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“Wow. You’ve just been making it work all by yourself,” Noah said softly. “I’d love to meet your daughter sometime.”
“Well, if you don’t get sick of me this week, we can get lunch or something in Boston.” It was strange to realize we’d both been living in the same city and hadn’t seen each other in all these years.
“I’m not going to get sick of you. This house is big enough to hide from each other. Should we meet for coffee in the kitchen tomorrow morning?”
I laughed. “Of course.”
“Let me check to ensure that the bedroom’s warm enough.”
A few minutes later, I was standing in the bedroom, the one and only room with a bed in the house, and it suddenly felt small despite being large and spacious. Noah had one hand curled on the doorframe above as he looked at me. “Are you good for the night?”
His stance was relaxed, but his shirt had ridden up slightly with his arm lifted, revealing a strip of skin above his jeans. That, and one side of the well-defined V that disappeared behind his waistband.
When he arched a brow in question at my silence, I managed to nod, trying to get a breath in, but my lungs were doing a poor job. “All set,” I squeaked.
With a quick smile, he left, closing the door behind him. I listened to his footsteps retreat down the hallway as I sank my hips on the bed and wondered how to wrestle my body under control. If this was how I reacted to Noah every time I got close to him, it was going to be a long week.
ChapterFour
NOAH
A drop of maple syrup glistening at the corner of Sasha’s mouth caught my eyes. My body tightened, and fiery electricity sizzled through my veins. Matters were promptly made worse when her pink tongue darted out to catch that drop of maple syrup.
She finished chewing and set down her fork. “That was yummy.”
Sherry Levesque stopped by our table, smiling fondly at us. She and her husband owned Bay Bistro, the café where we’d stopped for breakfast. “I am so glad you both came in this morning.” Her gaze lingered on Sasha. “It’s lovely to see you back in town, dear. How long will you be here?”
Sasha’s smile was friendly but careful. It wasn’t that I hadn’t known her story, but the implications of how it must’ve been for her had hit me hard last night. I sensed she wasn’t sure what anyone in Haven’s Bay thought of her. Being well-versed in dealing with drama as a part of a family that had its own share of scandal in this small town, I felt intensely protective. That feeling tangling up in my raw lust for her was a confusing mix, to say the least.
“At least for the week. After that, I need to be back at work in Boston,” Sasha replied.
Sherry nodded. “Of course. How is your daughter?”
“She’s great. Thanks for asking.”
Sherry’s attention was drawn away when another customer gestured for her. Glancing back, she cast us another warm smile. “You let me know if you need anything else, okay?”
After Sherry hurried off, Sasha lifted her coffee and took a swallow. This morning, she dressed unassumingly again. She wore fleece leggings with an open blouse over a fitted tank top. She’d shed her bulky down jacket once we got inside.
After making a quick pot of coffee out at the house, we’d decided to come out for breakfast when I discovered the limited options for pots and pans in the kitchen. When my father lost almost everything, the only thing my eldest brother had been able to keep for our family was the old family home. That said, somewhere along the way, just about everything in it had been auctioned off.
Collectively, we were gradually refurbishing the house. None of us lived here, though, so it was happening in fits and starts.
Bay Bistro was a favorite local café that served brunch, lunch, and dinner. Emile and Sherry Levesque, an old Haven’s Bay family, owned it as well as several other businesses in town, including the main grocery store and another restaurant.
“Has your daughter ever been to Haven’s Bay?” I asked.
Sasha nodded. “A few times. Though she never even stayed in the house where I grew up. My parents sold it.”
I held her gaze for a beat before commenting, “I hate thinking about how everything went for you.”
“There’s no need. Like I told you last night, I landed on my feet. We’re doing fine, better than fine. Quinn’s a straight-A high school student. She has friends, and hopefully, she’ll be off to college in a few years. I can’t even believe that’s almost here.”
“I bet not. I don’t even have a baby yet. I certainly can’t imagine having a child about to go off to college in a few years.”
Sasha rolled her eyes, her lips twisting. “Yeah, most people anywhere close to my age can’t imagine it. It’s great for dating,” she said, sarcasm lacing her tone.
I cocked my head to the side. “What do you mean?”
