Married For Jeremy (Under Fire Book 1) (2 page)

              “No, just a little. I hear there’s a lot of good trails around here, so I think I’d like to do more.”

              “Yeah. You’ll want to be careful, some of the trails around here aren’t well marked this time of year.”

              “Why not?”

              “The winter tends to damage a lot of the trail signs. They usually aren’t repaired until closer to tourist season.”

              “I see. Where do I find out where to go then?”

              James moved to the end of the counter. “Any of these maps will help. This one’s free, and has most of the trails in it.” He handed her the pamphlet.

              “Thanks.”

              “The Beaverdam trail is really nice, but there’s a fork in it, and you have to stay to the right. The left fork isn’t safe this time of year.”

              “Okay. Are there Beavers on the trail?”

              “Usually. There’s a couple of old dams near the south end, but the beavers are moving west a little at a time.”

              “I’d love to see a real beaver,” Ellen said. She looked up at him and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I was so nasty to you at the nursing home.”

              “It’s okay.” James shoved his hands into his pockets. “I shouldn’t have run into you. It had just, well, been a long day and I was tired and not paying attention.” He smiled. “My name is James, what’s yours?”

              “Ellen.”

              “Kinda an older fashioned name you don’t hear much anymore.”

              “Yes. You’re a firefighter, aren’t you?”

              “Yeah.”

              “That’s neat.” Ellen shifted her feet, not sure what else to say.

              “I guess. Um, do you want me to take you hiking some day?”

              “Why, are you like a guide too?” Ellen looked up at him in surprise.

              “No, but I know the area, and I can show you around a bit.”

              “Okay.”

              “Sunday morning work?”

              “Yeah, that could work. I’ll just go to mass on Saturday night.”

              “Oh, so you’re a church girl?”

              “As much as I can be, yeah.”              

              Ellen paid for the boots, then left the store, wondering what Katie would say if she found out they were going hiking together.

Chapter 2

              James arrived at the Beaverdam trail parking lot a little before Ellen did. He parked his truck and unbuckled his seatbelt. He’d offered to take her more as a courtesy, but thinking about it now, it was practically a blind date. Hopefully it would turn out all right and not embarrass them both.

              Ellen pulled into the parking lot and James stepped out of his truck to meet her. She was wearing jeans, hiking boots and a blue windbreaker. Her dark curly hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing dark sunglasses. “Hi,” she said with a smile.

              “Hey.”

              “So, do you think I’ll get to see a real beaver?” she asked.

              “It’s possible, though the beavers are moving further from the trail now. I think they’re scared of all the tourists. This time of year though, we might get lucky.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s a bit of a tough trail in spots. Are you up for that?”

              “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

              “Okay, let’s go then.” Leading the way, he headed for the trail head.

              “So, how long have you been in this area?” Ellen asked as they walked along.

              “All my life. What about you?”

              “I’ve been here a month or so. Couldn’t find work back home, so when a position came up here, I moved.”

              “Yeah, the area isn’t bad. I like how it’s not that populated.”

              “Why? Don’t you like being around people?” Ellen looked at him in surprise.

              “Not especially,” James said. “I don’t like the city at all, and honestly, I’d rather be out here in the wild then with a bunch of people.”

              “I guess,” Ellen agreed reluctantly.

              “I guess with your work, you have to like people,” James commented absently.

              “Yeah.” Ellen carefully stepped over a tree root. “I do enjoy my job. I’m finally starting to get to know the residents.”

              “Yeah, there are a lot of them. My grandma has been there for almost five years now, so I know pretty much everyone’s names at least.”

              “You come there a lot don’t you?” Ellen stopped and looked at him.

              “Yeah, I try to go every day.”

              “That’s very dedicated. A lot of the residents are so lonely because no one visits them.”

              “Yeah, well I do what I can.” James shoved his hands in his pockets. “Grandma raised me, so I figure I should at least try to take care of her in her old age.”

              “That’s good.” Ellen smiled.

              “Com’on this way,” James said when they reached a fork in the trail. “The other trail tends to be a real mess this time of year.”

