It approached at a snail's pace, pushing away the wet, heavy blanket of snow in its path. It was a rather odd sight, such an ordinary truck taking on such a deep barrier of snow. It certainly wasn't one of the big, municipal ploughs and anyway, Nate said they only cleared his roads on Sundays.
Nate played on, even when the noise of the plough scraping against the gravel road must have become apparent to him. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. He had called someone to come and clear the road so I could leave. He wanted to get rid of me.
The plough stopped near Nate's doorstep with a disconcerting boom. The passenger side door opened and a heavily bundled figure tipped out, making his way through the almost knee-deep snow. I crossed the living room, went out into the hall, pulled my boots on, and threw open the front door.
The well-wrapped figure looked up as I stood in the doorway. He pushed back his heavy, fur-lined hood and drew off the navy blue ski cap he wore low down over his ears. A shock of auburn hair glinted in the bright morning sun.
Matthew Tanner.
I wished I hadn't opened the door. It was only a matter of time now before Lilly and Rhi bombarded me with questions about spending the night here.
"Your rescue has arrived." He bowed with a regal flourish, one made even more comical by the knee-deep snow in which he stood.
I couldn't help but laugh.
He was a good-looking guy, definitely the best-looking of the handsome Tanner clan, with the same generous width of shoulder as his father and older brother, but lacking their towering height. Matt had an easy charm about him, one that hinted he was always about to crack a joke. I doubted he ever had a serious thought in his head. Between the wide, warm smile and the cobalt blue eyes he was a force to be reckoned with.
"I didn't know I needed rescuing," I replied.
"I have been informed that you do," Matt grinned up at me. "My sister-in-law insisted that I come and dig you out so that you may come and 'ooh' and 'ahh' over my gorgeous little niece."
"You came all this way for that?"
Matt shrugged. "Well, you know how stubborn Rhiannon can get. Plus Joe was breathing down my neck about it too and I'm sure as hell not going to argue with him. So here I am. Where's the Rev?"
I gestured over my shoulder where the frenzied strain of music continued unabated. "Upstairs at the piano."
"Cool!" Matt smiled even harder. "Let's get his ass down here so he can help shovel your car out."
"Be my guest," I invited as I swung my arm wide.
Matt trudged through the last few feet of snow until he stood at the door. He paused as the music washed over him full force. His bright blue eyes widened. "That's Nate?
I nodded with pride. "Yup."
"Holy shit," Matt breathed out and swung his head around until our eyes met. We were pretty much the same height. "He's freakin' good!"
I stepped aside as Matt moved past me, trailing snow in his wake. He kicked off his boots and climbed the stairs as if mesmerized by the music. The sound of a truck door opening caught my attention and my head snapped back in time to see a tiny person leap down into the snow.
At first I thought a kid had been behind the wheel of the plough until I realized it wasn't a child but a woman standing in the footprints left by Matt. She smiled hesitantly up at me and pushed back the hood of her jacket.
"Hello."
Her voice was hardly more than a tiny chirrup and I wouldn't have heard her if Nate hadn't chosen that exact moment to stop playing. Male voices sounded overhead and I stepped outside to hear her better.
Even dressed in a snowsuit and standing beside the battered old pickup, the girl looked gorgeous. She had dark hair cut short to her head, a style that only truly beautiful women have the ability to pull off. Her skin was almost as pale as the snow around us. For a moment I wondered if she was a figment of my imagination, a fairy or a pixie come to life.
"He never remembers to introduce me. I'm Felicity Stewart," she said with an embarrassed smile. My expression must have remained blank because she continued on to say, "Of Stewart and Sons Automotive.”
The garage where Matt worked. That explained the plough—a definite necessity in the winter if there was a business parking lot to clear and a good way to make a few extra dollars if needed.
Apparently I didn't catch on quickly enough because the girl took a few steps forward and kept on talking.
"Don't let the name fool you though, there aren't any 'sons' to speak of. But Dad could hardly call it 'Stewart and Daughter-who's-never-been-anything-but-a-colossal-disappointment Automotive, now could he? You must be Adele."
The odd course of the conversation came as a surprise, but my manners kicked in and I held out my hand as she approached. "Adele Leclerc," I Mombled as my fingers wrapped around her own. "I-I'm sorry. You're rather unexpected. I don't mean to rude."
Felicity's hands were tiny but her grip felt ridiculously strong. I looked down at her and smiled automatically. She was even more striking up close with a flawless complexion and ice-blue eyes ringed with sapphire. She hardly came up to my shoulder, which meant she barely topped five feet.
She laughed. "That's okay. It's not rude. People always tell me I pop up when least expected. They never see me coming!" Felicity tilted her chin up at an exaggerated angle and met my eyes. "I bet they never say that about you!"
Her giggle was infectious. Normally I felt self-conscious about being tall, but with pint-sized Felicity in front of me it was more funny than embarrassing.
"I'm wondering how someone as little as you drives a truck as big as that!" I teased. "I would think Matt would handle it."
