Secretly Smitten (3 page)

Tess put the cookie back on the plate. She avoided Clare’s sympathetic glance and unbuttoned her too-tight jacket. She’d bought it for the shower with the intention of losing those fifteen pounds. What was it they said about good intentions?

“You’re beautiful, Tess. You just don’t see it,” Zoe said in a matter-of-fact tone. “And Ryan likes you. I can tell.”

If only Tess could believe it. “His wife was Miss Vermont. I’m hardly in that league.” She resisted reaching for the cookie again. “I’m just thinking that one time at the bookstore, Ryan mentioned that he needed to clean the attic. Evidently the Hutchins family left a ton of boxes up there. Maybe he’d like some help cleaning it out.”

“Perfect. It might just take you awhile to go through them,” Clare said, grinning.

“Don’t go getting any ideas. This is strictly research. I’m not interested in Ryan.”

“Whatever you say.” Clare stood up straight and stretched. “Looks like we’ve finished up here. And I need coffee. Anyone want to go with me?”

Zoe got up. “Not me. I spend enough of my life in the coffee shop. I want to go to Ryan’s ice cream store.”

“I’ll go with you, Zoe,” Tess said. When her mother lifted a brow, she added, “If Ryan is there, I can ask him about looking through the attic.”

She followed her sisters out of the house and told herself their grandmother would thank them in the end.

CHAPTER TWO

C
rème brûlée sundae coming up.” Ryan Stevenson smiled at Julia Bourne, who stood waiting with her fiancé, Zak Grant. Zak already had his banana split, complete with coconut and chocolate syrup. The late spring day was unseasonably warm and had brought in a lot of customers.

The bell over the door of the Wind Chill Creamery jingled, and Ryan straightened when he saw Tess Thomas coming in. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her blue eyes crinkled in a smile when he greeted her.

“The usual?” he asked, starting for the Almond Avalanche.

“With coconut topping,” she said. “But a small one. Zoe wants to try it too.” Her sister moved off to talk to Julia.

“Coming up.”

Tess moved closer to the display freezer and studied the flavors. “What are you doing working the counter today? I thought you’d be back in the office crunching numbers or over at the creamery supervising the cheese making. Isn’t today the big production day?”

“One of the employees here didn’t show up today. The cheese was nearly ready to ship to stores, and I needed a break.” He opened the freezer lid and began to scoop out the dark-chocolate ice cream loaded with almonds. “How about you? You’re usually at the bookstore on Saturdays.” Too late he realized he was revealing the fact that he knew her habits. She’d think he was a stalker.

“Natalie’s bridal shower was today,” she said, showing no sign of catching his slip.

“Oh yes, that’s right. Sophia went with my mother-in-law.”

“Right, she was playing with my cousin’s daughter, Mia.” Tess took the cone he handed her. “Um, listen, I have a favor to ask. Are those boxes that were there when you bought your house still in the attic?”

He began to scoop the ice cream for Zoe. “Yeah. I’ve been meaning to go through them, but it’s a mammoth job and I’ve been putting it off.” He grinned. “Are you needing donations for a garage sale?” He might even face that mountain of work if it would make Tess think more highly of him.

“No.” She took a lick of her cone and closed her eyes with a sigh. “This is the best ice cream in the world.” She opened her–eyes and looked at him again. “This is probably an odd request, but I’d like to find out more about the Hutchins family.–Especially David. I wondered if you’d mind letting me go through the attic. I’d even organize things for you and let you know what could be hauled to the dump and what could be donated.”

He handed the cone to Zoe and hoped his expression didn’t reveal his eagerness. “That sounds like an offer too good to refuse. I’ll be glad to help too.” When she blushed, he tempered his eagerness. “I mean, if you could use the help.”

“I don’t want to bother you.”

“No bother,” he assured her. “What’s with the interest in the Hutchins family?”

She glanced around to make sure no one was listening. Zoe had taken her cone and gone to an outside table with Zak and Julia, so the creamery was empty. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about this to anyone.”

He made a zipping motion along his mouth. “My lips are sealed.”

“David Hutchins was engaged to my grandmother. She says he died in Korea and his body was never found. But here’s the funny thing. Mia just found his dog tags down a hole in the attic.”

“That
is
odd. How did the dog tags get in the Garners’ attic?”

“That’s what we don’t know. I’d like to find a clue about where his family went. You bought the house from them?”

He shook his head. “It was bank owned and had been for ten years. The place was a mess when I moved in. Someone else had owned it for thirty years. I’m not even sure if all the junk up there belonged to them or the Hutchins family.”

Tess’s face fell. “I hadn’t thought of that. But surely there’s a clue somewhere up there.”

