Snowbound (3 page)

Had he kissed a woman since hed been hurt?

How silly. He probably had a girlfriend, or even a wife who happened to be away right now. She doubted he had looked at her with desireeven momentarily.

He was being as polite as he was able, and she would have to do her very best to be sure they werent any more trouble than they had to be. It was absurd for her to wish that the unsmiling lodgekeeper would look at her with just a little more warmth.

Still, she held on to the image of his face until exhaustion overcame her.

F
IONA AWAKENED
to the sound of a squeal, then hushed giggles. Huh? She opened her eyes and stared at a strange, pitched ceiling. For a moment she felt completely blank. Then it came back to her.

Snowstorm, hellish drive, the lurch as the van dropped off the road, the tramp through knee-deep snow in the dark.

She had sleptShe turned her head and found an old-fashioned clock on the nightstand. Twelve hours? Was it possible?

Galvanized, she jackknifed to a sitting position. Her
students! And here shed gone to sleep vowing to keep them out of their hosts hair.

No slippers, but shed left her borrowed wool socks on. Fiona paused to peer in the mirror and shuddered. Shed scare the kids.

No choice. She needed the bathroom, and
now.

Raucous laughter came from one of the girls rooms followed by someone shushing.

Hey, she said, flapping a hand as she went by.

The bathtub is so-o amazing, Tabitha called after her. Mr. Fallon said it was okay to use as much hot water as we wanted.

The idea of sinking into a deep tub of hot water was irresistible. On the other hand, putting on dirty clothes when she got out was less appealing.

Water splashed the floor in the bathroom and toothbrushes, hairbrushes and makeup were scattered over the counter. Dirty clothes were heaped in a corner. Fiona gazed at the pile wide-eyed. Had John Fallon come up with
more
clothes?

Then she spotted the neat pile of folded laundry on the slatted shelving unit beside the towels. As if in a dream, she investigated. There were her jeans and yesterdays socks, neatly rolled. Hed washed and dried their clothes last night.

Im going to marry him, she said out loud.

If he had a clean shirt she could borrow, she could leave off her panties and handwash them. She could have that bath.

Realizing she hadnt looked outside yet, she went to the window. Beyond the eaves, snow still fell and
the world beyond was completely white. What if they had slid into a ditch last night, instead of making it safely here?

She shivered and turned quickly back to the bathroom.

Fiona brushed her tangled hair and went out, stopping once again in the door to the girls bedroom. This time she saw that Hopper sat on the floor with his legs outstretched and Amy, Tabitha and Kelli lounged on the beds.

Wheres everyone else?

Kelli shrugged. Still asleep, I guess.

I see its still snowing.

Its really pretty outside.

Have you had breakfast?

Uh-huh. Theres a toaster, and this really great bread, and muffins, and when he saw we were up, Mr. Fallon scrambled some eggs. And then he gave us the laundry.

I couldnt believe it when I saw hed washed our clothes. Its like

The shoemaker and the elves. Tabitha nodded. The bread tasted like it was right out of the oven. Do you think he slept at all?

I dont know. Fiona scrutinized them. He loaned you some more clothes.

They are
so
too big. Amy gazed down at herself with comical dismay. Actually the flannel shirt she wore draped becomingly, giving her a waifish look but for the swell of breasts.

Im going to go borrow something, too, Fiona declared. And then take a bath. Dont let Willow or Erin beat me to it if they appear.

We wont.

Shed barely reached the first floor when John Fallon materialized in front of her.

Oh! You scared me. I didnt see you.

I was adding wood to the fire.

Their host was even better looking in the light of day. Hed shaved and wore a heavy, cream-colored, Irish knit sweater over jeans. His dark hair, brushed back from his face, was just long enough to curl over the collar of the sweater.

Thank you for washing our clothes.

He nodded. I set some more out in the kitchen, if you want to borrow something. Once everyones up, Ill run another load.

Are we leaving you anything to wear?

Enough.

Was he always so closemouthed, or was it just Fiona who brought it out in him? Werent innkeepers supposed to brim with
bonhomie?

