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She turned and sprinted into the living room, leaping onto the top of the coffee table. Gladys yelped and jumped up next to her, the pasta sauce forgotten.
The raccoon raced through the living room, jumping onto the fireplace hearth then into Luke’s chair then back to the floor, leaving bits of flour and cracker crumbs in its wake.
“Git,” Luke yelled, trying to shoo the animal out the door with the broom. He was nowhere near close enough to actually touch the raccoon with it, but either the motion must have startled it or the animal finally spotted the open door, because the raccoon gobbled the last bite of cracker then scampered to make its exit.
He stopped just inside the door and looked forlornly back toward the kitchen as if contemplating going back for the box of crackers.
“Go on now,” Luke ordered, and it turned and scurried off the porch, down the steps and across the driveway.
Luke set down the broom and leaned back against the messy counter, oblivious to the flour getting on his shirt. He let out a laugh as he peered over at Kaylee where she still stood on the coffee table. Gladys was pressed to the side of her leg, and Cooper had jumped up on the other side. “You know that critter jumped all the way up on the counter and then onto the fridge? That coffee table would be an easy leap for him.”
She laughed with him, but more out of nerves than humor. “I didn’t know what else to do. That thing was running right toward me.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “I’ve never seen a raccoon that close up before.”
“Hopefully, you never will again. He was really coming after you.” He was still chuckling as he crossed the room and held out his hand to help her down. But his laughter died as she put her hand in his and he must have felt their tremble. “Your hands are shaking.” He put his arm around her waist to assist her then pulled her into a hug. “Hey, it’s okay. He’s gone now.”
She pressed her cheek to his chest, hoping he couldn’t feel how hard her heart was still pounding. “He scared me half to death.”
He pulled her closer and spoke into her hair. “I was just kidding around about him coming after you. I don’t think he was chasing you as much as trying to find a way out.”
She let herself melt into his embrace, just for a moment then pulled away. “Sorry. You can probably tell I’m not very brave when it comes to wild animals.” She smoothed the wrinkles from the front of his shirt then took an awkward step back. She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Actually, I’m not very brave when it comes to anything.” Although she had braved a conversation with the town grouch earlierandfaced down a miniature horse, so her courage seemed to be growing.
“That’s not true. You followed me right into the house, even when you thought an axe-murderer might be inside.”
She shook her head. “Only because I was more afraid of being left alone on the porch.”
He furrowed his brow. “Seems to me, you’re brave in a lot of ways. You’ve taken on a career that involves putting yourself out there all the time for people to reject you and yet, you excel at it. And I think it took a heck of a lot of guts to drive halfway across the country to stay on a ranch with some dude you didn’t even know, just to make your writing better.”
“Some would claim those things take more of alackof intelligence and common sense than courage.”
“They’d be wrong.” Gladys stood next to him, still on the coffee table, and he stroked a hand down her neck. “And you’re not afraid of all animals. You do great with Gladys. And with my goofy mutt, too.”
She breathed out a soft laugh and reached out to scratch Cooper beneath his chin. “Neither of them are very scary.” She let out a shudder. “Not like that raccoon.”
Luke shook his head. “I wonder how the thing got in here.” He crossed to the front door and examined the knob. “The latch sometimes sticks. Or maybe we didn’t get it closed all the way when we left.”
“Wewerein a bit of a rush.”
He stepped onto the porch and peered around the ranch. “No sign of him now.” He grabbed the bag he’d left in the rocking chair and grinned as he held it up toward Kaylee. “I’m just thankful it didn’t grab our leftovers.”
She laughed, this time a real laugh. Her pulse had returned to a reasonable rate, even after racing like crazy when Luke had hugged her. But he still had a way of calming her down. His soothing voice and relaxed composure seemed to settle her, even after being pursued by a wily critter and hugged by a handsome cowboy.
She loved that he’d said he thought she was brave. Whether it was Sassy’s influence, or something she was truly finding in herself, she could feel just the smallest amount of courage starting to grow in her. She had shown bravery earlier tonight when she’d greeted and served the townsfolk their meals and when she’d followed Luke into the house to face the axe murderer. But the thing that was scaring her the most right now were the feelings she was having for the charming cowboy and how fast the time she was getting to spend with him was going.
She pushed down those fears as she peered around the kitchen and into the cabinets then pointed to the box of cereal on one of the higher shelves. “I’m thankful it didn’t nab your Lucky Charms.”
Luke chuckled. “That would have been a real catastrophe.”
Kaylee picked her way into the kitchen and took hold of the broom. “Come on. I’ll help you clean this place up.”
“You don’t have to. But I won’t turn down the help.” He set the bag on the counter. “You’ve got to be beat. This has been quite a day.”
“Yeah, but in a good way.” She swept the loose pasta and flour into a pile. “I had a lot of fun today. And especially tonight. That was a really neat event. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.”
“Thankyou. You were a huge help. And a total hit with the locals.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“I do,” Luke said, taking the leftovers from the bag then pulling out two copies of her books and setting them on the counter. “Janet Presley, the choir director, brought these into the kitchen tonight when you were out talking to Bear. She said these are her favorites and was wondering if you’d be willing to sign them.”
