Liza and her double-dog dares.
Ellie couldn’t decide which one she hoped for—her brain and her heart were already duking out that war as she tore apart her dinner roll.
Ellie waved at Liza, who was setting out her pottery on the display table, and then at Ruby, the woman she’d met at the Garden. It tugged at Ellie’s calloused heart to see the outpouring of support for the Garden from the Deep Haven residents. The town obviously embraced the burdens of its community members with no hesitation to sacrifice.
It made Deep Haven feel like a place she wanted to call home. She could use some old-fashioned, small-town comradery, over-the-picket-fence-type of friends, the safety that came with neighbors and shopkeepers knowing your first name. Perhaps in Deep Haven she could finally put Seth to rest. Fulfill her promises and find peace.
The fact that the town pastor kept her pulse a little on edge didn’t dampen that scenario in the least. As if reading her thoughts, Dan turned and gave her another warm smile, those smoky gray eyes alive with mischief.
Oh, he packed charm in that look, and she desperately hoped she wasn’t walking right into heartache.
“Ellie! I’m glad you could make it.” Bruce Schultz sauntered up to her, holding two saggy paper plates. They looked like they might collapse any second, and Ellie squelched the urge to reach out and catch the dinners before they landed on the floor. “And you’re looking spiffy tonight.”
If her captain felt surprise at her appearance, he masked it well. He put down the plates and sat across from her. “Ellie, have you met my wife, Ruth?”
“Uh, no.” Ellie held out her hand to a woman who seated herself next to Bruce. A purple pantsuit, blue-dyed hair, shining brown eyes, a dab of blush on her cheeks, and a wide grin gave her a jolly appearance.
“Glad to meet you, Ellie. Bruce speaks highly of you.”
Ellie measured Ruth’s words for disdain, criticism, or disapproval. So far, nothing but enthusiasm. “Thank you. Bruce is a great asset to the team.”
“Oh, honey, he’s been fighting fires for so long, I believe he could do it in his sleep.”
Ellie made a face of mock horror. “I hope not. Sleeping firemen are pretty ineffective.”
Ruth blinked at her.
“Uh, that was a joke. I’m sorry.” Now she really wanted to hide under the table. Thankfully, Ruth and Bruce chuckled, probably out of pity. Well, she never rested on her PR laurels.
“Are you going to bid for anything?” Ruth asked, pushing around her baked beans with a plastic spoon.
Ellie shrugged. “I really like that quilt with the Bible verses on it.” She noticed Katie had pinned up the treasure Ellie had seen in Liza’s shop. By the way Katie gestured as she held court before a small crowd, she was rehashing her “the truth will set you free” speech. It touched a place deep inside to see Katie’s enthusiasm at donating her hard work to the Garden’s needs.
Maybe the truth of God’s unfailing love did set Katie free. Free enough to donate her time, her work, her ambitions to the Lord. Ellie watched the joy radiating from her face and wondered if she hadn’t hit upon a secret beyond worth.
“So, do we have training this weekend?” Bruce’s voice broke her away from her thoughts.
“Just a few hours in the morning. I know how precious Saturdays are.”
Or, rephrased, she had surrendered to the fact that half the team took off the moment lunch hour hit anyway. This week they’d work on woodland-fire suppression. With the fire-threat index rising in the north woods, so did their need to prepare for forest fires near the town.
“Are you the lady fire chief I keep hearing about?” An elderly woman with a round, pleasantly lined face and a smile that felt like an embrace sat down next to Ellie. “Edith Draper. Welcome to Deep Haven.”
Ellie shook her hand. “Glad to be here,” she said, meaning every word. Especially when Dan looked across the room and riveted her with another wide smile. “Very glad.”
14
Leaves chased each other down the street, and the moon lit a path of heavenly brilliance along the boardwalk as Dan walked Ellie home. He’d deliberately parked at the far end of the beach so they could stroll the long way to the hotel. The fragrance of woodsmoke and the nip of an impatient winter tinged the air.