UmI think Ill go pick something out. She started toward the kitchen.

He followed. Breakfast?

Im going to take a bath first, before the kids use up all the hot water.

The lodge has several water heaters. Its not good for business to make guests take cold baths.

No, I suppose not. I should warn you, though, that unless theyre reined in, my group may challenge your capacity. Have you ever had a lodgeful of teenagers before?

He seemed to shake himself. Or had he shuddered?

Yes.

They shower a lot. Theyre awfully conscious of how they look. And smell.

I remember.

She sniffed. Did you bake that bread fresh this morning?

Figured wed need it.

Did you ever go to bed?

His big shoulders moved. I get up early.

She opened her mouth.

No more thanks. Was that a trace of humor in his eyes? Or was she imagining it?

Like the living area with its enormous, river-rock fireplace, the kitchen was vast, the cabinets rustic, the floor slate. There was plenty of room in the middle for a table that would seat at least twenty.

Almost at random, she chose a red plaid flannel shirt from the neat piles on the table. If youll excuse me?

He stepped aside.

Clutching the shirt, she hurried upstairs. Ugh. Nothing like letting a man youd barely met see you first thing in the morning.

Willow had joined the others, and called after her, I want a bath, too!

I had dibs on it.

She locked the door and started water cascading into the tub before she noticed a cut-glass bowl of bath beads on an antique wood commode situated perfectly to hold a glass of wine, say, or candles.

The tub was definitely big enough for two.

She dropped a white bead in, and soon the scent of gardenias filled the steamy air.

She ached as if shed competed in a triathalon yesterday. Sinking into the hot water was heavenly. The foot of the tub was slanted, and she barely held her chin above water. She actually floated, and gave a moan of pleasure. Someday, she, too, would have a bathtub like this.

If the water hadnt cooled, she might never have been able to make herself get out. That, and the realization that her stomach was rumbling. Shed barely had a bite or two last night, and the hamburger shed eaten at three-thirty or so yesterday afternoon seemed like an awfully long time ago.

Her bra would do for another day or two, but she added her panties to the pile in the corner and slipped on the jeans. She would offer to do the wash; somehow, the idea of the handsome, scarred stranger downstairs plucking her dirty panties from the pile and dropping them in the machine was too much for her.

The flannel shirt, well-worn, hung to midthigh and she had to roll the sleeves four or five times. Fiona dried and brushed her hair, leaving it loose around her face, then hung her towel on a rack and left the bathroom.

The sound of running water came from behind the closed door to the boys bathroom. Someone else was up, then.

When Fiona stopped in the door to the girls bedroom, Willow jumped up. My turn.

Erin had appeared now as well, and she shrugged. I have to go get something clean to put on first anyway.

As usual, she looked exquisite this morning, her black hair glossy in a plait, her skin smooth. Fiona had
never seen her break out in acne, sweat or even frown. The only adopted child of a cardiac surgeon father and a mother who designed exquisite linens that sold at high-end department stores, Erin was invariably composed and quiet. She was a straight-A student and the star of the Knowledge Champs and Hi-Q teams, but no more than a ripple on her brow would show when she made a mistake or was outmatched. Fiona often wondered if she was anywhere near as serene as she appeared, or whether she suffered from the pressure of having to live up to such high-achieving parents.

Fiona made a face. Big assumption on her part. Maybe Erins parents were easygoing despite their career successes. Fiona had only met them once.

Sleep well? she asked, as they went downstairs.

Erin nodded. Except Willow kept talking in her sleep.

Could you understand what she was saying?

Once in a while. But it didnt really make sense. Like once she said, Why did you fall down? And when I asked what she was talking about, she said, You fell over that blue thing.

Fiona laughed. That sounds pretty normal. Dreams hardly ever make sense.

I guess thats true. At the foot of the stairs, she looked shyly at Fiona. Do you ever have ones where you can fly?

Not fly, but bounce. And stay up for a long time. Do you actually soar?

Uh-huh. Everythings tiny below.