Felicity shrugged in a very Matt-like gesture. "It's my truck," she explained. "And anyway, Matt's crap at ploughing. He put it in the ditch three times last winter."
"You two work together," I said by way of clarification. Felicity nodded.
"Technically, Matt works for me, although he'd hate to admit it. It's my Dad's shop but he's off on medical leave, so I'm runnin' the place for now."
"You're a mechanic?"
The disbelief in my voice made Felicity laugh louder. "Yup. Had a wrench in my hand since before I could walk. Dad didn't know what else to do with me, so he taught me to fix things. You need something fixed, you just bring it to me."
"She's not lyin'," piped a voice from over my shoulder. I glanced back to see Matt bundling back into his boots and coat. He pulled mine from the coat rack and handed it to me. "There's nothing that Flick can't put to rights."
Matt trundled past me and gave Felicity a friendly cuff on the shoulder. He grinned at her with the same smile he gave Lilly or Violet, a big, open, brotherly one, but he was too far beyond her on his way towards the truck to catch the look she gave him in return.
Uh, oh.
"Flick?" I asked, pushing down the other question.
She pursed a pair of berry red lips and sighed. "That's what they call me."
Matt emerged from behind the seat of the truck with a couple of shovels. He passed one roughly to her. "I mean, Felicity? Really? Could a name be any girly-er?" He dug at the mountain of snow drifted against the fence. Playfully he tossed a shovelful in Felicity's direction. "And Flick's not a girl, are ya Flick?"
She easily dodged the shower of white fluff before glancing up at me with a wry, impatient look. "Apparently not," she muttered low enough for only me to hear.
I stood dumbfounded on the stoop with my coat still in my hands and oblivious to the cold while Felicity and Matt went to work clearing the walkway to Nate's front door. How could someone as flirtatious and charming as Matthew Tanner completely miss the fact that his co-worker was quite possibly the most gorgeous girl for miles and miles? Especially when it was obvious to me, a total stranger, that she didn't share his jovial, platonic regard.
"Oi!" Matt chimed, catching my attention. "Adele! You gonna stand there all day lookin' good or are you gonna help?"
My guilty eyes met Felicity's but she looked away. I threw on my jacket and tried to
smile at Matt. "And what am I supposed to shovel with? My hands?"
"One of these might work better," suggested a low, throaty voice behind me. I whirled around to find Nate standing in the doorway with two snow-shovels in one hand and a pair of mitts in the other.
His eyes had faint shadows beneath them.
"Sleep well?" I asked, even though the answer was apparent on his face.
"Yes," Nate lied politely with a weary smile. "You?"
"Yes. Joe called at about two. Rhi had the baby, a little girl."
Nate's smile grew so wide the corners of his eyes crinkled. "I know, Matt told me. Sophie Adele. That's quite an honor."
"It is," I agreed. I felt myself smiling as I thought of her. It was as if the light of day had banished some of the heartache from the night before. And anyway, it was possible to be excited for Rhi and Joe and still feel sorry for myself at the same time.
I glanced up to find Nate watching me carefully. An awkward pause passed between us as we stood on his doorstep. A lot remained unsaid and I had absolutely no idea of where we stood with each other, but I wasn't very well going to get into that discussion with Matt and Felicity only feet away.
"You didn't need to call for back-up," I teased, shielding my hurt that he didn't want me here any longer.
Nate handed me the mittens and waited as I put them on before he passed me a shovel.
"I didn't call anyone. My phone's down along with the power."
I gasped. "Then how did they know where to find me?"
Nate cocked his head to one side. "I figure they put two-and-two together, sweetheart. Adam suggested you come out for Service yesterday. They all know I get stuck out here every time there's a storm. Last night you told Joe you were stranded with a friend. They're not stupid, you know. They are our friends, they were bound to figure it out."
"They might be our friends, but they're going to talk," I worried aloud.
"Let them talk. They're not going to say anything that isn't true."
He walked past me but I put out my hand to stop him.
"They'll think we slept together!"
"Then let them think that."
I blushed. "But we didn't."
Nate's expression changed from reverend to rouge and then back so quickly I almost thought I'd imagined it. Then he leaned down and captured my mouth with his.
"Whatever they imagine happened between the two of us will pale in comparison to when it actually does," he promised. Before I had the chance to react, Nate strode down the walkway and introduced himself to Felicity.
I stood numb and aching on his front step, too stunned to even move.
Chapter Six
Two days later, Rhiannon called me mid-morning and asked if I'd clear my afternoon and come to the cottage for a visit. I'd been trying to give her and Joe some time alone to get accustomed to being parents and she'd only been home from the hospital one night, but patience wasn't in Rhi's DNA.
I picked Lilly up on the way out of town.
Rhiannon sat in state on the sofa in her living room looking tired but triumphant, the bassinet resting at her right hand. Inside slept the most perfect little person I'd ever seen. Sophie was undoubtedly her mother's child with smooth porcelain skin, a perfect little nose, and a cap of soft, dark waves.