When they passed in and out of pools of golden lamplight, Dan stole glances at the woman beside him. She had her arms crossed, perhaps fighting a chill, and the smallest smile playing on her lips. Looking down as she walked, her expression seemed as if she was tossing around amusing thoughts inside that intricate mind of hers.
“Did I mention that you look incredible tonight?” Dan said, digging up words through his churning emotions.
She wore a lopsided smile. “A few dozen times. But don’t quit.”
He laughed. “Okay.” Somehow their friendship had taken a wild turn, and if he didn’t know better, he’d think Ellie was . . . reaching out to him. In a way that had his heart doing cartwheels. “Thanks for coming to the benefit.”
“Do you think they raised enough money?” She rubbed her hands on her arms. He debated, then in a burst of courage, put his arm around her.
She didn’t resist. He’d been right—she fit perfectly in the hollow of his one-armed embrace. He could barely keep his voice steady. “Yes. The Lord really opened hearts. I saw people there who only come down the trail once a year for supplies.”
“You’re kidding.”
Dan shook his head. “Ruby and her gang are special members of our community. I suspect they’ll be back in their home within the month.”
“Joe is a surprising fellow. I didn’t know he wrote the Jonah series. I read one once . . . something about Russia.”
“That would be Siberian Runaway. He actually went there and herded reindeer.”
“Amazing. He seems to have found a home here. Too bad about their baby.”
Dan’s hand moved up to her neck, tangling his fingers into her silky hair. “Yes. Mona’s taking it pretty hard, I think. I can’t help but feel I’m supposed to do something . . . I don’t know, to help her get through this. But I’m at a loss to know what.” He hadn’t realized how healing—or gut-wrenching—it would feel to admit his inadequacy aloud. He braced himself for indictment, but when she looked at him, he saw empathy.
“I’m sure it will come to you.”
He managed a one-sided smile of agreement, amazed at how much he wanted this woman in his life. Being with her felt more than just comfortable. It soothed the aches of his failures, balmed his empty places, and filled them with the tender caress of hope.
“Liza told me that she might not be able to have any children.”
Now that he didn’t know. “You and Liza are getting pretty close.”
She looked up at him, surprise in her gaze. “Yeah, I guess so. She’s . . . infectious.”
Dan laughed. “That’s a good word. It’ll be a strong and brave man who wins her heart.”
Ellie’s slow smile had him wondering exactly what she thought. “You’re not interested?”
He frowned slightly. “No. I guess I’m interested in . . . someone else.”
Her mouth formed a perfect, silent O before she quickly looked away. Even in the darkness, he saw the faint reddening of her face.
“Do you think I walk down the street with my arm around everyone I meet?”
The twitch in her expression told him he’d hit the mark. The wind left him briefly. “Ellie, wait. I hope I haven’t given you the wrong impression over the past month.”
She moved away from him. He touched her arm and stopped her. “You’re important to me.” He hooked his finger under her chin and gently tugged her gaze to his. The fear in her eyes turned his throat raw. “I should have told you that last week,” he said softly.
“You did.”
“Not like I wanted to. Not like this.”
He looked into her eyes, and before he could put a halt on his unleashed emotions, he leaned over and kissed her.
She tasted fresh and sweet, and as he wove his fingers into her hair, she trembled, just enough to let him know that his touch affected her. He started to move away, but she leaned forward and kissed him back. Kissed him back. He stepped closer, wanting to put his arms around her, but stopped when she put her hands on his chest. For a second he feared she’d push him away. Instead, she curled her hands into his shirt and held tight. He put one arm around her waist, the other around her shoulders, and she relaxed against him.
It made his heart soar clean out of his chest.
With more strength than he thought he had, he pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers. His breath felt hot in his throat, and he tried to hide how incredible it felt to hold this woman, this fireball, in his arms. Blinding. Terrifying. His chest nearly exploded with sheer joy as she let out a soft sigh.
“Well, I guess that’s not quite what I was expecting, but I like it,” she said softly.