              “Why is that?”

              “Parts of it tend to wash out when the snow melts.”

              “Oh, I see.” Ellen was impressed with his knowledge. He was comfortable in the woods.

              Other than hearing one tail slap, they didn’t see any beavers, but when they arrived back at the parking lot, James gave Ellen his best smile. “That was fun.”

              “It was. Thank you for taking me.”

              James shoved his hands in his pockets. “Do you want to do something with me again sometime?”

              Ellen smiled back. “I think I’d like that.”

              “Do you have plans for lunch?”

              “No.”

              “I don’t either, I was just going to go dig some leftovers out of the fridge, but if you want to come over, I could whip up some spaghetti or something?”

              “I like spaghetti,” Ellen said quietly.

              “Well, why don’t you follow me back to my house, it’s just up the road about five minutes.”

              “Okay.”

              Ellen got into her car and waited while James turned his truck around, then turned so she could follow him. He only made one turn off the main road before signalling at a driveway. Ellen parked behind his truck and got out, surveying the surroundings. “This is a nice place,” she mused as James walked back toward her.

              “Thank you. I like it a lot.”

              The log house was rustic, but looked spacious from the outside. A covered porch stretched from one side to the other and red Adirondack chairs sat on either side of the door. James led her up the stone pathway to the door and held it open for her.

              “Do you not lock your house?” Ellen asked, a little surprised.

              “Up here? Nope. There’s no need really.” James followed her inside. “It gets a little busy in the summer with all the tourists, but it’s not like anyone is going to rob me.” He hung up his coat, and put his foot up on a nearby bench to unlace his boot.

              Ellen knelt down to unlace her own boots. By the time she took them off, James had already ventured across the house to the kitchen.

              “Make yourself at home,” he told her. “I’ll see if I can come up with some food. Hiking makes me really hungry.”

              Ellen crossed the house to where James was rummaging in a cupboard. It was an open concept house. The living room was to the left of the entranceway, with a huge bay window overlooking the lake. The kitchen was beside the living room. Doors on the right side of the house suggested bedrooms.

              “Can I help you with something?”

              “If you can find some cheese in the fridge, you can grate it for the spaghetti,” James replied. He found a pot, and filled it with hot water from the tap. “It should be in the little drawer in the bottom.” James placed the pot on the stove.

              Ellen found a partial block of cheese, and James got her a plate, and cheese grater.

              “I’m obviously sorta a bachelor here, so I’m sorry it’s not neater,” James said.

              “It looks fine to me. This is a nice place.” There were a few unwashed dishes in the sink, and a few more clean dishes that had obviously been drying on the rack. Things were plain, but James didn’t seem like an untidy person.

              James leaned a hip against the counter, waiting for the water to boil. “Yeah, it was my grandparent’s place. Eventually just got to the point that Grandma needed more care then I could provide, so she had to move.” His eyes held a faraway look for a moment, and Ellen wondered what he was thinking, but didn’t ask.

              The water boiled, and James took out a package of spaghetti noodles. “It gets lonely here without her sometimes.”

              “At least she’s not far away.”

              “Yeah, that’s true.” James dumped the noodles into the boiling water, then sat down across from Ellen. “So, tell me more about you.”

              “Well aren’t you dressed up tonight.” Anna commented when James walked into her room, dressed in his fire department uniform.

              “I’m on my way to a meeting so I can’t stay long.” She was sitting in her chair, so sat on her walker. She kept threatening to give it away to someone who could use it, but James kept telling her to save it so he could use it one day. It had become a longstanding joke, so the walker had stayed.

              “Don’t you have a tie to go with that outfit too?”

              “I hope so.” James reached into his pocket and found his tie. He shoved it back into his pocket.

              “I wouldn’t do that, you’ll get it all wrinkled. What’s the meeting about?”

              “County stuff. The Chief asked me to come in case it goes to vote about the new communication system.”

              “I see. How was your weekend? I didn’t see you on Sunday.”

              “I went hiking with Ellen. She wanted to see some trails and I thought that since she was new to the area, I’d go with her to make sure she didn’t get lost.”

