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But really, was it any different? Obviously his father continued to help his clients even when the money wasn’t coming in. That was the only way he’d have gotten into so much trouble.
Kendall squeezed his hand to bring him back to the conversation. “Shane isn’t quite used to the small-town mentality. I’m bringing him home to Winchester Falls, and he’ll learn.”
“Oh, are you two newly married?”
Shane swallowed a laugh when Kendall’s face blanked. “We decided a change of scenery would be good for us. A new adventure,” he said. Not a lie. It certainly had been a new adventure for both of them.
Kendall’s eyebrows lifted. “Ah, yeah. That’s got me a little nervous. Big change of pace for us as a couple.”
“I bet.” Delinda looked down at their plates. “You two must have been starving.”
Shane glanced down, surprised to see his plate was empty save for the green bits.
Kendall smiled. “I really need your recipe for the brussels sprouts. My mom would kill for it. They’re great, aren’t they, honey?”
Shane shot a sidelong glance at her and popped one in his mouth. The salt and garlic and…God, was that bacon? He nodded and stabbed three more. “Amazing.”
“I’ll write it up for you tonight.”
“That’d be great.”
Kendall stood and went for the plates, but Delinda waved her off. “I’ll just bring them over to the house and put them in the dishwasher. I’ll show you to your room.”
Shane took both bags and followed the women. They talked about the more colorful aspects of having strangers in their lives, and he realized just how much Kendall loved her place. Her eyes brightened, and her entire face lit up. He dropped the bags inside the door. The room was full of more oak furniture in the understated Shaker style he loved so much. Simple lines and slatted inserts that were such a signature of the style were echoed in the bed and side tables. He smoothed his hand over the butter-soft surface. More beeswax polish and a sweet berry scent filled the room.
The walls were an unobtrusive cream with a matching beige carpet that let the furniture shine. Fat green bottles and deep red candles ringed with holly over crystal gave it a homey touch.
“Oh, Delinda, it’s beautiful. I can’t believe you did all this in a basement room.”
“We have a lot of help with the church.”
Kendall faced Delinda. “Well, we appreciate it more than you know. A bed is all I want.”
Delinda’s smile softened. “The front is locked up, and our house is just through the back door of the kitchen and across the yard if you need anything.”
Shane came up behind Kendall and laid his hand on her shoulder. “No, just the bed and shower.”
“I’ll leave you to it. Breakfast is at eight.”
“Thanks,” Kendall said and held out both her hands, gripping Delinda’s. She gripped back, and Kendall released her. After a final good-bye she turned the lock and leaned against the door. “This is gorgeous.”
He trailed his hand over the end of the sleigh bed. “This bed is old and done by a master carpenter.”
“Good, because I plan on sleeping like a queen on it. After a shower.”
“You go ahead.”
“Yeah?” She smiled up at him. “I have no shame. I’ll take it first.” She grabbed her bag and dashed into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Part of him wanted to follow her and see how big the shower was. But knowing basement plumbing as he did, he preferred to wait out his disappointment. And the sharp need to touch her, to feel water on her skin, to lose himself inside her again was too acute.
It was too much with the wordmarriagedangling over his head. Even if it was a lie. When he was around Kendall, nothing felt light or casual. He shook off those thoughts. He didn’t want to think about forever, not when everything was so in flux.
* * *
STEAM FOLLOWED KENDALL out of the bathroom. She’d cranked the heat until her skin was pink, but her muscles were loose, and her back had stopped screaming for the moment. Endless hours in the truck were taking their toll. She flipped the towel off her hair and froze.
Shane had stripped down to his jeans. Dirt streaked his neck and arms, but his back was a perfect smooth, tanned expanse of skin. Muscles bunched in his shoulders and rippled over his back as he dug into his bag. He turned to her, and the sardonic lift to his brow crumbled all the layers of resolve she’d built in the shower.
