Autumn Bliss (7 page)

Good news for Anna, they’d probably sleep like rocks. He doubted he’d be so lucky.

He eyed the crock pot on the counter with its little red indicator light, then took a moment to scan his gaze over the conjoined kitchen and living room. Mallory hadn’t done much unpacking, even though each night he’d noticed the glow of her lights shining between the trees well after midnight.

He’d been having trouble sleeping again, but seeing the stacked boxes next to the mattress still leaning against the wall, he’d bet
she
was working on the festival.

Beyond the design of the booth that Eric was building a prototype of so they could start the rest on Wednesday, she hadn’t asked him to do anything. Maybe he should remind her that Mark had instructed him to help her. The thought of spending more time with her zinged his pulse.

On his way across the living room toward the bathroom, he noticed a small, clear bowl on her otherwise empty coffee table. She’d said she kept a personal goodwill jar at home, and the pieces of paper nesting inside reminded him of the surprise he’d found when he’d opened up the white pastry bag on the way to the barn with the kids earlier.

She’d slipped one of those sayings in with his dessert bar. It wasn’t hand written like the ones the older couple added the other day, and there was a name attributed to the quote that made him guess it was one Mallory had put into the jar herself. Maybe to supplement for when more people took than contributed?

Either way, when he’d read the words, they reminded him so much of her, she could’ve written them herself.

The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions—the little soon-forgotten charities of a kiss, a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment. ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Yep, that fit her to a T. The uninhibited generosity of her heartfelt smiles and kind words spread happiness and warmed cold hearts. She was exactly the kind of woman he could appreciate coming home to each night.

Whoa—what?

Levi stopped as if he’d run into a brick wall.

Where had
that
come from? Physical attraction was one thing, but the image of her waiting in his kitchen with a smile of welcome was something altogether different.

The racing of his pulse threatened to close off his airway. He sucked in a deep breath and desperately seized the most rational explanation for that irrational thought—it was the food.

He was hungry, and the mouth-watering smell of her damn home-cooked dinner was going to his head. That made perfect sense. Certainly a hell of a lot more reasonable than him thinking about some sort of permanent relationship with her that involved a home.

Time to get the job done and get the hell out.

Chapter 7

Mallory glanced at the clock near the door to see it was a little after six p.m. Probably safe to go home now.

The thought annoyed her as she gathered her things and headed out to her car, even though her rational brain agreed with the reasoning.

Discovering Levi wasn’t married or in a relationship with the mother of those adorable kids had left her a little too elated. Not to mention he’d actually talked to her, then looked back and wished her a good day. That was major progress.

All that had been missing was a smile—which she was sure would happen soon. By two o’clock, she’d hurried through the closing procedures and gathered her things to head back to the cabin while he was there working on the shower.

But the anticipatory uptick of her pulse had made her pause. Then her mother’s voice whispered in her head.

“Don’t get stuck here like me, or you’ll regret it until the day you die.”

The echo of that bitter warning brought the realization she was in a dangerous place where Levi was concerned. If she truly wanted out of this town, developing feelings for the man was not a smart move. Falling for him would put her right back on the same path her mother had walked.

Would she be able to hold back the negativity if that happened? Or would she end up in the same rut as her mother and never escape?

Leery of the answer to both questions, she’d decided not to rush home like a teenager with a crush, and remained at the lodge to work in an empty conference room for the rest of the afternoon. The less time she spent near the man, the better.

As the second hand ticked around the clock once more, she was positive Levi must be done and gone. She’d be safe all right. Free and clear to eat her dinner all alone before working until she fell asleep at her computer again. Fun.

Outside, she opened her car door and slung her laptop bag into the passenger seat as she got in. When she turned the key in the ignition, she heard nothing but a series of clicks.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Another try yielded the same results, and she thumped the heel of her hand on the steering wheel as frustration mounted. “Damn stupid thing.”

She pulled her bag out and began the walk around the lake. The sun had set, and the October breeze skimming across the water went right through her burgundy knit sweater, making her shiver. The days had been nice, but the nights were definitely reminding her winter was just around the corner.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Duke and Daisy appeared, and kept her company until she reached the end of the paved lane. Then Daisy nudged her hand, and turned back to the lodge.

Mallory spun to walk backward for a few steps. “Thanks for the company.”

Swinging back around, she hitched the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder and hurried along the dirt track that led to the last two cabins. As she rubbed her arms for warmth, her thoughts returned to the question of what could be wrong with her car now? The last repair bill had eaten up most of what was left of her savings, so hopefully this new issue was something minor.

Yeah, right
. Since when was whatever kept a car from starting something minor? In her experience—
never
.

Her earlier good mood from the morning was long gone, and right about now, she didn’t have the energy to summon it back. In the encroaching darkness, she kept her eyes focused on the permanent twin tracks in the dirt. Tracks most likely kept worn by Levi’s truck tires, but now covered by fallen leaves.

She glanced up toward his place, but paused when she noticed lights shining from her cabin’s windows. On her way down the rough driveway, she made out the dark silhouette of a truck parked outside the small side porch.

He’s still working?

Despite all the admonishments her brain had issued through the afternoon hours, her heart rate picked up at the thought of seeing him again. Suddenly, her steps felt ten times lighter.

Once through the door, she hummed with relief when the warm air inside hit her face. Her stomach rumbled as she inhaled the memory-inducing aroma of the dinner simmering in her slow cooker. Nothing better than Grandma’s meatloaf on a cold night.

She slung her bag over the back of the couch, purse on the counter, then strode toward the banging noises coming from the bathroom and called, “Hello.”

Levi’s dark head jerked around with her halt in the doorway. He stood in the tub, arms over his head as he worked some sort of wrench on a pipe sticking out of the wall.

