At some point, Cam nodded off.
When he awoke, Lissa had tucked a blanket around him, but she wasn’t in the room. He stretched and yawned before making his way into the bathroom to use the facilities. When he hopped back, he noticed his water had been refilled while he’d slept and sat on the end table beside the bookmarked novel he’d been reading.
He inhaled. Something delicious-smelling was cooking over the ever-present fire. He lifted the lid to peek. Chicken broth. Maybe soup. While he wanted to investigate everything in her room and see what else she had, it felt too nosy and intrusive. Her place, though smaller than his bunker, had things that reflected her personality: bright colors, craft items, and stacksof books. He wouldn’t appreciate someone poking through his belongings, so he refrained and returned to the couch.
It was enough of a show of confidence that she’d left him alone in her home. A glance toward the corner revealed the shotgun was gone again—trusting but not foolhardy. An attitude he respected. He was a stranger. Her skepticism was probably why she was still alive.
Cam would love to hear her story. What had happened that she preferred to live a solitary life in the wilds of Nebraska, rather than evacuate to the East or join a group? Perhaps, like him, she’d always been a loner, or maybe she’d lost the people who’d mattered. He found himself interested in learning the answers.
If she changed her mind and wanted to rejoin society, a trained nurse practitioner and an attractive woman like her would have had no trouble finding a place. Maybe she’d be interested in coming to xTerra someday. Cam picked upBook Loversagain, intending to read, but was instead struck by what else was different.
Deep silence. Outside, the wind must have stopped.
Perhaps Lissa was somewhere outside inspecting for storm damage. The hush over the house gave nothing away, so he searched for clues. There also wasn’t much storage in her room, so she must store her food elsewhere. Somewhere cool, but where it wouldn’t freeze—like the basement. She hadn’t seemed concerned about feeding another person for a few weeks, so she must have more than what was here.
Her boots had disappeared from beside the exit, as had her heavy winter jacket. Not like he could search for her, not with his injury, so Cam sipped his water and returned his attention to the book. He was more than halfway through when noise interrupted his reading. Stomping feet from beyond the door.Lissa must be returning from outside. His heart sank. With the wind gone, she might ask him to leave.
She entered, her eyes swinging toward the couch immediately.
“The blizzard’s stopped.” Her cheeks were bright red from the cold, and wisps of hair framed her face under a rainbow-striped beanie. He hadn’t just stumbled upon a woman, but one who was breathtaking, a natural beauty. She set two medium-sized potatoes and two long carrots on the table. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
She closed the door but immediately returned with an armful of firewood. She stacked it in the corner near the fireplace and made several more trips to replenish her supply. His hands twitched. If he’d been fit, Cam would have taken over the chore. Not because she wasn’t capable—clearly, she was—but to be polite. It wasn’t easy to sit idly by while she worked. He willed himself to relax. She was used to doing everything for herself.
He’d have to think about how he could contribute, even from the couch.
After a fifth trip, Lissa shrugged off her jacket, kicked off her boots, and stripped off her hat and gloves. She dried the floor and put everything away, keeping her place neat.
“I hope grouse soup works for dinner.” Her voice had lost some of the nervous quality, and her face once more was expressionless. “If you’d like to stay.”
He smiled. “It sounds terrific. Thank you. I can peel the carrots and potatoes. Chop them. Just tell me what size chunks you want.”
“It’s okay.” She slid a cutting board from a cupboard in the corner.
“It’s the least I can do to repay your kindness.”
She flushed again, visible even with her cheeks rosy from cold and fresh air. She stared at the hardwood flooring.
“I’d prefer to be useful. I’ll go crazy doing nothing all day.”
She nodded. “Bite-size pieces.” She held up her fingers to show the size.
He hopped back to the table and sat. While he’d slept, she’d added a third chair so he could sit with his foot elevated. Maybe she didn’t mind his company and wouldn’t send him packing right after dinner. A man could hope. She placed the cutting board, a peeler, and a sharp knife in front of him. It only took Cam a few minutes to prepare the vegetables, then she whisked them away and dumped them into the pot.
“Did you shoot the grouse with your shotgun?” Cam said.
She nodded. “I don’t have much ammunition left. When I eat meat, I mostly eat rabbit from snares. Or fish.”
She was handy if she could make snares. Maybe she could teach him how. “You go to the meadow and stream by the fort to fish?”
“I love the pond and the stream. That’s where the best fishing is.” She pulled down a small jar of dried herbs and shook some into the soup. Then another.
“I was in your way,” he said. “By the water.”
“I was quiet and caught a few fish, too,” she said. “I just stayed upstream from where you were. I moved when I heard you coming.” Her sideways glance confirmed another glimmer of amusement.
“You must catch enough to make it worth the trip. I lost track of distance during the storm, but it must be a fair walk.”
She shrugged. “An hour each way. Though I’ve never caught anything like the huge trout you landed the other day.” She ducked her head, but not in time to hide the flush blooming on her fair complexion. “You’re handy with the slingshot, too.” She said the last almost defiantly, perhaps realizing she’d just admitted to watching him.
