The January Cove Series: Books 6-8

by Rachel Hanna

  “Did someone call for help?” a paramedic said, poking his head through the open front door.

  Paige and Brett stood. “Yes. My great aunt… she passed in her sleep.”

  “Down the hall,” Paige said, pointing beside them. The two EMTs rolled a stretcher into the house and toward Elda’s room. Brett turned the other direction and walked outside, taking a deep breath.

  Paige walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist. It felt so natural to comfort him, to be his rock during a trying time. In fact, she felt like she’d known him forever in this moment.

  “Thanks for coming when I called,” he said softly.

  She let go and walked in front of him. “Of course I came. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “You don’t know me all that well yet, and we’ve had a bumpy road these last couple of days. Just… thank you.”

  “Brett, I loved Elda too.”

  He nodded and pulled her closer, and the two of them stood there for what seemed like hours while the medics rolled Elda out of the house and into the ambulance.

  The memorial service for Elda was small, as expected, given that most of her family had passed away before her. There were some distant cousins, a few old friends and many January Cove residents who knew her from the bookstore. Her passing was so sudden that a lot of people who lived out of town weren’t able to make it.

  Rebecca and Jackson came, along with Addison and Clay, most of them having known her their whole lives.

  “Do you think she would’ve liked the service?” Brett asked as they left the tiny, country church on the outskirts of January Cove. It was white with a real steeple and stained glass windows.

  “I do. It was no-frills, and we both know Miss Elda was a no-frills kind of woman,” Paige said with a laugh.

  “True. Since Elda wished to be cremated, I would like to spread her ashes on our family property. I thought it might be nice to spend another weekend there, just remembering her and honoring the legacy she left.”

  “That sounds like a great idea, Brett. And I can handle the store alone, no problem…”

  “No. Paige, I meant that I wanted you to come.”

  Paige’s heart started to pound. Spend the weekend on the ranch with Brett alone? The thought both excited and terrified her at the same time.

  “Okay,” she heard herself saying without thinking.

  “Okay? I’m so glad you said yes,” Brett said. “And we can finally have our date too.”

  “What?”

  “Our dinner date. I didn’t forget,” he said. She smiled for the first time in days. Her date with Brett had been something to look forward to after months of feeling like there would never be any light at the end of the tunnel.

  “I can’t wait,” she said, struggling not to blush for some reason.

  Paige walked slowly down the sidewalks of January Cove, taking in the smell of the salty air and the quaint shops on Main Street. She loved this place like she had lived here all of her life.

  Everyone was nice and friendly. They waved when she walked by. It was as if her past didn’t matter to anyone here since they all had stories of their own.

  “Hey, Paige!” Addison Parker called from the garden in front of her B&B as she walked by. Addy’s Inn was the place she had stay temporarily when she first arrived in January Cove a few months ago. It had felt like a real home to her, complete with home-cooked meals and rocking chair talks on the front porch.

  “Hey, Addy,” she said.

  “How’s Brett doing? I know he was so close to Miss Elda.” She put down her pruning shears and walked to the other side of the white picket fence that ran across the front of her property.

  “I think he’s doing well. We’re going out to Clover Lake this weekend to spread her ashes where he grew up.”

  “Oh, what a nice thing for him to do. That’s exactly where she should be. Listen, would you like to come in for some coffee?”

  “Thanks for the invitation, but I’ve got to run by the bookstore to give the temp some instructions before Brett picks me up a little later.”

  Addy smiled. “I understand. Maybe when you get back? I miss having our talks on the porch,” she said with a smile.

  “I do too. Let’s definitely get together when I get back.” She waved and started walking toward the bookstore.

  “Because I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about when you get back!” Addy called to her with a giggle. Paige rolled her eyes and just kept walking.

  As they pulled back down the long dirt road to Clover Lake, Paige started to relax immediately. There was just something about this place that calmed her soul at the deepest levels.

  Maybe it was the smell of grass clippings and the crispness of the warm spring air. The sky seemed bluer here, and the sound of birds chirping in the trees took every ounce of her stress away.

  Clover Lake - and January Cove - were both so far removed from anywhere she’d lived in her life. New York City had been beautiful in its own way, of course, but there was never quiet there. Never the sound of a bird chirping nearby, and she hadn’t realized until now how much she had missed that sound.

  Of course, there had been plenty of pigeons, but most New Yorkers thought they were basically flying rats and not worthy of the title “bird”. She tended to agree with that thought process.

  Brett stopped the truck in front of the house and got out. He opened her door, helped her to the ground and grabbed both of their bags from the back.

  “Ready?” he said, his voice a little lower and gruffer than normal, sending chills up and down her spine.

  “Yes,” she said with a smile.

  This trip was about Elda and laying her to rest in the place where she spent most of her life. No matter how attracted she was to Brett, this wasn’t the weekend to act on that. Unless he wanted to, of course. She mentally threw a bucket of cold ice water on her face.

  “I thought we’d just relax tonight, eat some dinner. Then we can have a proper remembrance of Aunt Elda tomorrow. That okay with you?” he asked as they stopped in the foyer.

