A Family for a Week

by Melissa Senate

  She leaned over and pulled him to her and he wrapped his arms around her, the embrace, the scent of her, the softness of her so comforting.

  “Thanks for being here,” he said. “I owe you one.”

  She laughed. “Uh, I owe you a week’s worth, so trust me, I still owe you.” She looked at him and shifted in her seat. “Let’s head to the cabin. I’ll make you some comfort food.”

  “Home-cooked meal? Sounds good to me.”

  The thought of Sadie in his house, sharing a meal with her, just the two of them cocooned, sounded better than good. It sounded necessary.

  Chapter Twelve

  Sadie looked through the cabinets in Axel’s kitchen and the fridge, and once decided on her menu, she took out the ingredients. At first, she thought she’d make his favorite, baked ziti, but he’d had that last night and he was out of both ziti and penne. But he had pizza dough and marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, which meant yummy, gooey pizza.

  I sure do feel at home here, she thought, spreading the sauce and generously laying on the cheese. She slid the pizza into the oven and set the timer, imagining herself living here, she and Axel taking turns making dinner, Sadie coming home from work at the hospital to a warm, cozy, luxe cabin with spaghetti and meatballs on the burners, garlic bread in the oven, their dog, Dude, excited to see her and Danny.

  A few steps ahead of yourself, girl, she warned herself, but she loved the pictures in her head and refused to blink them away. Axel coming down the stairs with just a towel wrapped around his sexy hips, kissing her hello, the towel dropping...

  Okay, now she was truly carried away. Although he had gone upstairs to take a shower, to erase the day, and it was possible he’d come down in just a teeny towel tied loosely around his hips, hair dripping onto his naked chest... Unlikely but still possible.

  Except she knew Axel and he’d never do that, despite her wishing he would.

  Back to reality. Which meant checking in with her mom to see how Danny was.

  He’s happy as can be, her mom texted back. We’re at the petting zoo. Don’t rush—we’re about to head to dinner in the caf and I’ll get Danny to bed on time and give him a kiss from you and Axey.

  Again with the Axey.

  Just in case she wouldn’t be back before Danny’s bedtime, she FaceTimed her mother so she could see Danny and tell him she loved him. “’Oats funny!” Danny said, and when they disconnected, her sister sent her an adorable shot of Danny feeding hay to a little white goat.

  “Something smells amazing,” Axel said, coming downstairs with damp tousled hair—almost like in her minifantasy. Ooh la la. He was beyond sexy in his faded jeans, navy T-shirt and bare feet. He smelled like shampoo and soap—even more delicious than the scent of pizza.

  “It’s a surprise,” she said. “But it’s definitely comfort food.”

  “Can’t wait. And after dinner, I thought we’d play that So You Think You Know Your Significant Other? game.”

  She gaped at him. “Really?”

  He laughed. “No. I am completely joking.”

  “Thought so,” she said with a knowing nod, then peered in the oven. The cheese was bubbling. Five minutes and the pizza would be done.

  “Glass of red wine?” he asked. “Daisy gave me a bottle called Dancing Alpacas for doing her a favor last weekend. I can’t promise it’ll be good. Do you think our alpacas break out into the Macarena when we’re all not looking?”

  She laughed. “Maybe the chicken dance. And I’d love a glass.” Wine, pizza and handsome, sexy Axel. It was almost too much.

  The bottle featured an upright brown-and-white alpaca with his hooves in the air. She smiled as he poured two glasses.

  He handed her one, then held up his. “To us getting through a trying week together.”

  Happy chills raced up her spine. “I will drink to that.” What she wanted to say was that she was touched by his toast. The past days had been trying on lots of levels and they were going through it together. The faux engagement. The walk through his father’s life.

  I feel so close to you, she thought wistfully, unable to drag her eyes off him. His still-damp dark hair, the blue eyes, strong jawline and incredible shoulders, broad and strong.

