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“I can do it for you.”
That makes me pause.
“Why would you offer to do that? I’m sure you’re exhausted and busy, and I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s not a problem,” he says with a shrug. “I’ll have my brother, Brady, help me, and we’ll have it done in less than an hour. We just did something similar, on a bigger scale, of course, out at the family ranch, so it’s in our wheelhouse right now.”
“Honestly, that would be an amazing help.” I smile up at him, relieved that he offered. “I’m swamped at the shop right now because we’re smack dab in the middle of both tourist and wedding season. So, if you have the time and the will to do it, I won’t say no. Just let me know how much to reimburse you.”
“Deal.” He bends down to pet Lily once more and then grins at me. “I’ll wait outside for you to lock up before I go.”
“Oh, you don’t have to wait for us. I’m sure it’s fine.”
His face hardens just a little. “I’ll wait,” he says again, more firm now, and that sends a little thrill down my spine. “You’re scared, Summer. There’s no need for you to be here alone for even a minute.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He nods and turns to leave, and I lock up behind him, then get Lily and myself situated in the car before pulling out of the garage.
True to his word, Chase is waiting in his squad car as I push the button to lower the garage door, and then I pull the car away from the house, and Chase eases onto the road behind me.
Yeah, Chase is a nice guy, with the looks to match and an amazing family. If I were looking for a relationship, which I’m not, he would be at the top of my possibility list.
“You like him, don’t you?” I ask Lily, who’s panting and watching her dark surroundings. She loves car rides, but today has been rough on her, and now we’re out late at night, and that’s way outside of her routine. “Don’t worry, we’re going to Aunt Paula’s house. You love it out there.”
I see that all the lights are on in Aunt Paula’s little house when I come to a stop in the driveway, and as I carry Lily up the walkway, the front door opens. Chase pulls in behind me, waves out his window, and then pulls out to head back to town.
“Oh, darling,” Aunt Paula says with a worried frown on her pretty face, “you two get in here. What a horrible experience, and so unlike Bitterroot Valley.”
“That’s what I said to Chase,” I reply as I follow her into the house.
“Chase was on duty?” she asks as she gets two mugs for tea out of her cabinet. Lily is off sniffing around the house, trying to find Baby, Aunt Paula’s old Siamese cat. “I’m glad. I sure do like him. And the two of you have been dancing around your feelings for years.”
I don’t acknowledge that last comment. What am I supposed to say? That I have a massive crush on the man but have been too scared to act on it? I’m not saying that out loud. “He was honestly great tonight, and he’s going to install the new security at my place tomorrow, with his brother Brady’s help.”
“A girl could do far worse than to have the Wild brothers helping her out,” Aunt Paula says with a wink. “I might be a little jealous. Maybe I should stage a break-in of my own.”
I chuckle and dip my tea bag in and out of the hot water.
“I think the police are busy enough as it is. Thanks for letting us crash here for a couple of days.”
We hear the sound of an angry hiss, and then Lily barks.
“Those two.” I shake my head. “Lily wants Baby to like her so bad.”
“Baby will come around,” Aunt Paula says. “It just takes him a little time.”
“It’s been almost a year since I rescued Lily.”
“Baby’s set in his ways.” She shrugs. “And, of course, you can come here whenever you need. If I had my way, you’d still be living here with me.”
“I’m not too far away,” I remind her. “Besides, you needed the space here for all your crafts and paintings. You’re an artist; you have to spread out.”
It’s the truth. My Aunt Paula isn’t just an amazing florist. She paints and sews, knits and embroiders, and she can make anything grow. Her little house is like a fairy cottage in the woods, with so many flowers and herbs and vegetables growing in every available piece of dirt. Not to mention the bread she bakes fresh every week, and all the projects she always has going.
She’s wonderful.
“I loved nothing more than spending my summers here,” I say with a happy sigh as I look around the space that looks so much like it did when I was a kid. “It’s always been my safe place, and I know it’s here when I need it. But I’m happy in town, too, Aunt Paula. I like being able to walk to work when the weather’s nice, and I have great neighbors.”