  “Of course. Whatever you want, Brett.”

  He smiled. “Good. I’m going to go chat with Lou and Phil, let them know we’re here. I’ll let you get settled in.”

  If he was really honest with himself, this trip was just as much about spending more time alone with Paige as it was about Elda. He surely wanted to be honorable about spreading her ashes, but somewhere from the great beyond he could hear his aunt cheering him on about falling for Paige.

  Yep. He was falling for Paige.

  There was no doubt about it. Every time she was around, his brain turned to mush and other parts of him hardened up.

  She was the whole package. Cute. Sweet. Caring. Daring. Strong. Smart. Sexy.

  And yet she was still grieving for someone he couldn’t compete with. It wasn’t that he wanted her to forget Daniel; that wasn’t even realistic. But he wanted a chance with her, and this weekend was his interview for the job of being her new boyfriend.

  But she didn’t need to know that.

  He was going to woo her any way he knew how. For a brief moment, he thought about a singing telegram or a hot air balloon or maybe one of those planes that writes things in the sky.

  Too much. Most definitely any of those would be too much.

  Paige was easy to scare off. She was hardened on the outside sometimes, but soft on the inside. He had to take this slowly and hope that he could prove to her that she deserved to have love in her life again.

  Love?

  He couldn’t think about that right now.

  Paige walked outside and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Clover Lake had its own smell, full of grass and flowers and yeah, a little manure. But somehow it was a good smell. A clean, real life smell.

  “Hey, girl,” she said, working up her courage to reach her hand out to Noelle as she approached the fence. The horse was grazing but had walked to the fence out of curiosity when Paige approached. �
�You’re a pretty girl.”

  “I bet she’s thinking the same thing about you.” She turned to see Brett behind her, smiling. He had changed clothes and was now wearing form hugging jeans, brown cowboy boots and a tight black t-shirt that showed off his muscular build. Why was her mouth watering so much?

  “Hey. I didn’t see you there. Just thought I’d take a little walk.”

  “She likes you,” he said, pointing to Noelle.

  “Oh yeah? And how can you tell?” Paige laughed.

  “She never walks up to the fence like this. In fact, she’s not a fan of strangers.”

  “I’m not a stranger. Am I, girl?” she said, rubbing the side of Noelle’s face.

  “Want to take a ride?” he asked.

  Paige cleared her throat. “Sure. I guess you’re going to make me ride my own horse this time?”

  Brett looked down and then back up at her, a glint in his eye. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

  “Oh. That’s fine with me.”

  He climbed over the wooden fence and reached out for Paige. She put one boot - which she had remembered to bring - onto the wooden slat and he pulled her over.

  The best part of getting on the horse was Brett putting his hand on her butt to push her up there. Now that she knew how to do it, she could probably get up there on her own, but there was no reason for him to know that.

  As he slid in behind her, she felt the warmth of his legs around the outside of hers. It made her feel safe, which then immediately made her feel at risk. For loss. For heartbreak.

  But she pushed those feelings away, somehow, and leaned back into him, allowing him to do all the work as she stared out over the open spaces.

  Clover Lake was gorgeous. From its pastures to its thick woods to its small lake, it was like this oasis dropped into the middle of her desert of a life.

  She was thirsty, dehydrated, but not for water. For love. She’d had it for an instant, and then it had slipped through her grasp. Daniel was the only one who had ever really loved her, including her biological family. His loss had changed so many things inside of her, not all good.

  Her defenses were up, that much was sure. But when she was at Clover Lake - and with Brett - she felt like she could tackle anything. Take on the world. Take a risk.

  Maybe fall in love again.

  No, she couldn’t think about things like that now. Her focus needed to be on laying Elda to rest, but a part of her felt like this weekend might also be about finally laying Daniel to rest. For real this time.

  “What is this place?” she asked as they came upon a small cleared piece of the property that she hadn’t seen before. Brett slid off the horse and then reached up to help her off.

  “This is where Elda’s house stood.”

  Paige didn’t speak for a moment and just looked at the Earth. This is where Elda grew up, played outside, spent her childhood years. She imagined her as a wide-eyed young girl, kicking a ball around the yard, not knowing that over ninety years stretched in front of her.

  “I remember when we brought her here just after the house burned, before we cleared the charred remains away. She walked around and around this place, touching the remnants of her house. It was one of the saddest things I’d ever seen.”

  He spoke softly as they stood there, staring at the lush green grass surrounded by a battalion of tall trees.

  “I can feel her here,” Paige said, instinctively putting her arm around Brett’s waist and resting her head on his upper arm. He stiffened for a moment under her touch and then slid his arm around her.

  After their ride, Paige had a much better understanding of why Elda and Brett loved this place so much. It was like a world all its own, and she never wanted to leave. But she loved January Cove too.

  For the first time in her life, she felt like she had more good in her life than she could handle. It was a strange sensation.

  Chapter 11

  Paige walked downstairs, following the smell coming from the kitchen. It was a mixture of apples and spices of some kind, and her mouth was watering at the aroma of it.

