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“Thanks, Mama.”
“Did you see those men from town come up here today?”
She froze and struggled to swallow the last bite of supper. “What men?”
She didn’t see Aidyn. He wouldn’t come up here, would he?
“That one that Lara married. Tate. And the other one, the big one. I don’t know his name.”
“I didn’t see them. Did you?”
“No. Theresa told me they came up to see Craig.”
She wondered if that was before or after he’d watched her brew. Her imagination ran wild; that was guilt. Craig had no idea she and Aidyn were writing notes to each other. “Do you know what they wanted?”
“Theresa said something about the explosion last night.”
She let out a breath, nice and slow, and stared into the fire. That made perfect sense. Of course, they’d come up and talk to Craig about that.
Her mom rubbed her shoulders from behind and the goosebumps skittered down her spine. “Oh, Mama, that feels so good.”
“I know. Your daddy used to do this for me when I brewed.”
Elena took some deep breaths and allowed herself to relax. “Thanks, Mama.”
“You’re welcome.” She wiped the counter down. “Are you going to wash up tonight? I’m about ready for bed.”
“Yes. I’ll make it quick.”
She poured water into their big kettle and slid it in the fireplace to warm. She pulled fresh clothing from her trunk and laid them on her bed. They washed up back here in the winter. In the summer months they’d go down to the creek and bathe.
She pulled a towel from the holder on the wall, grabbed a bar of the handmade lavender soap from the dish it laid on, and placed them on her bed. She pulled the hot kettle from the fireplace and carried it to the back. She collected two basins from under the counter; one to wet and soap her cloth in and the other, clean water to rinse with.
Closing the curtain, she undressed and bathed.
She heard her mom sit in a chair in front of the fire and wondered what it was like bathing in town. They had bathrooms down there. At least that’s what she’d heard, and a thing called a shower. Kent told them all that a shower sprayed water over your body, and you could make it as warm or cool as you wanted. That must be wonderful.
Dressing in her clean clothes, she stuffed her dirty ones in the old pillowcase they used as a laundry bag. She’d ask Theresa to help with the laundry this week. Pushing open the curtain, she carried her dirty water out and set it on the counter. Hanging the kettle back on the hook near the fire, she pulled her coat on, then put her leather apron over the top of it.
“I’ll be back in a bit, Mama. I’m dumping this water and taking a little time for myself. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Don’t get into trouble, Elena.”
“I won’t.”
She stepped from the cabin, grateful no one was around, and that dark had settled over the mountain. Ducking quickly behind her cabin, she poured the dirty water onto the ground and set the basin on the stack of wood. She picked up her basket with the material in it and found her path down to the base of the mountain.
She listened for sounds and took in large breaths as she enjoyed the peacefulness. Lifting a piece of the cookie from her apron, she nibbled on it, savoring the sweetness in her mouth. She heard a truck at the foot of the mountain and ducked down into the brush near the edge of the woods. Another truck followed it, and she followed the sounds as they parked at the construction site of the base.
She inched closer to the base, careful not to be seen and watched Aidyn and Lara’s man, Tate, leave their trucks and walk into the trailer. Her heart skipped a beat then fluttered rapidly in her chest. She found it hard to take in a deep breath and her stomach twisted.
The door to the trailer opened again; the men stepped out and looked around. They split up and Aidyn walked toward the edge of the site near the mountain. She scooted closer. Silently. She navigated the downed branches as if she knew where each of them lay. Near the bottom of the mountain, she scooted across the road near the base and froze.
ChapterFifteen
Aidyn’s eyes rounded. “Are you watching me?”
Elena nodded. She looked beautiful. The faint light from the perimeter lights at the construction site illuminated her green eyes. He found it difficult to look away from her.
