He let his gaze drift over her again, and it made him wish that she didn’t hold herself so aloof every night. It had been too long since they had enjoyed each other as husband and wife.
Maybe tonight would help melt the ice. That was all he hoped for, just a little hint that she might be willing to rebuild the closeness they’d once shared. Of course he wanted more than that, but he was a patient man. He could wait.
Tessa glanced around as they stepped through the restaurant door and smiled. “I’ve always wondered what this place was like.”
Matt held back a grin, thankful he had chosen the Lawrenceville Inn. A friend at work had recommended it, telling him the atmosphere was romantic and the food was excellent. He checked out the room and nodded. Tessa would like this. The owners had converted a historic home into a cozy restaurant complete with antique furniture, vintage lighting, glowing candles, and original paintings on the walls. The delicious smell of roasting meat and hot bread floated out from the kitchen, making his mouth water.
A smiling hostess seated them at a linen-covered table in the renovated parlor and handed them each a menu.
Tessa smiled as she glanced around the room. “This is very nice.” Suddenly her smile faded. She lifted her gaze to his. “Matt, can we afford this?”
“Don’t worry.” He reached across the table and took her hand. Her cool fingers didn’t move, and he wished with everything in him that he could change the choices he had made—they had cost them much more than their savings and home. They had stolen away the trust that had characterized their relationship for almost twenty-five years.
“It’s okay. Tonight’s special.” He forced a small smile. “Let’s relax and enjoy it.”
Slight lines of worry still creased her forehead, and unspoken questions shadowed her large brown eyes. “All right,” she said softly, then focused on the menu.
Tessa’s silence shook Matt. Thankfully the waitress came and took their order. Tessa seemed to relax a bit when he asked her about the plans for her sister’s upcoming art show at Sweet Something.
Matt looked up and smiled as the young waitress returned with their meals. He led in a brief prayer, then dove into his meal. Focusing on the delicious seared rib eye, he ate with only a few brief comments directed toward his quiet wife. About halfway through his meal, an associate from Matt’s office walked up to their table.
“Hey, Matt, enjoying your dinner?” Jerry Fisher’s eyes lingered too long on Tessa. “And who is this lovely lady?”
Irritation flooded Matt. Who did Jerry think he would be having dinner with? “This is my wife, Tessa. Tessa, this is Jerry Fisher from work.”
She smiled and nodded, then lowered her gaze.
Jerry chuckled. “Well, aren’t you a lucky man to have such a lovely wife.”
Matt glanced across the table and read the discomfort on Tessa’s face.
“Say, I heard about that land you inherited out in Oregon. What an opportunity. When are you moving?”
Matt clamped his mouth shut and glared at Jerry. This was the one subject he had promised himself they would not discuss tonight.
Jerry leaned closer, grinning like some stupid Cheshire cat. “So when do you think I should apply for your position?”
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Matt said, barely hiding his irritation. Jerry had worked under Matt for only about six months. There was no way he had the skills necessary to step into Matt’s job.
Tessa stared back at Matt with wide, pain-filled eyes, her face flushed.
“Come on, let me in on your plans,” Jerry continued. “You are leaving, aren’t you? I mean, that’s what I heard from Ben Stackwell.”
Tessa’s chair scraped on the hardwood floor as she pushed back from the table. “Excuse me.” She snatched her purse and hurried off toward the restroom.
Matt turned to Jerry. “I don’t want to discuss this with you right now.”
“Sorry, I didn’t know it was a secret. Everyone’s talking about it at work. You did tell your wife, right?”
“This isn’t the time or place for this discussion. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish my dinner.”
“You don’t have to get huffy. I get the point.” Jerry walked away, looking offended.
Good! That guy had a lot of nerve, bringing up that subject here at a restaurant in front of Tessa. What would she say now? Could he salvage the evening? He closed his eyes and shot off a quick prayer.