  She had to stop staring, so she took a sip of the dry, spicy wine, which sent a warm glowy boost where she needed it. “Not bad at all,” she said, holding up the glass. “We can eat in the living room if you’d like, get comfy on the couch. Dinner is that kind.”

  “Oh good. Movie?”

  Again, goose bumps. Dinner and a movie. She thought about her mom telling her not to rush. She and Axel could both use a relaxing night, a little escape into a movie.

  He sipped his wine and gave a “not bad” nod, then flicked on the big-screen TV and rolled through the guide. “There it is. No need for anything else if The Princess Bride is on.”

  She grinned. “I totally agree. And I haven’t seen it in years.” Those happy chills were back, breaking into goose bumps on her arms. This felt like a date.

  It is a date. Whether he likes it or not, and who knows, maybe he does like it. Maybe Mr. Marriage Squeezes the Air Out of My Lungs is falling for me as hard as I’m falling for him, and who can stop the progress of true love? Not even Prince Humperdinck.

  While Axel set the coffee table, Sadie made a simple salad and tossed it with creamy Italian dressing.

  “Be right back,” Axel said and went out the kitchen door into the yard, which confused her because he didn’t bring Dude, who’d already gone out when they’d returned. When he came in a few minutes later with a bouquet of wildflowers, she went completely still, the air squeezed out of her lungs.

  This was a date.

  He smiled at her, and everything inside got the warm fuzzies and not from the wine. She watched him grab a vase off the mantel and fill it with water and then put in the flowers. He set the vase on the big coffee table. “Dude,” he said to the dog, who sat on the side of the table, gnawing at a rawhide, “when a woman cooks for you, you bring her flowers, even if they’re from the yard.”

  “Wildflowers are the best kind,” she said, the warm fuzzies getting hotter.

  Ooh, boy, did she want to kiss him. Run her hands along his broad shoulders, across his back, in his hair. The oven timer dinged, jolting her out of her little dream.

  “You sit and enjoy your wine,” he said. “I’ll get the pizza.”

  She did as he said, leaning back on the comfortable cushion. When was the last time she had a night like this that didn’t involve someone she was related to or a colleague from work during their monthly movie nights in the hospital basement?

  Within a half hour, the salad was almost gone, the pizza only crumbs and the bottle of Dancing Alpacas wine consumed. She and Axel were laughing and calling out famous lines from The Princess Bride as they watched, both declaring it in their top ten favorites of all time. And then the movie was over and she leaned her head against his shoulder—without thinking, just feeling.

  He didn’t stiffen. Or flinch.

  Instead, he turned and lifted his hands to either side of her face. “I want to kiss you more than anything in the world right now.”

  “But will you still want to kiss me to-mor-rohhh?” she sang, her lips a mere inch from his. That was the issue. She wasn’t so sure he would want to. He’d made himself so clear on the subject of a romantic relationship. This would not be going anywhere.

  “I’ll never stop wanting to kiss you, Sadie.”

  Oh, my. She could let herself have this. Tonight. Maybe she could get him out of her system that way. Yeah right, she thought. Like that will happen. Stop rationalizing. If you let this happen, be prepared to accept what will happen—tomorrow morning. She was going to have her heart handed to her either way.

  She leaned forward and touched her lips to his and that was that. He kissed her so
passionately her toes truly curled. Then his hands and lips were all over her, her mouth, her neck, her breastbone. He lifted her tank top to trail kisses across her stomach, and she flung the shirt off, watching his gaze move to her lacy pink bra—not the sexy one from the bridal boutique but plenty hot nonetheless. She peeled off his T-shirt, and his chest was everything she’d fantasized about. Muscled and hard. Every part of her body hummed and tingled and she gave completely in to the delicious sensations. She heard the zipper of her flippy yellow skirt being pulled down, and she reached for his zipper, eliciting a groan that sent shock waves through her.

  And then they were naked, kissing, touching, feeling. She was kissing his neck when she saw one of his hands reaching for something on the coffee table—his wallet. She gasped inwardly, so ready. Then she heard that telltale tear of a foil packet and she resumed her trail of kisses along his chest.