  “What on Earth is that smell?” she asked with a smile as she saw Brett standing there wearing a “Kiss The Cook” apron.

  “Aunt Elda’s famous apple fritters. I thought we could have some for dessert.” He looked down at the apron and laughed. “Like my apron?”

  “I do,” she said walking closer.

  “Want to follow the instructions?” His tone was both playful and hopeful at the same time. She paused for a moment, actually considering the question. “I was just joking, Paige,” he said with a chuckle before turning back around toward the counter.

  Opportunity missed.

  “So, what’s the plan for tonight?” she asked, trying to will away the blush on her face before he saw it.

  “Well, I was thinking we could have a picnic.”

  She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Um… a nighttime picnic? It’s starting to get dark out there already.”

  “But it’s a clear, beautiful night. I have an idea if you’re willing?”

  She nodded. “Who am I to screw up anyone’s idea?”

  “Let’s go then!” he said, walking around the breakfast bar and taking her hand. He picked up a real picnic basket - woven and all - as they went out the side door to the house. He walked to his truck, put the basket behind the passenger seat and helped her inside.

  When he got in and cranked it up, she finally had to ask. “Okay, we’re now in your truck. I thought we were picnicking here?”

  “We are,” he said, and then he didn’t utter another word for several minutes until he pulled up at a clearing. They hadn’t been to this part of the property together yet, but it was beautiful from what she could see. The edge of the creek poked out of the woods nearby, but it was mostly a clear spot, much like where Elda’s house had once stood.

  He stopped and walked around to open her door, helping her down into the lush green grass. She looked around, wondering where they’d be having a picnic since it was pitch black dark and there was no blanket anywhere in sight. Unless he’d shoved one in the picnic basket, they would be sitting on the grass which seemed awfully itchy and uncomfortable.

  But this was Brett, and he always seemed to have a plan. He took her hand again - a new welcome feeling in her life - and led her to the back of the truck. “I’ll help you up.”

  “Help me up? Into the back of the truck?”

  “Trust me, Paige.” She liked hearing those words coming from his mouth.

  He stabilized her hand as she climbed up, and then he quickly followed her over with the basket in hand.

  “Oh my gosh…” she said softly when she noticed that the back of the truck was filled with pillows and blankets. He had lined all sides with bright red pillows - from where she didn’t know - and the bottom of the truck bed was cushioned with a couple of blankets and comforters. There was also a wooden bed tray that stood on four legs, and he was opening it as she watched. He pulled two large candles from the basket and lit them, his face finally illuminated under the night sky.

  “Surprised?” he asked, his dimples catching the perfect light.

  “I am. How’d you come up with this?”

  “I guess you inspire me.” He wasn’t laughing. She wasn’t either. “So, I hope you like sandwiches, because that’s what I brought. I figured it’d be hard to eat much else in the dark in the back of a truck.”

  She smiled. “I love sandwiches. Ate a lot of them in my… traveling… days.”

  “I’d love to hear more about that sometime,” he said softly as he handed her a wrapped sandwich and bag a potato chips. She reached into the basket and took a bottle of water.

  “Not much to tell, really. It was a tough time of my life, but looking back I think it made me stronger.”

  “So it was worth it?” he asked, leaning back against one of the pillows.

  She took a sip of her water. “I guess it was, not that I had much of a choice.” Her
pocket vibrated and she looked down to see Sandi calling. “Sorry about that,” she said, pressing the decline button. Then she decided she didn’t want to be bothered by anyone tonight, so she turned her phone off.

  “If you need to take that…”

  “I don’t. It was just my friend Sandi back in New York. She knows where I am, but maybe she forgot. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

  They continued to eat, with Paige regaling him with stories about her days as a gypsy, of sorts. He laughed at the funny ones, went serious at the stories that warranted that reaction. He seemed to hang on her every word, and that made her feel somewhat human again. Maybe she wouldn’t always be “the mourning, grieving Paige”. Maybe she could just be Paige again.

  “So what about you? Any exciting things in your past, Brett Larson?” she asked as she leaned back against a pillow across from him.

  “Compared to you, I think I’m pretty dull. Never sang on a street corner. Never worked as a puppeteer…”

  Paige giggled. “I have a wide variety if skills.”

  “I bet you do.” That comment made her whole body heat up.

  “What about… women?” Why was she asking him this? It was really none of her business, but she was desperate to know how this handsome, smart cowboy was still single.

  He sighed. “Not such a great track record there, I’m afraid.”

  Her stomach clenched. Just as she’d thought - something was wrong with him to be single this long.

  “Oh.”

  “Not many women are suited for ranch life.”

  Her stomach loosened. “Really? This place seems like heaven on Earth to me. Of course, I’ve lived on the streets, under bridges and once in an airport bathroom for a weekend, so…”

  “An airport bathroom?”

  “Yeah, and let me tell you that it’s hard to keep your feet up on the wall of a bathroom stall and sleep for very many hours.”

  Brett started laughing. “You are one interesting woman, Paige.”