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“I am… I was… a firefighter.”
She waited for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, she said, “That was my guess. Are you on disability? Because of your leg?”
“I’m not disabled. The leg will heal with proper rehab, which I’m doing. Getting stronger by the day. I had another surgery in December. Hopefully, it’ll be the last.”
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“Nope. I don’t talk about it.”
“I figured that, too,” Willow said. “I understand. Believe me, I understand.”
Noah glanced at her. He could barely make out her features in the truck interior’s ambient light, but he could see the wry twist of her lips in the shadows. He wanted to ask her what injury she didn’t talk about, but he couldn’t do it. Not when he wasn’t prepared to share his own pain.
Frank Sinatra followed Norah Jones on his playlist, and the sound of “Summer Wind” filled the silence as he approached the entrance to the Raindrop Lodge property. There, he noted a line of three exiting cars waiting to turn onto the road. “Something going on at the lodge tonight?”
“Hmm?”
He slowed his truck and flicked his turn signal. “It’s late for guest departures.”
“Oh. Those aren’t guests. We closed to guests this morning. Those are probably members of the cleaning crew. My mother insisted that the lodge be deep cleaned top to bottom before wedding guests begin to arrive. That starts happening tomorrow.”
“Hmm.” Noah made the right turn into the property. “This is a busy road. That can be a treacherous intersection.”
“Oh, we know. Aunt Helen has been trying to get a stop sign approved for months. You do not want to get her started talking about it. She’ll go on quite the rant. I swear she will make a voodoo doll of the guy who issues permits and stick pins in him.”
Noah laughed. Again.
Willow directed him through the resort property toward the cabin where she and her children were staying. Approaching it, Noah debated what his next move should be. Just pull up in front of the cabin and wait for her to get outof his truck? Should he walk her to her door? That would be weird, wouldn’t it? Presumptuous. This wasn’t a date.
You invited them out, bought beer and pizza. That’s sort of a date.
What if she asked him to come inside for another beer or a nightcap? Should he accept? Her children weren’t there.
What would it hurt? He liked Willow Eldridge. She was attractive. She was intelligent and intriguing. That day he met her she’d charged into his home protecting her cub like the biggest, baddest mama grizzly in the forest. Tonight in the grocery store, she’d been a wounded little fawn who made him want to kiss her hurts and make them better.
Slow down, Tannehill. That way there be dragons.
Besides, she’d recovered fast. The woman who’d shared a pizza with him had her mojo back. She’d been friendly and funny and kind.
Very appealing.
He wanted to walk her to the door and give her a goodnight kiss. He’d like to cup her face in his palms and tilt her head up. He’d like to see the moonlight wink in her eyes before he slowly lowered his mouth to hers. He’d take his time about it, go slow and sweet. Taste her, explore a little. Hold her. Make it count.
It had been so long since he’d held a woman in his arms. She’d be warm, and he was so cold. He’d like to soak in her warmth.
Whoa. Just whoa.This intersection definitely needed a stop sign.
She was a mother with two kids, and he had no business thinking about kissing her. He’d just pull up and drop her off. He wouldn’t walk her to her door. She wouldn’t ask him in. If she did, he’d say no.
Wouldn’t he?
“This is it,” Willow told him as they arrived at what was literally the end of the road.
Noah pulled his truck into the cabin’s semicircular front drive. He shifted into park and hesitated. Was he going to lift his hand to the ignition switch?
Just as he started to move, Willow spoke. “I was leaving my husband the day he died because I’d discovered he’d had an affair and that his lover was pregnant. Today my former mother-in-law shared the news that the child—a boy—is now an orphan because his mother recently passed. My inlaws have taken him in to raise. He’ll be in their lives and, therefore, my children’s lives. In my life.”
Holy hell. What a kick in the balls. How did Noah respond to that revelation? He needed to say something, but all he could come up with was a low whistle followed by “Damn, Willow.”