* * *
Tessa took one last glance in the restroom mirror. No matter how much makeup she used, it didn’t help. Her reflection seemed to shout: “You’ve been crying.” Tessa sighed and pushed open the restroom door. She needed to get back to their table. There was no use pretending they didn’t have a huge problem to work through.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, a tall man stepped into her path.
“Tessa! This is a wonderful surprise.” Bill Hancock’s gaze traveled over her with a look of slow-warming delight. The recently divorced, forty-something owner of Hancock’s Flowers made a habit of complimenting Tessa’s creativity and baking every time he came into her shop for coffee. He seemed to notice each time she got her hair cut or wore a new outfit, things Matt never noticed or bothered to mention.
Heat filled her face. “Hello, Bill. It’s nice to see you.” Her glance darted across the room to the table where her husband sat.
“This is a nice place. I guess we read the same restaurant review.” His blue eyes danced, and the dimple beside his mouth deepened.
“My husband picked it.” Tessa nodded toward Matt.
Bill’s smile faded as he looked toward their table.
“Why don’t you come over and I’ll introduce you?”
“That’s all right. I don’t want to interrupt. I’m in the middle of dinner myself.”
“You wouldn’t be interrupting.”
“No, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
His meaningful look sent a shiver up her back, and then he turned and walked upstairs. Watching Bill go, she felt torn. This was crazy! What was she thinking? Bill was a friend, and her husband of almost twenty-five years sat across the room waiting for her.
She turned and wove her way through the tables to rejoin Matt and face the discussion she dreaded.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She nodded and sat down.
“Who was that you were talking to?”
“Bill Hancock. He owns Hancock’s Flowers across the street from Sweet Something.”
Matt frowned toward the stairs.
Tessa could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. Did he suspect the way Bill flirted with her? Was he jealous? A little thrill ran through her at that thought.
Matt reached for her hand again. “I’m sorry Ryan interrupted our dinner. He’s . . .” He shook his head. “I can’t think of a nice thing to say about him.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Tessa slid her napkin onto her lap. She’d lost her appetite, but focusing on her food was the only way to avoid the probing look in Matt’s eyes.
“Yes, it does matter. I wanted tonight to be special. Just you and me with plenty of time to enjoy each other.”
Tessa felt a little smile tugging at her lips. That was such a sweet thought. Not at all like the things Matt usually said.
“I didn’t want to talk about the Oregon property tonight.”
Tessa’s smile faded. “Did you tell someone at work that you were leaving?”
“No, but I did ask Marlene how much vacation time I have coming. She wanted to know where I was going, so I told her I was flying out to Oregon to check out some property I inherited.”
Tessa’s stomach churned. “What about our plans to go to the Jersey shore with my family in August? We’ve been saving for that since last summer.”
“I didn’t say we couldn’t go to the shore. I have three weeks coming since I only took one last year.”
“And you want to spend that extra week in Oregon?
”
“Yes.” Matt looked at her like she was being very thickheaded. “How can we make a decision unless we take a look at the property?”
“We? You mean you expect me to go along?”
“Of course I want you to come. I think the whole family should see it. I’d like us to make this decision together.”
Tessa laid her napkin on the table. “And how are we supposed to afford this trip?”
“We can work it out. I’ll go on the Internet and find the lowest fares. I’m sure I can get a good deal.”
“When did you intend to go? We can’t just pull the kids out of school whenever the whim strikes us.”
“I thought spring break would be a good time. Come on, how long has it been since we’ve had a fun family vacation?”
“Exactly three years and five months.” The wounded look on Matt’s face sent a guilty stab through her heart.
“Tessa, I can’t change what happened in the past. All we have is the future. Please don’t be afraid to grab hold of this gift and enjoy it with me.”
“Enjoy it? Matt, do you hear yourself? How could I enjoy uprooting our family and traipsing off into some forest fantasyland?”
Matt grimaced at her caustic words. “God gave us this property, and I think it’s a great opportunity for our family to start over in a new place.”