“You and your mysteries,” he said, smiling. When her brows rose, he pointed to the book poking out of her bag. “You’re always reading one.”

Her blush deepened. “While you tend to read biographies.” She bit her lip. “I mean, I’ve called you a dozen times when a book you’ve ordered has come in.”

His surge of elation deflated. Of course she would know his reading habits. It was her business to know what all her customers liked. “When do you want to start?”

“After church tomorrow?”

“Sounds good. I’ll be happy to pick you up for church. Then we could go straight to my house.”

“You’d have to take me home,” she reminded him.

“I don’t mind. I’ll even spring for pizza.”

Her dimple appeared. “I don’t expect you to entertain me. It’s enough that you’re letting me do this. I’ll just drive and follow you out to your house. I don’t want to be a bother.”

Easy. Don’t rush her.
“Whatever you like.”

“I’ll bring lunch as a thank-you for the access. Something easy like my spicy enchilada casserole.”

He grinned. He hated Mexican food, but he wasn’t about to tell her. He reminded himself to have lots of milk on hand so he could choke it down.

It was ridiculous to feel this nervous. It wasn’t a date. Tess was going to rummage in his attic, then leave. The aroma of chicken enchiladas wafted up her nose as she stood on the porch of the big old house and pressed the doorbell. She knew better than to moon after someone like Ryan. He was way out of her league.

The door opened, and she caught a glimpse of pale yellow walls and gleaming wood floors. Ryan was dressed in jeans and a Red Sox sweatshirt. Little Sophia hung on to his leg but peeked up at Tess with a shy smile.

“Come in,” Ryan said. He swung the door wide. “Here, let me take that.” He lifted the bag from her hands. “Smells good.”

Tess followed him into the expansive foyer. A flight of open stairs rose to the second floor. The ceilings were at least ten feet high. “Wow, your home is lovely.”

“I can’t claim any of the credit. Candace did it all.” He pointed down the hall. “This way to the kitchen. We can eat there rather than the dining room.”

Brown granite topped the cherry cabinets. The slate floors and polished fixtures proclaimed how much the kitchen remodel had cost. Tess eyed the big island. Making bread there would be a dream come true. She couldn’t resist touching the smooth surface of the stone. And it was spotless. She’d expected a messy house since he was a single dad. He’d already stacked plates and tableware on the table at the other end of the kitchen. It was a homey wood one that didn’t match the cabinets. She wanted to ask if he’d moved it in after Candace died, but the question didn’t seem appropriate.

“I baked bread, but I didn’t bring butter,” she said. “I assumed you’d have some famous creamery butter here.”

“You bet.” He got it out of the refrigerator.

She scooped up a generous helping of the enchiladas for him. Her serving was half the size of his, but she’d nibbled on M&M’s and nuts on the way over. She sliced the bread, then joined him and Sophia at the table. She wanted to believe his expression was anticipation as he eyed his plate, but it seemed more like dismay.

“Did I give you too much?” she asked.

His smile seemed forced. “I had a late breakfast, but I’m sure it will be delicious.” He forked a bit into his mouth and chewed. His face reddened. He swallowed, then grabbed for his glass of milk. “Hot,” he croaked.

“The peppers were a little spicy,” she agreed. “The hotter the better, though, don’t you think?”

“My dad hates hot stuff,” Sophia said. “I like it, though.” Her serving was already a third gone.

Ryan had dispatched half of his glass of milk, and his face had nearly resumed its normal color. “I don’t
hate
hot stuff,” he said. “I’m trying to build up tolerance to it on my tongue.”

“You don’t even eat pepper, Daddy,” Sophia said.

Tess bit her lip. “Try the bread,” she said. “I put some chili powder in it, but it’s not hot.”

The refrigerator clunked as ice cubes dropped into the tray. Ryan chewed on the bread, and though his eyes widened, he didn’t lunge for his milk. Tess laughed and began to relax. He might not kick her out after all.

CHAPTER THREE

D
ust motes danced in the air as Ryan stepped onto the attic floorboards. He hadn’t been up here since he and Candace first moved in eight years ago. Candace had refused to step foot in the attic after that first time. She said the place gave her the creeps.

It was a perfectly ordinary attic as far as he could tell. Wide floorboards, sloped ceilings, an assortment of boxes, trunks, and discarded furniture. The space was open all around, and a few dormer windows let in more light than the feeble bulb that hung from the middle of the room.

Tess stood under the light and surveyed the area. “All this stuff was here when you moved in?”

“Everything but the Christmas tree and decorations.” He pointed them out in the corner.

“Why would they leave so much behind?” She stepped closer to the wall and opened the drawer on a small desk. “Some of this is really nice. Lots of antiques. Maybe even worth some money.”