He wanted to pick her up and twirl her. Ellie Karlson in his arms. Yes, oh yes. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how dark his world had been without her. “I’m sorry. I should have asked before I—”
“You have my permission.” Delight tinged her eyes.
He couldn’t help it. He kissed her again, and this time freed the emotions bottled in his chest. Time stopped as they stood just outside the bath of lamplight, with the moon and stars as their audience and the waves as sweet accompaniment to the emotion of the moment. When he pulled away, and this time put space between them, his pulse felt like it might send him skipping down the street.
She took a deep breath, but a smile graced her lips.
He cupped her face in his hands. “You’re beautiful. Have I told you that yet?”
She blushed. “No, I don’t think so.”
He laughed, full and loud and freeing. “Ellie, you’re . . .” He stopped. What? Amazing? A dream come true? “. . . unexpected.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Now that’s something I’ve never heard. Gutsy, stubborn, and a troublemaker, yes. But never unexpected.”
He let out a breath of relief. She was unexpected. He longed to give her more. Tonight she looked . . . feminine. Tomorrow, however, she’d be wearing her imitation of a man’s outfit and racing into danger again.
It didn’t sound like a match made in heaven. He tried not to let voices from the past filter into this delicate moment, but he couldn’t silence them as he slowly lowered his hands.
Tonight was a dream. He wouldn’t think about tomorrow.
He took her hand. “So, what are we going to do about . . . us?”
“Us?” she teased, but he heard the pleasure in her voice. They began to walk, his thumb rubbing her hand as he held it. Her grip was strong and solid, just as he would expect.
“Well, just so I make myself crystal clear . . . I don’t run around town kissing every pretty girl I meet.”
“Not a new evangelism technique?”
He laughed. “Hardly. Believe me, I’m not known as a ladies’ man.”
“Well, that’s good. I mean, a pastor has to make a few concessions.” Her expression was teasing when she stopped and faced him. “But in all seriousness, we need to make three rules.” She held up her fingers in a Girl Scout sign.
“Rules? We can’t live by grace?”
She grinned, shook her head. “Rule number one. At the firehouse, no hint of our, um . . . friendship. Aside from the fact that the guys would never let you live it down, all their respect for me would be shattered—”
“Ellie, I don’t think—”
“Number two.” She held up her hand to silence him. “Don’t protect me.”
He recognized the fierceness that lit her eyes and winced. “C’mon, just a little blocking? To keep you out of trouble.”
She glared at him. “Don’t mock me. I know you . . . or I think I do, and I have this gut feeling that getting into a relationship with me is going to seriously test your abilities to let me do my job. But—” she raised her finger and gave him a definite schoolmarm look—“if you can manage to keep those protective instincts under control, I’m willing to follow my heart a little bit here.”
“Follow your heart? Oh, I like the sound of that.” He grinned and moved to draw her closer. She put her hand on his chest to push him back, but she smiled, as if charmed. The thought of not swinging her into his arms or not keeping her out of the line of fire deflated his joy, just a little. How was he possibly going to follow rules one and two? By the grace of God, he supposed. He blamed the moonlight framing her face and the shine in her eyes for the way he nodded, stupidly agreeing. “And rule number three?”
Her smile faded, and sadness hued her eyes. “No promises.”
He felt as if he’d been punched right in the sternum. “What?”
She shook her head. “I can’t promise you tomorrow. I don’t know if I’ll get the job in this town, and if I don’t, I’ll need to move on.”
He tried not to let her words dig into the already wounded, soft tissue of his heart, but he wanted to let out a groan. Why did all the women he cared about prefer adventure over him? He took a deep breath and refused to nod. “Ellie, listen. I told you already, I don’t kiss just any pretty girl who gets close to me. That kiss meant something . . .” His throat tightened and, fearing what his idiotic mouth was about to commit him to, he reined in his words. “I mean . . . I know I don’t have a right to kiss you without a promise in pocket. But the intent is there. You’re more than unexpected. You’re a . . . a surprise. A good one. One that I think God intended.” Her eyes glistened in the soft light, beautiful and filled with unshed emotions. It bolstered his courage. “I was sorta hoping that . . . well, you felt that way too.”