  “Okay?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Okay,” she whispered back.

  And then she lost all ability to process anything but how good making love to Axel felt and how completely in love with him she was.

  * * *

  Sadie woke up in the morning with a big smile on her face, but it faded when she realized she was alone in Axel’s king-size bed. The door was closed and she strained to listen for sounds—running water or the clank of silverware; he could be taking a shower or making them breakfast. But there was silence.

  And then she saw the folded note with her name on it propped against the lamp on the bedside table.

  Yup. Gone. With the wind. The summer breeze. I told you so, Sadie Winston!

  Had it been worth it? Yes. Every amazing, I-am-a-red-blooded-woman moment of it. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. Since before her divorce. Her heart might feel a little pushed around but her body felt rejuvenated and alive and relaxed as if she’d gone to a yoga class with her own attentive magic yogi.

  But there was one part of her that felt all achy and bruised. In her chest, to the left.

  She’d been right to keep her expectations in check—not that that helped.

  She grabbed the note and read it. Morning. My brother needed my help so I had to leave early. Sleep in, relax, hang with Dude, whatever you like. Feel free to take the buggy home—I biked in. Talk to you later, Axel.

  Sigh. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

  Feel free to take the buggy home. As in, leave at your leisure, but leave.

  Well, come on, she had to leave. She was someone’s mother, for heaven’s sake. And she was at the ranch for her family reunion, not to luxuriate in her fake fiancé’s bed all day. Even if she’d been invited to do that, which clearly she hadn’t. He needed her gone when he returned and she knew it.

  Ain’t that romantic, she thought, lying down and pulling the covers up to her chin. He’d been honest from the start, though. He’d told her who he was. She’d let herself get caught up in the fantasy.

  But last night had been so real—nothing about their wonderful evening had been fake. Their chemistry during dinner, their fun during the movie, the kiss that had led to much, much more. All very real, very honest emotions on both sides. She’d had an entire talk with herself about how things would likely be in the morning, hadn’t she? She’d known this would happen, that Axel would not be beside her when she woke, feeding her red grapes.

  Get up and go, she told herself. Your life is elsewhere.

  A half hour later, showered and dressed, she went downstairs and into the kitchen to find the room spotless, even though they’d left it a complete mess last night. Axel had either gone down in the middle of the night or taken care of the kitchen before leaving this morning. The coffee maker was on and had at least two cups in it. She poured herself one and added cream and sugar, the hot brew helping.

  She sighed for the fiftieth time and let Dude out and watched him sniff the grass and roll around in the sunshine. Back inside, she refilled his water bowl, though she was sure Axel had done that, then she gave him a pat before grabbing her purse and the key to the buggy, which he’d left on the counter next to the coffeepot with a big note: Key to the buggy—leave it in the console. A.

  The man thought of everything—unfortunately. Because it meant he hadn’t been there when she’d woken up for a reason. He hadn’t wanted to be. Too much? Too intimate? Too much to say without being able to say anything because it was awkward?

  She got in the buggy and drove to the big barn, parking on the side where he’d see it easily from any direction. She left the key, then got out and walked around the back of the barn where the horse stables were at the far end. Looking at the beautiful horses would cheer her up, get her ready to face the day and the truth.

  “So have things evolved?” Sadie heard Daisy Dawson say from inside the barn.

  “Evolved?” came Axel’s voice.

  Sadie stopped dead in her tracks and held her breath, flattening herself against the outside of the barn.

  “With Sadie,” Daisy said. “There’s no way you’re spending so much time together and nothing is happening. I see how you two look at each other!”

  “Daisy, I keep telling you, I’m not in the market for anything right now. Can’t you torment Rex or Zeke or Ford? They’re the brothers you should be focused on—at least I’m here.”

  Torment? This line of questioning was torment? Asking about his feelings for her?

  “Here but not here!” Daisy said, and Sadie wanted to clap like Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez had at the Oscars during Patricia Arquette’s feminist acceptance speech.