For a brief moment, he looked like a cornered animal, his expression reminding her of that morning in the back of the coffee shop.

She blinked—or he did—and it was gone.

“Hi,” he replied.

Telling herself she’d imagined the flash of panic in his eyes, Mallory leaned a shoulder against the doorframe as he returned his attention to the wall.

“You’re here later than I expected,” she commented.

“Sorry. Late start.”

“It’s okay.” She looked around at the tools and plumbing parts strewn across the floor, toilet seat and sink counter. “You need any help?”

He shook his head and made a negative sound while twisting the wrench. The effort he put into the movement bunched his biceps, and his shoulder muscles strained against the fabric of his tan T-shirt. Untucked, the hem of his shirt threatened to rise above the low-riding waistband of his jeans.

“Trust me,” his voice cut the silence a moment later. “There is nothing remotely interesting about this that you would want to stand there and watch.”

She begged to differ.

Still, heat rose in her cheeks at having been caught staring—and about ready to drool. Then she realized his gaze was still focused on the wrench, so she ignored the embarrassment and teased, “Maybe I’ve always secretly wanted to be a plumber.”

This time, the way he shook his head at the wall made her wonder if he was fighting a smile.
Come on, look at me
. She wanted to see it finally break free.

“How long before you’re done with this?” she asked.

“An hour or so.”

“Oh.”

“Anna was late, so I just started a half-hour ago.” He lowered his left arm and twisted toward her. “Do you want me to come back a different day?”

“No. I…no, it’s fine.”

“You’re sure?”

She nodded. “Definitely. I’m just going to go get some of my own work done.”

He turned back to the pipes; she turned to leave.

Just as quick, she swung back. “Did you eat yet? Do you like meatloaf?”

“No.” He cast a glance over his shoulder. “To the first question. Yes, to the second. But you don’t—”

“Give me ten minutes to get everything on the table.”

She spun back around before he could finish his protest and went to the kitchen to mash the potatoes and open a can of green beans. Yeah, she was well aware she was going against everything she’d decided earlier, but it was so much easier to resist the lure of him when he wasn’t standing in front of her, tempting her senses in every way imaginable.

Was it really so bad to get him to sit down so she could learn a bit more about him? One meal and a little conversation didn’t mean she had to marry the guy and live in Pulaski for ever after. Friendship was just as viable an option.

Footsteps on the wood floor warned her a moment before his deep voice asked, “Can I help?”

One glance at his handsome, stubble-covered jaw and she knew she was deluding herself with the friendship excuse. She turned back to bang the excess potatoes from the hand masher while willing her heart rate to settle down.

“You can set the table. Plates are to the right of the stove. Silverware is in the drawer left of the sink.”

He moved over to the cupboard. “Smells really good.”

“Thanks.”

Mallory carried the food to the table as he finished setting the dishes out, then poured them each a glass of milk. They sat kitty-corner from each other, and she laid her napkin on her lap before gesturing to the steaming food. “Help yourself.”

He reached for the knife and fork to cut the meatloaf, then held up the slice to serve her first. Another one of those little things she’d noticed about him—he was a gentleman to the core. Like how he’d come out to help instead of waiting for her to call him when everything was ready. And how he’d helped her with her boxes the other night without being asked, and handed her the seatbelt the day he gave her a ride.

Insignificant gestures to some, but she recognized and appreciated the little things. After her previous relationship, they were big things to her.

He was a very quiet man, and had a tendency to leave abruptly, but she was beginning to suspect it was more of a coping mechanism than rudeness.

She speared a couple green beans on her fork and watched from the corner of her eye as he took his first bite.

“Oh, wow,” he murmured. “Tastes even better than it smells.”

Inordinately pleased at the compliment, she swallowed her food and admitted, “It’s my grandmother’s recipe. She was an amazing cook.”

“Was?”

“She passed away a while ago.” She couldn’t help a wistful smile. “I still miss her.”

He nodded, ate another bite, then said quietly, “Grandparents are special. We lost my grandpa on my dad’s side a couple years back.”

“Were you close?”

“Yeah, though I didn’t see him much those last few years.”

“Were you stationed somewhere, or deployed?”

As if a switch had been flipped, tension crackled in the air. He stared at his plate, his entire body rigid. This time there was no mistaking the cornered animal look on his face.

When he didn’t answer the question, she swallowed past the lump of dismay in her throat and reached for her milk. “Sorry…maybe I shouldn’t have assumed you’d been in the military.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw his shoulders move as his chest expanded with a deep breath and release.

“I was.”

And clearly didn’t want to talk about it. After taking a drink, she set her glass back down, thankful the tremor in her body did not transfer to her hand. “Do you have other grandparents still alive?”

She saw the movement of his eyes in her peripheral vision and felt his gaze. Her deliberate retreat eased the stress, and he took a drink before returning his attention to his plate.

“My mom’s parents live in Arizona, and my dad’s mom lives with my parents in Milwaukee.”

“That where you grew up?”

He nodded.

“Any brothers and sisters besides Anna?”

“No.”

“Are you younger, or older?”

“Older.”

Holding a forkful of mashed potatoes just above her plate, she cast him a glance. “Which puts you at…?”

“The receiving end of twenty questions, apparently.”

He deadpanned the statement, but when he met her gaze, her breath hitched as she waited for the unexpected spark of humor in his mossy-colored eyes to curve his lips. No such luck.

She
smiled, but didn’t apologize.

“Anna’s twenty-six,” he finally answered. “I’m twenty-nine.”

About what she’d guessed at their first meeting. A dozen more questions rushed forward. They whirled in her head as she ate her forkful of mashed potatoes.

How long had he worked at the lodge?

How many years had he been in the military? What branch?