"Oh, thank god," Rhiannon drawled as she caught sight of Lilly hovering over my shoulder. "You brought the sane Tanner."
Lil and I exchanged a curious look.
"Joe's driving me fuc... frickin' crazy!" Rhi corrected herself with a start. She spared Sophie a guilty glance then let out a dramatic sigh as she slumped back against the couch. "If he doesn't stop worrying over us, I'm going to throw his ass... butt... in the snow!"
"I heard that!" said a deep voice from the vicinity of the kitchen. Joe popped his head into the main room and gifted Lilly and me with a wide smile. "Come to ogle?"
Lilly rushed forward, her pretty face alight. "Can I hold her?"
"You've already held her," Joe reminded his little sister. "Let Adele have a turn first."
She stuck her tongue out at him but generously deferred the honor to me. Rhi and I laughed in unison at the good-natured sibling teasing. Not long ago Lilly would have taken Joe apart for being bossy, now she just plopped down onto the nearest armchair with a facetious pout.
I crouched down beside the bassinet and looked in. Sophie turned her head at the movement. "She's so little."
"Don't worry," Rhi chided, "you can pick her up. She won't break."
Lilly laughed. "She's a Tanner, she's sturdy."
"Some more than others," Joe added from the kitchen.
"Says you!" Lilly shot back.
Rhi rolled her eyes in mock irritation. "Children, if you two can't behave one of you is going to have to leave."
The motherly tone sent Lilly and I into waves of laughter. Who'd have guessed it could come from Rhiannon Barnes?
Joe re-emerged from the kitchen wiping his hands on a dish towel. He leaned down and planted a kiss on the top of his wife's head. "I'll take that as my cue to bugger off. Might go down to Stewart's for a while and see if Matt and Flick need a hand with anything."
"Joe gets bored in the winter when there's nothing to do on the farm," Lilly explained to me. "Our dad does the same thing. Drives our mother crazy for months. How she put up with the both of you in the same house for all those years is beyond me." She turned back to Rhiannon. "And now you get to put up with him, lucky you!"
A private smile flickered over Rhi's face, one which I don't think she even knew she smiled. It was obvious to me that she did consider herself lucky.
"I met Felicity Stewart the other day," I said. "She seems nice."
Lilly gave me a patient smile. "You were able to discern that much? I don't think I've seen her for more than five minutes at a time, ever. Have you met her yet Rhi?"
Rhiannon shook her dark head. "I've heard of her in passing, but no, I haven't met her. A female grease-monkey... what's she like?"
"She's gorgeous!" I told them. "She's this tiny little thing, and she's stunning, really."
Rhi looked to Joe for confirmation. If he hung around the garage he obviously knew Felicity Stewart better than the rest of us.
He nodded. "She's a looker."
"She better watch out for Matt then," Rhiannon laughed. "That boy's a Lothario waiting to happen."
Joe made a grunting sort of noise of disagreement. "She's got nothin' to worry about from him. Matt's my brother, I know what he likes. She's not his type."
I thought about the look I inadvertently caught Felicity giving Matt the other day in the snow. She might not be his type, but he was definitely hers.
I still hovered beside the bassinet unsure of what to do next when Joe bent down, picked up his daughter, and held her carefully up in front of him. He gave her a very loud kiss on the forehead. Sophie only blinked in response.
"You're gorgeous," he murmured to her. "And your Daddy loves you." Then he turned and passed the baby to me.
I let Joe settle the unfamiliar bundle in my arms. I didn't have a lot of experience with babies, especially not ones so new and small. I didn't really know what to do but Sophie fit perfectly into the crook of my arm and I pressed her against my chest where it would be warm. She curled into me, gave a little sigh which was the first noise I'd heard her make, and then closed her eyes.
"Well, that settles that," Joe chuckled. He squeezed my shoulder. "She likes you."
I barely heard the remainder of Joe's farewells, nor did I really notice when he left the room. My focus centered on the tiny person in my arms. She felt so warm and delicate. I was in awe.
I sank into a nearby armchair, never letting my eyes leave Sophie's face.
"Everyone gets that look the first time, I'm starting to discover," Rhi teased gently.
I glanced up to find her and Lilly watching me.
"I'm sure you did too," Lil added.
Rhiannon filled us in on the details of her lab
our and what she remembered of Sophie's birth. She made the whole thing sound easy, but then again, Rhi had a tendency to blaze her way through life.
Once the topic ran its course both Lilly and Rhiannon exchanged a significant glance and then turned to me in unison. I resisted the urge to flee in panic. I could hardly bolt for freedom while holding a newborn, which clearly was part of the girls' plan.
"Spill it," Rhi ordered.
There was no use playing dumb.
"Nothing happened," I opened by saying.
Rhi cocked a perfect chestnut eyebrow. From the corner of my eye I saw Lilly bouncing impatiently on the armchair beside mine.
Just His Type (Part Three) Page 9