Somehow that seemed rather aptly to symbolize Erin, who often kept herself apart from her peers. Fiona
didnt remember, for example, ever seeing her with a boy.

Does the dream worry you? she asked carefully, as they entered the kitchen.

No. Her voice was very soft. Except Im scared of heights. So it seems weird.

Yes. It did.

You okay rooming with Willow?

Sure. Are these the clothes we can borrow? Far and away the most petite of the girls, she lifted garments until she found a turtleneck that was clearly a womans. More from the lost and found, Fiona surmised.

Unless it belonged to John Fallons currently absent wife.

Come and get some breakfast after youve had your bath.

Erin nodded and left Fiona alone in the kitchen. She sliced bread and popped two pieces in the toaster, then gazed at the small paned window beyond which she saw nothing but floating white flakes.

Can I get you some eggs?

Fiona jumped, turning. You should clear your throat when you come into a room.

He lifted his brows. Like a butler? Ahem, maam?

She laughed at him. Exactly.

I feel like a butler some of the time. Invisible. He looked surprised at his own admission.

You own the lodge, Fiona protested.

But guests feel as if theyre paying for me to wait on them. Which puts me in the servant class.

Really? Do they talk as if you arent there?

Not everyone. But some do.

She studied him. You dont sound as if youre used to it. Which means you havent been doing this long.

Im learning on the job. His expression, never forthcoming, closed completely. Your toast has popped up. And you didnt tell me whether you want eggs.

If you mean it, Id love some. Scrambled, she added.

He nodded and got supplies from the enormous refrigerator while she buttered the slices of toast and slathered on jam that looked andwhen she took a bitetasted homemade.

In only moments, it seemed, John set the plate of eggs on the table in front of her.

Will you sit down with me? she asked. I suppose youve long since eaten.

I wouldnt mind a cup of coffee. You? Im sorry, I should have asked sooner. I didnt know whether the kids should be drinking it, so I didnt offer any.

Id love some.

She began eating hungrily while he poured coffee and sat at one end of the long table with her, pushing a mug toward her. Im starved, she admitted, between bites.

Stressful day yesterday.

You can say that again.

This Knowledge Champs. Did your students win?

We actually have two teams. The A team did pretty well. They won one round and tied another. The B team got creamed. Partly because Amy and Hopper were too busy flirting to pay attention.

Ah. His mouth relaxed into something approach
ing a smile. Amy being the one constantly fiddling with her hair.

I swear, Im going to make her put it in a ponytail before the next competition.

Fiona finished her toast and considered the muffins.

Applesauce or blueberry.

You made them yourself?

Yes.

How like him. A succinct answer, no desire to expand the way most people would, admitting that theyd always liked to cook or hadnt liked to cook but found they were good at it, no,
The recipe is my mothers.

So, how to learn something about him?
Are you married?
seemed too bald.

Do you have kids? she asked.

No.

Argh.

Me, either, she said. Someday.

He nodded, although whether concurring or simply acknowledging what shed said, Fiona couldnt guess.

Do you usually have guests year-round?

Generally just weekends in the winter.

Dont you get lonely?

Again she thought she saw amusement, as much in a momentary narrowing of his eyes as on his mouth. Did he know perfectly well what she was getting at?

No. After a moment, he added, I prefer the solitude.

Fiona hid her face behind the mug and took a sip of coffee. Then Im doubly sorry, she said, setting it down, that weve had to impose ourselves on you. She tilted her head. I hear some of the kids coming right now.

He rose, lines appearing between his brows. I shouldnt have said that.

She looked at him. Is it the truth?

Very stiffly, he said, I served in Iraq. When I got back

Behind him, Dieter and Troy wrestled to determine who would get through the doorway first. Food, Dieter moaned. Let me at the food.

When she looked again at John Fallon, it was to see that he had once again wiped his face clean of expression. Whatever hed been going to sayand, from what shed read about the problems of returning veterans, she could guesswould remain unspoken unless she wrenched it out of him.

Darn it, did the boys
have
to show up, just when the conversation was getting interesting?