              “That’s really nice. Ellen is a very special girl.”

              “Yeah, I’m beginning to think so.”

              “Do be careful James,” Anna admonished. “A relationship of hearts is a very fragile thing and you’ll want to treat it gently.”

              “Don’t worry Grandma, it’s going to be a long time before anything really happens between us.”

              “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

              James glanced up at the clock on her wall. “I’ve gotta get going.” He stood up, then leaned down to kiss her cheek before heading out the door. Ellen was at the front desk and he smiled at her, but knew he didn’t have time to stop to talk to her. He hadn’t expected her to smile back, but she did and it made him feel warm inside.

              Ellen sighed.

              “See you do care.”

              She looked up to see Katie standing beside her.

              “I’m just tired, that’s all.”

              “Okay, but I don’t believe you,” Katie said, heading off to attend other tasks.

              Of course her co-worker had to be standing right there, Ellen thought as Katie left. It was unfortunate James looked so good in that uniform. It showed off his long legs and broad shoulders. He’d slipped his windbreaker on as he headed out the door and she couldn’t help but notice how muscular his arms were either. He was a curiosity, but she was interested in unlocking his secrets, no matter what Katie said. He’d been easy to talk to on Sunday, and his boyish charm made him easy to like. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

              Going to the nursing home after work became the highlight of James’s day. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy visiting his grandmother, but knowing Ellen might be around made the visit even sweeter. She was easy to talk to, and he’d started imagining what it would be like to have her around all the time. Parking in the visitor parking at the home, he stepped out of his truck and glanced at his reflection in the side window. Normally he drove straight from the store to the nursing home, but today he’d stopped at home to get changed into a shirt with buttons. It was about time he asked Ellen on another date.

Yesterday, he’d casually glanced at the staff schedule that was always posted in the hallway near the nurse’s station, which just happened to be next to his grandmother’s room. Ellen was working until eleven tonight, so she’d be sure to be here somewhere. Taking a deep breath, he headed for the door.

Ellen was having a quiet conversation with one of the other staff members and didn’t see James come in. He headed down the hall to Anna’s room. She wasn’t there, so he turned to head down to the end of the home where the entertainment rooms were. She was likely either working on whatever puzzle they had out, or playing cards.

“Hey.”

Ellen saw him first.

“Hi.” He stopped facing her. The other staff member was gone and she was alone in the hallway.

“You dressed for some kind of special occasion?” Ellen gestured his outfit.

“Nope, not really.” James smiled. “Are you having a good shift?”

“Yeah, mostly.” She shook her head. “Dementia is a horrible disease.”

James nodded. “Yeah. I hope to die before I lose my mind. Did something happen?”

“Yeah. It’s sorta confidential, but yeah, those of us who, well, never mind.” She looked up at him. “How was your day?”

“Good. Better now that I’m here talking to you.” He smiled when she blushed a little.

“Anna is down in the game room playing euchre.”

“I figured.”

Ellen started to walk past him, but he put his arm out and stopped her. “Hey wait, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay.”

“You busy tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Good, I was wondering if you wanted to go hiking again. It’s supposed to be a nice day.”

Ellen smiled. “I’d like that.”

“I have to work until noon, but I’m free after that.”

“Why don’t I meet you at the store?”

“Sure.” James grinned. “See you tomorrow.”

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but your Grandma is a card shark,” Ellen said the next day. They were sitting on a large rock, overlooking one of the beaver ponds and eating the picnic lunch that James had packed.

“Oh, I know,” James agreed. “If she didn’t think gambling was a sin, she’d be a rich woman.”

“She’s pretty serious about her faith,” Ellen commented, taking a bite of ham sandwich.

“Yeah. She always has been.”

“Do you believe the same way?”

James gave her a dark look. “Nope.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay, I just don’t like to talk about religion.” James picked up a slice of cucumber.

“She doesn’t seem to see it as a religion.”

“I know, she thinks it’s some kind of amazing relationship. I don’t try to understand it.”