Soft tears layered her eyelids, dripped onto her cheeks. “It did mean something to me.” But her tone didn’t match her sweet words. “Dan, I can’t stay in Deep Haven without a job. Firefighting is my life.” Her voice fell. “It’s all I have.”
He wanted to grab her up and plead with her. No, you have me. But he obviously wasn’t enough for a woman like Ellie. His throat burned as he locked those feelings in his chest and forced a nod, knowing that the woman he wanted was slipping through his fingers.
And he was allowing it. That realization ripped open all the old scabs, the old hurts. The old desperation.
Not again.
“Ellie, I understand. Well, not totally, but I’m trying to understand how much firefighting means to you. However—” he ran his fingers down her cheek and cupped her face in his hands—“will you let me try and talk you into sticking around Deep Haven? Please?”
She swallowed. Her indecision rattled through him, but he pinned his eyes on hers and searched them. He saw her longing and enough fear to make him wonder if yes, he could change her mind. Maybe. “I won’t make you promise. But let me try, okay?”
She closed her eyes and nodded.
He kissed her. And this time tasted the salt of her tears.
She swept her arms up around his neck and held him tight, long after the kiss ended. “I do like it here.”
“Here in my arms?” he murmured into her ear.
She sighed, deep and long, and he hoped that meant agreement.
“Ellie, can you hand me a bunch of those sixteen-penny nails?” Dan dropped his hammer into the slot on his tool belt and reached down from his perch on the ladder propped against the side of his house. Or at least the shell of the house. The structure had potential, however, with its four walls now standing and Dan finishing tacking the plywood to the roof joists.
Ellie crouched at the base of the ladder and picked up a rickety box holding nails as long as her finger. “These?”
“Yep.” Dan descended a step to grab the nails from her. “Thanks. I really appreciate your help today.”
Oh yeah, she was a huge asset. So far she’d managed to ram his thumb into the roofline while handing up a sheet of plywood, nearly toppled him off the ladder when she accidentally jostled it, and let her d
og gulp down the homemade brownies in Dan’s lunch bag. He should be thrilled she was here.
With his lopsided grin and the way those gray eyes twinkled whenever he looked in her direction, well, she just might buy his words. His devastating looks, coupled with the brilliant blue sky and the view of reddened maples, golden oak, and poplar trees gilding the hills surrounding his property, had convinced her that she’d spend every Sunday afternoon helping him build his dream cabin.
Unless, of course, those Sundays ended with an abrupt cancellation of her employment. Which might happen if she didn’t get to the bottom of the recent fires and if Romey’s daily telephone calls to her office were any indication.
The ladder squeaked as Dan descended. “Ready for another sheet of plywood?” He looked like a modern-day warrior this afternoon, obliterating the tidy-pastor image he’d accomplished this morning in his tweed jacket and dress pants. Now his blue thermal shirt, his worn blue jeans, and work boots turned him into a rogue construction worker, and a slight five o’clock shadow gave him a rough-edged look. The breeze played with his hair, turning it into a nest begging for a woman’s touch.
Ellie stuck her hands in her pockets and nodded.
“Great.” Dan grabbed his water bottle off the ledge of the open window frame and downed a gulp. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I think one more Sunday afternoon and I’ll have this place roofed in. I might hire one of the guys in town to do the shingling.”
Ellie ambled over to the stack of plywood, bent, and gripped her edge. “Why are you doing this by yourself? You should ask some of the guys at church to help you.”
Dan lifted his edge. “Got it?”
Ellie nodded, noting how he took the job of walking backward. Dan emanated chivalry with each step, yet he let her pitch in. The combination had the power to tangle her heart.
Will you let me try and talk you into sticking around Deep Haven? Please?
Yes, she was in deep trouble. Especially when she realized she’d spent a good chunk of time wondering where her keyboard might fit in the 28 x 52-foot bungalow and how nice it might be to play Chopin while overlooking the lush panorama of Lake Superior.
Deep Haven [03] The Perfect Match Page 16