“Matt, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Tears filled her eyes as she laid her trembling hand over her heart. “It’s just like last time. I have this feeling in here that it’s all wrong.”
Matt pressed his lips together, and a stern, stony look filled his face. “Tessa, I’m the leader in this family. I want you and the kids to come with me to Oregon to see this property.”
Anger flashed through her, and she blinked away her tears. So that was what it came down to. He was pulling the old I-am-the-leader-so-you-better-submit trick. Tessa shuddered and glared at her husband. He didn’t care what she thought. He had backed her into a corner. She had no choice at all.
Chapter Four
Tessa gripped the door handle of their rental car as they hit another pothole on the rutted pathway Matt had the nerve to call a road. She glanced at his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and his intense expression and could almost read his thoughts. I will conquer this road if it’s the last thing I do!
They had landed in Portland two and a half hours ago, claimed their bags, picked up the rental car, and set off for the wilds of the Cascades and Uncle Don’s mountain lodge on Lost Lake.
Tessa sighed and shifted her focus to the sparkling forest outside her car window. Snatches of clear azure sky peeked through the tall firs and cedars, still dripping from a recent shower. Lush patches of sword fern and leafy rhododendrons waved in the breeze as the car passed. Maybe a week in the mountains wouldn’t be so bad. She might even enjoy it as long as Matt didn’t pressure her too much about moving here.
“How much longer ’til we get there?” Evan called from the backseat.
Brie groaned. “Cut it out, Evan. You just asked that five minutes ago.”
“Both of you pipe down,” their older son, Justin, added in a disgusted tone. “We’ll get there when we get there.”
Tessa glanced back at her children sitting shoulder to shoulder in the rear seat. Justin’s head almost touched the roof of the compact car. Cramming the kids in like sardines had already led to petty arguments and bruised feelings. Why hadn’t Matt reserved a van or a larger car? Probably trying to save money. She closed her eyes and sighed again.
They hit another pothole. Tessa opened her eyes and gasped. Mount Hood rose before them like a mammoth, snow-covered pyramid, its jagged features reflected in the deep blue waters of Lost Lake.
“Check out that mountain!” Justin said.
“Let me see!” Evan squeaked, pulling on his brother’s arm. Brie strained to get a better view. “Wow, it looks so close.”
“The base is only a few miles away.” Matt smiled and slowed the car. “It’s really something, isn’t it?”
Tessa nodded, stunned out of her disgruntled mood. She had spent all of her life on the East Coast and never imagined the rugged beauty of the Oregon Cascades. Matt slowed and turned into a private drive.
Tessa glanced to the right as Matt rolled to a stop in front of a run-down structure built of large rocks and rough timbers stained almost black with age. Tangled vines and tall bushes hid a good portion of the old building. Wild blackberry brambles obscured the front walkway. Holes gaped in several broken windows, and a gutter pipe swung in the wind, screeching a foreboding welcome.
Matt peered out the rain-spattered windshield. “Well, here we are.”
Tessa stared at the startling scene. This was the lovely mountain lodge Matt had described to her and the kids? Had he purposely lied, or was he unaware of the toll the years had taken on his uncle’s property?
“This is it?” Brie asked, a shudder in her voice.
“Hey, it’s not so bad,” Justin added. “It sort of reminds me of a big log cabin or Swiss chalet. Look at those two stone chimneys. It must have a couple of nice big fireplaces.”
“I think it looks cool!” Evan unhooked his seat belt. “Maybe it’s even haunted!” He scrambled over his sister and out the door. Justin climbed out on his side and followed his younger brother toward the lodge.
“Wait for your father,” Tessa called, but the boys only slowed a little.
Matt stepped out, then paused to stretch before he looked back at Tessa and Brie. “Let’s see if we can find the key the lawyer said she’d leave for us.”
Brie settled back in the seat. “I think I’ll wait out here.”
Tessa crossed her arms. My sentiments exactly!
