The Comforts of Home (21 page)

When they both stood to help with cleanup before dessert, he whispered, “Next time wear a skirt.” The aunts and Claire’s mother were in the kitchen listening to Violet’s mother talk as they ate their pie. Gabe and Hank pul ed their wives into the living room to cuddle and watch a rerun of the Texas Tech game. Saralynn and Violet vanished into Saralynn’s room to play Chutes and Ladders.

Denver picked up Claire’s dessert and waited to see where she planned to light. Wherever she settled, he would be in the same room.

“Everyone seems busy,” she said, so calmly he was almost fooled into believing she hadn’t thought of him at al .

“Would you like to see my aunts’ new greenhouse?” He stared at her and smiled. Without drawing any attention, he fol owed her out the back door and along a walk to a smal glass greenhouse. The Matheson place already looked like a vil age with Claire’s mother’s pottery studio, a huge barn for horses, a tool shed big enough to work on more than one car at a time, and several other sheds and garages.

Fol owing Claire down a path to the new greenhouse, Denver noticed rows of flower beds ready for spring.

“They start growing from seeds about this time of year, but of course, the perennials that were clipped back in fal are now given light and ful attention. By the last of April they’l be beautiful and ready to set out.” She sounded cold as a tour guide, and Denver hated it.

If he weren’t carrying two slices of pie, he’d remind her that they were definitely not strangers.

When she opened the door he set the pie down on the first table as she searched for the light pul .

“Leave it dark,” he ordered as he pul ed her hard against him with one hand and locked the door with the other. He felt like he might die of hunger for her, and when their lips touched he knew she felt the same. He pressed her against him, loving the way she trembled at his touch and how her warm breath came in rapid gulps against his throat when he broke the kiss.

“Wish we were in a hotel room, darling. Even in the dark a glass house doesn’t feel safe.” He closed his hand over her hip and felt her straighten, pressing her breasts against his chest. “I need you so much, Claire,” he whispered.

He had half the buttons of her blouse undone when someone knocked on the door.

Claire jumped away and pul ed her blouse together.

“Mommy,” Saralynn said as she knocked again. “Are you in there? I want to show Violet the baby flowers.” Denver raked his hair back and picked up the pie.

When Claire pul ed on the light, she’d managed to button her blouse. She flipped the lock as he walked to the center of the room and downed two bites of pie.

When the girls came in he watched Claire. Her face was flushed, her lips were plump, and the buttons were mismatched with their holes, but he didn’t think the little girls noticed. They moved though the rows of tables.

“Don’t touch anything,” Claire said calmly. “And turn out the light after you’ve looked around.” She picked up her plate and walked out of the room.

In the darkness between the greenhouse and the back door, Denver held her pie as she rebuttoned her blouse.

“We have to meet someplace where we can be alone,” he whispered. “I’m about to die from the need for you, and don’t bother lying to me and saying you don’t feel the same.”

She nodded. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Dawn. Can you make it over tonight?”

She shook her head.

“When are you traveling again?” He wanted to touch her, but with a plate in each hand that was impossible.

“Not for another month.”

“I’l be back a few days next week. I’l let you know my schedule.” He always did when he was home, but she never came to his house.

They heard the girls moving slowly down the path. Since Saralynn had been told she only had to use one crutch, she’d doubled her speed. Denver moved on and Claire stayed to offer any help Saralynn might need.

When Denver reached the kitchen, he found Gabe waiting for him. “Alex said she’d take Liz home. It appears my sister-in-law wants to see the nursery. They didn’t seem to want us along.” Gabe glanced over at Claire, then back to Denver. “If you’re ready to leave I thought I’d catch a ride with you.”

“Sure.” Denver knew if he stayed any longer it would look odd. “Let me thank the aunts for the meal and I’l meet you at the car.” He wouldn’t have any more time with Claire.

They were lucky to get the time alone they’d had.

A few minutes later, when he climbed in beside Gabe, Denver didn’t have time to buckle up before Gabe said,

“How long are you going to let this thing with Claire go on?”

“What thing?” Denver played dumb even though he knew Gabe wouldn’t fal for it.

“You think I’m nuts,” Gabe mumbled. “Everyone knows how it is with you two. We see the way you look at her, and worse, the way she looks back. Aunt Pat even said one day that she thought you two were smitten.”

“Hel ,” Denver swore. “What do you suggest I do? And giving her up is not an option.”

Gabe shrugged. “Tel her you love her. Ask her to marry you? Take her to bed? I don’t know. Do what you have to do before you both explode with longing.”

“I’ve tried everything to get more time alone with her. I can’t even get her to go out to eat, much less drop by my house. I haven’t spent enough time talking to her to know how I feel about her or how she feels about me. Al I know is I’m addicted to her. I haven’t looked at another woman since I met her.” Denver figured he probably looked as miserable as he felt. He looked out into the night and added, “What do you suggest next?”

Gabe slowed the car in the middle of the road and looked at his best friend. “How about stop trying.” Denver shook his head. “I can’t give her up.”

