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Because it was my grandmother and I loved her, I couldn’t refuse her. Of course, I was also curious about Alice. More curious than I wanted to be.
A few minutes later, I walked through the trees as instructed. I could see the roof of the small house where I lived as I passed it. Another moment later, the trees opened up again, and there was another house. It was single-story structure ranch style home with a bright-red steel roof.
A tall stand of birch trees was nearby with yellow leaves fluttering in the crisp early autumn air. I approached the house, wondering whether to go to the front door or the door on the side. Since the path led directly to the side, I walked up the stairs onto the side deck and knocked.
An unfamiliar sense of anticipation slipped through me, and I forced myself to take a slow breath. I was accustomed to feeling numb to just about everything. Even as a hotshot firefighter, an adrenaline-fueled job, I rarely felt nervous.
With her naked dive off the dock, this woman had brought something to life inside me. It felt like I was lumbering to my feet emotionally after a long hibernation.
The door swung open, and Alice looked up at me. I didn’t know how long we stared at each other, but the entire moment felt electrified. She had silvery-gray eyes. They were wide with lush, dark lashes. Her dark hair, though damp and slicked back earlier, was drying in curls around her shoulders. A spray of freckles covered her cheeks, and her skin was flushed pink.
My body tightened. It felt as if sparks shimmered in the air around us.
“Hi,” she finally said.
I had to clear my throat. “Hey. Gram sent me over here. She wants to invite you to the reception.”
Alice blinked before a slow smile stretched across her face. “Of course. That’s the kind of thing Bea would do. She probably mentioned that my parents are gone, and I’m over here all alone.”
“Shedidsay that, almost exactly,” I offered.
“I’ll come over. Give me a minute.” Alice wore a tank top with a flannel shirt unbuttoned over it, paired with leggings. “I’ll be right back.”
My eyes lingered on the curve of her hips as she walked away.Fuck me. Alice gave off this earthy vibe and was delectably sexy.
A few moments later, we walked back along the same path that had brought me here. Alice had swapped out her flannel shirt for a silky blouse over her tank top and slipped on a pair of cowboy boots. The only way to quell my body’s fiery reaction to her was to avoid looking at her. I focused on the walk, dodging rocks and stepping over exposed roots along the worn path.
“So how is your grandmother?” Alice asked when she glanced sideways.
Our eyes locked, and yet again, it felt as if sparks shimmered in the air briefly.
“Good. I think.”
“You think?” she asked.
I had just met Alice, but I knew she was important to my grandmother. It was open news around town that Gram was sick. As I pondered how to reply, Alice added, “Something’s wrong.”
We stopped, and I turned to face her. “Since you just got back, you obviously haven’t heard. She’s sick. Lung cancer. Although, I suppose it’s everywhere cancer now. This would be her chance for another round of chemo, and she’s decided against it.” I tried to keep my tone gentle because I wasn’t sure how much my grandmother meant to Alice.
Alice’s stunning gray eyes widened as she drew in a quick breath. She pressed her palm to her chest. “Oh, wow. I’m so sorry.”
I had adjusted to the news on an intellectual level. Still, this corner of my heart experienced a stinging burn every time I let myself think about it. Just now, the pain from that corner swelled, and my entire chest hurt. I took in a deep breath, savoring the crisp air carrying hints of spruce and the ocean not too far away. A raven called nearby with a magpie chattering noisily in return.
“She’s really open about it. Since you asked, I thought I should be honest. As it is, she’ll probably just blurt it out when she sees you. Everyone around town who knows her is aware.”
Alice’s lips curled into a small smile. “Of course. She always tells everybody everything.”
That drew a dry chuckle from me. She smiled back. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too. You grew up next door to her,” I commented.
“She babysat me a lot,” Alice stated with a small nod.
When she looked back at me, I could see the questions swirling in her eyes. “I grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. My mother’s family is from there. I have dual citizenship,” I said, not sure why I provided that detail.
She nodded, her pretty eyes searching mine. “Thank you for telling me about Bea. Are you okay?”
“As well as could be expected, but not great. Knowing she may not be here much longer makes me wish I had more time with her before now.” For a split second, it felt as if a door opened in my heart and mind, a door I preferred to keep closed. All of a sudden, a cacophony of emotions pummeled me. Emotions I wanted to ignore. They weren’t about my grandmother, but with her being sick and facing her death with such grace and equanimity, it served to remind me of all I was trying to forget.