  Silence. Sadie could envision Axel throwing up his hands.

  “You’re so infuriating!” Daisy said. “Why do you keep saying you’re not ready for a real relationship? What does that even mean?”

  “It’s very clear, Daisy. Not ready. A wife, a child. I’m not ready.”

  “Not willing is more like it, supposedly older and wiser brother. If this is about coming from a broken home and having a negligent father, keep in mind that both Noah and I took to marriage and parenthood with flying colors and we all had the same dad. You determine who you want to be, not your past.”

  “I have work to do, Daisy,” Axel said, his voice tinged with impatience.

  Silence, and then, “Well, fine. Let the best thing that ever happened to you get away!”

  Aw, that was kind of Daisy. Sadie wanted to rush in and hug her.

  “Daize, I appreciate that you care. I really do. But this is my life, okay? Back off.”

  “You think this kind of love happens all the time, Axel? You should grab it and never let it go.”

  “Who said anything about love?” Axel said.

  Sadie inwardly gasped, her heart clenching, and she staggered backward a bit. The pain in her chest almost knocked her to her knees.

  Her “pep” talk in his cabin of you-knew-what-you-were-getting-into had clearly been rationalizing. Because hearing it like this—straight out after they’d slept together—was worse than she could have imagined.

  Tears streaming down her cheeks, she ran to the stand of trees at the other side of the barn. She made sure no one was around and then wiped under her eyes and sucked in a breath and started walking.

  She was surprised she could move at all with her heart breaking into pieces with each step.

  She heard a gasp and turned and standing there staring at her was Daisy Dawson in her green Dawson Family Guest Ranch polo and a straw hat.

  Oh no. Daisy walked up to her, peering at her as if trying to tell if Sadie had overheard that little conversation.

  The red-rimmed eyes must have given that away.

  “Sadie? Were you by any chance just over by the barn?”

  Sadie nodded and felt her eyes well up again.

  Daisy slung an arm around her shoulder. “I have the best chocolate-hazelnut coffee at my house. Want a cup or thre
e?”

  Sadie bit her lip. She turned around, curious if Axel had come out of the barn. Not that he’d necessarily know she’d overheard and that Daisy knew it; he could easily think they’d just happened to cross paths.

  But he didn’t come out of the barn. He was likely stewing.

  Daisy was nice to offer to sit and talk with her, commiserate, tell Sadie her brother was a big fool, but Sadie had a feeling she’d feel worse. “I would love a cup, Daisy, but I’d better get back to the cabin. I miss Danny.”

  Daisy’s blue eyes were sympathetic. “I know just what you mean. If I’m feeling bad, sometimes all I have to do is set eyes on Tony and the world rights itself.”

  Sadie smiled. “Exactly.”

  “I’m sorry you overheard that. Axel is...frustrating. But I’ll bet he comes around.”

  Sadie wasn’t sure what to say to that. She didn’t want to wait and hope a man “came around.” She wanted to be worth loving, plain and simple. And if Axel couldn’t handle real emotions, real love, well, then he wasn’t the man for her, was he?

  Tough talk when she felt like she might crumble any second.

  Ping.

  A text from Axel: Can we talk?

  Wow. The It’s Not You It’s Me conversation about to happen and so fast. Axel wanted to wipe his hands of what had happened last night, get them back on their “friendly” track.

  Sadie held up her phone and showed Daisy, who smiled. “See, he’s coming around already. I know my brother, Sadie. Don’t give up on him.” Daisy squeezed her hand and then headed toward the lodge.

  I don’t want to, Sadie thought. But I know what I know. Still, better to get this over with. There wasn’t a lot of truth going around this week, so when a big bolt of it popped out, it could really knock someone upside the head.

  Sadie texted back: Meet by the creek at the big rock? Now-ish?

  See you in five.

  She had no doubt what he was going to say. He was so sorry about last night, he shouldn’t have let it happen, and in the light of day, he realized that he was still the same Axel he’d been the night of the bonfire, when he’d told her what marriage meant to him.