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Maren sidestepped a bit to allow him to get a good position, not averse at all to accepting this small aid.
He wasn’t rough with the door, not enough that she worried he would break anything, but he did give a much firmer shove. It moved about four inches. He did this several times until he had forced it open wide enough so that possibly Maren could squeeze through. But then he pulled it closed again and faced her.
“Not to be fatalistic or a doomsdayer, but it is really treacherous out there,” he said, his gaze intent on her. “Can you wait? It will take me less than five minutes to suit up. I don’t want you going out there alone.”
Ever the consummate host, Maren protested again. “I really don’t want my guests battling a blizzard on my behalf.”
Alec rationalized, “But youdowant to feed your guests, right? And presumably, you’d like to give them breakfast before noon, which is how long it is likely to take you to get there and back.”
Maren closed one eye and wrinkled her nose, expressing her doubt. “Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”
Alec grinned. It wasn’t unattractive. Not at all. It sparkled with good humor.
“Okay, but work with me,” he said, using his hands as he spoke. “I’m embellishing to create dramatic effect, to really hammer home the impact of the danger.”
“I see. And to play along, I’m expected to...?”
“Just wait. That’s all you have to do. Two, maybe three minutes tops. So that your extremely grateful guest can repay your warm and tremendous hospitality by doing this small favor for you.”
“Wow,” she replied, grinning a bit herself. “That’s laying it on pretty thick.”
“Again, dramatic effect,” he said, feigning seriousness and then clarified, rather charmingly with a hand to the side of his mouth and a stage whisper, “It is really great hospitality, though. I had dreams about that martini last night.”
Lifting her hand, Maren raised one gloved finger to ask a question, enjoying his unexpected playfulness. “Dreams last night? You mean like an hour ago, maybe?”
Alec shrugged sheepishly. “Maybe. Or less than that. Possibly the dream was rudely disrupted by the tree crashing down.”
“Stupid tree,” Maren commiserated.
Alec arched a brow. “Will you wait?”
Maren nodded.
“Thank you,” he said, another grin teasing one corner of his mouth, since obviously it should be her thanking him.
“You’re welcome.” Maren smiled innocently. “I fear I have no choice, less my hospitality be questioned.”
“And because you do realize that without me, it seriously would take you many hours just to get out the door?” He fished.
“Yes. That, too.” She rolled her lips inward, pretending that she wanted to stifle a guilty grin.
“I’ll be right back,” he said and disappeared inside the house.
Unconsciously, Maren leaned against the door frame, her smile lingering as much as Alec’s presence did in the long mudroom. Her mind reran the playful exchange and then considered his willingness—his eagerness—to help. He was a different person today. Admittedly, he’d been mostly kind to Maren yesterday, had only been offensive when discussing Liam and Jasmine’s wedding. Obviously, he had a strong opinion about his friend’s decision to wed.
But was he now, with this easy banter and effortless charm, trying to make up for that rudeness of yesterday?
I should at least let him try, Maren thought, raising a wall—well, maybe just a net—of reluctance, unwilling to be made a fawning admirer so that he might clear his conscience.
I should at least let him try as long as it takes to get what I need from the garage.
***
He would have offered to help, but he would help so much more happily in Maren’s company.
Did she know how gorgeous her smile was? She had to know, right? Most people were self-aware. Alec knew he was a decent looking guy, not likely to win any prizes, but also not expected to frighten children. He knew he was at time brooding, and that he could be brusque, and that—as evidenced here yesterday—he had trouble concealing suspicions of sketchypeople, circumstances, or stories. He grew up with three sisters, so he had no choice but to be fairly self-aware.
In all probability Maren knew her smile could make a man look forward to trudging out into three feet of snow with a blizzard churning around, traversing a fallen tree, maybe even shoveling a path to wherever she needed to go, right? And yet, not one ounce of him believed for a second that she’d used that enticing smile with any premeditation. He sensed that about her, that she was a genuine person, that what you saw was what you got.