“I didn’t say that.” Gabe grinned. “Maybe if you stop chasing her, she’l stop running.”

“That thought crossed my mind.” Denver let out a long, defeated breath. “How long has
everyone
known?” Gabe laughed. “Since the first night you went to dinner.

You both disappeared for a while and when you came back you looked like you’d been in a fight and she looked like she’d just stepped out of an open-air jet.”

“I don’t suppose the old aunts know too? I’l probably never be invited to the Matheson dinners again.” Gabe smiled. “They’re holding the bets on what wil happen, and to my shock everyone is in your corner. How do you think you just happened to get the chair by Claire tonight?”

“Does Claire know you al know?”

“No,” Gabe admitted. “We al decided you could tel her after the wedding. She’d be mad at the whole family if she thought we even suspected.”

“Why’d you tel me?” Denver wished he didn’t know.

“Because you saved my life a few times and I thought I’d return the favor. Stop chasing her, Lieutenant, and give her a chance to come to you.”

Denver stared out into the lonely night. The only sound he heard was a coyote’s howl. He might as wel give his best friend’s idea a try; otherwise it was only a matter of time before he stood on the nearest mound of dirt and howled at the moon.

WHEN HE FINISHED WORKING FOR THE NIGHT, TYLER Wright walked from his study to the kitchen wishing Kate had e-mailed a note. He left his coffee cup in the sink and made sure Little Lady had plenty of food and water, but his mind was ful of worry about his hazel-eyed friend Kate.

He knew her assignments could be anywhere in the world.

He didn’t like to think of her traveling alone, going to strange cities, working in places where the streets might not be safe.

As he reached to turn the kitchen light out, he noticed Autumn cuddled in the bay window where Wil amina always watched her soap operas. The old housekeeper must truly be gone for good; she’d taken her twelve-inch TV with her.

“Everything al right?” He half expected Autumn to say she was working too hard at this job and planned to quit.

He’d reminded her both Saturday and today that she could take either day off plus any one weekday except Monday.

At this rate Autumn would have her forty hours a week completed within four days.

The girl turned when he spoke and stared at him.

“Something the matter, Autumn?” he tried again.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you, Mr. Wright, I was just looking out at the night. It looks so calm, so peaceful. The whole town seems asleep.”

“Yes.” Tyler could think of no better answer.

“I have fun cooking here. I’ve already tried a few new recipes. This place isn’t like what I thought it would be. Al the staff are nice, and near as I can tel no ghosts wander the hal s. I guess I should say thanks for the job even if it wil only last a few weeks til your real housekeeper comes back.”

Tyler felt bad about lying to Autumn. “If she doesn’t return, would you be interested in the position for a longer term?”

“I think I would. I feel like Snow White. I’ve found the cottage hidden in the woods and no evil can find me here. I know it won’t last, but this is a good place to stop running for a while.”

Tyler had never spent much time with fairy tales. His parents weren’t prone to reading them, and he’d never had a niece or nephew to buy them for. “I’m glad you feel safe.

Good night, Autumn.”

“Good night, Mr. Wright, I’l see you at seven.” As he climbed the stairs with Little Lady as his side, he thought of how simple life would be if al you wanted was to be safe. Safety seems like such a little concern when you have it, but it’s al that matters when you don’t.

MARCH 5

POST OFFICE

RONELLE NOTICED THAT EVERY FRIDAY MR.

DONAVAN SPENT the morning at the front desk. When he wasn’t talking to customers he did what he cal ed his accounts. She’d watched him do it so many times she could have parroted every step. He always began with counting the change drawer and ended with getting al the stamps in order. No matter how many or how few people came in and interrupted him, he always finished before lunch and never left his post.

Ronel e knew she wouldn’t be disturbed in the back until Jerry came in around noon, so she always set her crossword puzzle aside and began what she cal ed seeding.

A year after she’d started work, she’d been looking for something to do to pass the time. At first reading the magazines and postcards had been enough, and then she began working some of the crosswords in magazines she knew wouldn’t be read . . . those going to the funeral home, for example. As time passed, she noticed things, she remembered things, and final y, she changed things.

For example, Mrs. Perry Lynn Davis at the nursing home always got a card from her sister in California the first week of the month. The sister, Miss Alice, also with a nursing home address, often said she’d never be able to visit, but she needed to know Perry Lynn was wel . So postcards passed back and forth each month between the two women in their nineties. When Ronel e read Miss Alice’s card saying she hadn’t heard from Perry Lynn for over a month and feared something might be wrong, Ronel e cal ed the nursing home in Harmony.

“I’m afraid,” the head nurse said kindly, “Mrs. Davis has mental y slipped away. Though she stil holds the cards to her chest, she’s no longer in the present enough to respond.”

Ronel e hung up the phone. Without the postcards, she had a feeling Miss Alice wasn’t long for this world. Ronel e saw only one logical answer.

She began writing Miss Alice. Each month Mrs. Davis got a postcard to cherish and Miss Alice got a printed card in what looked like her sister’s handwriting that said she was doing fine. They exchanged weather information and love. That seemed enough for both.