly bear and the other a wolf. He said he was planning on finishing them for you. I think you’re going to love them.”
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  “How exciting! I can’t wait to see them.”

  “Did you know also—”

  Sophie laughed. “How long was this visit?”

  “A few hours and half of a chocolate cake, and when I left he was smiling and laughing.”

  “You’re amazing.”

  Brenda waved her palm at her and went on, “As I was saying, did you know that Drake made the furniture in both of their places?”

  “I meant to ask him about that, but I got distracted and forgot.”

  Mischievously, Brenda said, “Really? What was it that distracted you?”

  Sophie laughed and ignored the question. “So what about the cushions? Don’t tell me that Drake sews too and I didn’t know. I could have used him to make some curtains around here.”

  “Mac said the lady that owns the general store in town makes those, so I think you’re out of luck when it comes to Drake making curtains for you.”

  They finished their dinner and then cleaned up the kitchen. After Brenda left to head down to her own cabin, Sophie called Drake.

  “Hi beautiful.”

  “Hey! You sound tired.”

  “I’m okay. It’s Sunday, I’m relaxing.”

  “Your nose is growing.”

  He laughed. “What?”

  “Mac told Mom that you’re spending your Sundays working.”

  “They’re not allowed to hang out together anymore.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, good luck telling Brenda Michelson that she’s not allowed to do something.”

  “I think her daughter got a little of that.”

  “Don’t change the subject. Listen, we’re really close to finishing everything up around here. It would be perfectly okay for you to take a day or two during the week to take care of your other clients and go back to having your Sundays for the market and relaxing.”

  “Nah, I want to make sure you’re good to go. I’m keeping up …”

  “I have no doubts that you are. You’re the hardest worker I’ve ever met. But you need at least one day to relax.”