Matt leaned back inside the car. “I’m sure it’s safe; come on.”
Tessa stared past her husband’s shoulder and tried to swallow the panic rising in her throat. How could he look so happy? She knew the old place was probably full of spiders and snakes—maybe something worse.
Matt offered Tessa his hand.
She couldn’t sit in the car all day, looking like a scaredy-cat, so she braced herself and climbed out. Brie followed, mumbling something about bats and the ghost of Bigfoot.
Justin whistled. “Hey, Dad, check out those wheels.”
Tessa followed Justin’s gaze and spotted a sleek black BMW partially hidden by the bushes at the side of the house.
The front door squeaked open, and a blond woman in a long navy raincoat stepped out on the porch. “Hello there, you must be the Malones.”
The woman had a flawless complexion and stunning blue eyes. She was at least ten years younger than Tessa and gorgeous by anyone’s standards. Little vines of envy wove around Tessa’s heart, making her feel like a dowdy pigmy.
Matt leaped up on the porch and reached to shake the woman’s hand. “Yes, I’m Matt Malone, and this is my wife, Tessa, and our children, Justin, Brie, and Evan.” The woman sent him a slow, seductive smile.
Tessa’s stomach clenched.
“I’m Mallory Willard, your late uncle’s lawyer.” She released Matt’s hand and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “I got your message at the office, and I thought I’d drive out and meet you. How was your trip?”
“Great. Smooth flight. No problems.”
“Wonderful.” Mallory nodded and smiled.
Matt glanced around the porch and ran his hand over the sagging railing, looking as though he was assessing the repair work that needed to be done.
“Why don’t we go inside, and I’ll give you a tour?” Mallory’s voice sounded as smooth as warm honey.
Tessa shivered and pulled her navy wool jacket closer. She followed Matt and Mallory inside, and the kids trooped in behind. As she stepped into the living room, a damp, musty smell assaulted her nose, making her long to throw open a window and let in some fresh air.
“Your uncle was quite a recluse. He said he’d lived here by himself for the last thirty-two years.”
Matt nodded. “He always said he didn’t mind living on his own, but it sounds like a pretty lonely lifestyle to me.”
Tessa’s gaze traveled around the large rectangular room, taking in every depressing detail. Cobwebs clung to the light fixtures and stair railings. An overstuffed, red plaid couch and two mismatched chairs with sagging stuffing sat facing the hearth. Cluttered bookshelves and a sturdy roll top desk occupied one corner near the large stone fireplace. A coffee mug and stacks of papers sat on the open desk as though someone had walked away and intended to return.
The thought that no one had lived here since Matt’s uncle’s death sent goose bumps racing up her arms. The sooner they finished this tour and were on their way, the better. But how would she convince her husband to abandon his plan of spending the entire week here?
Matt laid his hands on the back of the old sagging couch and stared into the cold fireplace, a wistful smile on his face. “I remember sitting right here and listening to my uncle tell stories about being on the Mount Hood Ski Patrol. Then there were all his hunting and fishing stories.” He chuckled and shook his head.
Mallory smiled. “I’m glad you have such pleasant memories of your uncle. He loved this property. But his health declined the last few years. I suppose that’s why he let the place go a little.”
Shock waves rippled through Tessa. “A little?” Everyone turned toward her, and her face flamed, but she continued. “This place is falling apart. Just look at it.” She waved her hand in a broad arc. “It would take thousands of dollars to make it livable.” She glared at Mallory. “What do you expect us to do with it?”
“Well, that’s entirely up to you and your husband.” Mallory’s gaze shifted to Matt. “It does need some cleanup and repairs, but I’m sure you can see the value and potential.”
“Of course.” Matt nodded and sent Tessa a sideways glance that seemed to question her sanity.
Tessa fought to keep her mouth closed. Mallory Willard didn’t care how much effort and expense it would take to repair this lodge. She would have to be paid whether they sold the property or not.
Where Two Hearts Meet Page 9