by Ruth Langan
She dropped the pins in her pocket and placed the last carefully folded sheet into the basket. Then she walked over to the fence to pick up the purring cat and bury her face in its fur. “I’ve missed you, you old rascal. I’m so happy you stopped by to visit. I get worried when I don’t see you for a while. The same way I worry over Loretta. I’m glad you two have each other. Nobody should be alone.”
Colin wondered if he’d only imagined the wistful note in her voice.
She placed the cat back on the fence rail, then lifted the basket. When she turned, she saw Colin and hesitated before moving toward him.
“I didn’t hear you drive in.”
“You were too busy talking to your visitor.”
She laughed. “That’s old Brandi. She’s close to twenty now. But she can still make it to the top of the fence. Though I suspect her eyesight isn’t what it once was.”
“Does she live with your elderly neighbor, Loretta?”
“She does.” Lizbeth laughed. “And if Loretta heard you call her elderly, she’d take a broom to you the same way she does to Brandi when that little scamp knocks over the flowerpots.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He reached for the basket. “I’ll take that.”
“It isn’t heavy. Just bulky.” But after a weak protest she relinquished it and walked along beside him. At the back door she held it open while he carried the basket of linens inside and set it atop the dryer.
“Isn’t it a lot of work to hang these when you have a clothes dryer?”
She shrugged. “It may be a bit more work, but it’s worth it. There’s just something about the springtime. Everything smells so good.”
He bent close to the basket and inhaled, then nodded. “Yeah. They smell like…”
“Like spring,” she finished for him.
Though he nodded, he realized that what he’d really meant was that they smelled like her. So fresh and clean he wanted to keep on breathing her in until he was filled with her scent. Instead, he turned away. “Guess I’d better shower before dinner.”
When he walked away Lizbeth began stacking the sheets. She’d managed to stay busy all day, without thinking about him once. Well, she corrected, maybe twice. Then, because she couldn’t lie even to herself, she had to admit that she’d thought about him at least half a dozen times. But the image in her mind wasn’t nearly as potent as the one she’d seen when she’d turned and found him watching her just now in the yard. He looked so pleased from a day of satisfying work. Dark hair mussed. Clothes damp and sweaty and plastered to him. A growth of five o’clock shadow on his lower face that only added to his charm. And that probing stare guaranteed to make a woman shiver.
She carried the folded sheets upstairs. As she passed Colin’s room she heard the stereo playing, and heard him singing above the sound of running water. She stored the clean sheets in the linen closet and turned away. As she descended the stairs she found herself smiling and humming along.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard the sound of a man singing in the shower in Stafford Cottage.
Colin made his way to the library and poured himself a drink. Tonight the music playing softly was classical. He recognized Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. He thought about starting a book, and scanned the titles, looking for a good thriller. But though the shelves were stocked with several he’d been meaning to read, he found himself restless, turning often toward the door, hoping to see Lizbeth. When she didn’t appear, he picked up his tumbler and made his way to the kitchen.
She was just setting a covered platter on the serving cart. She looked up in surprise. “I’m sorry. I’ll bet you’re hungry.”
“No. I just wondered if you were going to join me in the library.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “I thought you might like some time alone to unwind after a day of work.”
“What I really want is company.” He held up his tumbler. “Would you like something to drink before dinner?”
She started to refuse, then thought better about it. “All right. There’s some wine chilling in the dining room. If you’d like to open it, I’ll have a glass.”
He returned within minutes and handed her a glass of white wine.
While she sipped he looked around. There was a pleasant clutter to the kitchen. A roasting pan soaking in the sink. Cruets of oil and vinegar standing beside a salad bowl. A carving knife and long-handled fork, as well as a pair of oven mitts.
“Looks like you’ve been busy.”
“Yes. Well…” She wished he wouldn’t stand so close. It made thinking difficult. “I had a visit with Loretta Mayfair. Since she doesn’t get out much, I had to fill her in on the latest town news. Then I took her shopping list along since I was heading to the village market. When I delivered her groceries and put them away, she insisted I stay for tea. That set me back a bit, but I know how much it means to her to have company, so I stayed as long as I could. Then I worked in my garden and did the laundry.”
“And on top of all that, you had to make dinner.”
She smiled. “Dinner is the easy part. I love to cook.”
“It shows. I think you should know that the lunch you sent made me the envy of all my crew.”
“Really?”
He could see the flush of pleasure on her cheeks. He had an almost irresistible desire to lean close and press a kiss to the spot. Instead he tightened his hand on his drink. “Yeah. The rest of them had to settle for fast food. It didn’t come close to those roast beef sandwiches on home-baked bread, or the little container of pasta salad. I only got to eat two of those ginger cookies. The rest were devoured by my crew before I could stop them. I ought to warn you. They’re taking bets on what I’ll bring tomorrow. And figuring out how to get it away from me.”
She laughed. “I think you’re exaggerating. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I had to imagine what a hardworking man would want.”
“Then you have an excellent imagination, Lizbeth.”
If he only knew what that imagination had been doing to her all day.
When the buzzer sounded on the stove, she was relieved to move away. Just standing close to him had her uneasy.
She lifted the roasting pan from the oven and called over her shoulder, “If you’d like to pour yourself some wine, I’ll serve in the dining room in a few minutes.”
She noticed that he was smiling broadly as he walked away, and had the feeling that once again he’d read her mind.
“I think maybe I ought to be concerned.” Colin set aside his napkin and refused a second slice of apple pie.
“About what?” Lizbeth looked up from the serving cart where she was loading dishes.
“I’ve eaten more in two days than I usually eat in a week. At this rate, by the time I leave Stafford, I may have to ride in the back of my truck.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t worry. With your job, I’m sure you’ll manage to work it off.”
As she started out of the dining room he surprised her by trailing along. At her questioning look he merely smiled. “I thought I’d start working it off right now.”
When he opened the dishwasher she lifted a hand to stop him. “Wait, Colin. You can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You should be in the library reading or relaxing, not working. You’re a paying guest.”
“All the more reason to indulge me, Lizbeth. I don’t want to read a book, or watch television or a video. I’d much prefer the pleasure of your company here in the kitchen.”
“All right, then. Have a second cup of coffee while I do my work.”
“Sorry.” He began loading the dishwasher. “It’s really all your fault. You make this look like such fun I feel like I’m missing out on something.” He shot her a wicked smile as she began to wrap the leftovers. “I hope you saved enough of that roasted chicken for tomorrow’s lunch.”
She couldn’t help laughing. “There’s more than enough.”
With the two of them working together
the kitchen chores were done in no time. When Lizbeth finished putting away the last pan, she turned to find Colin holding two glasses of wine.
“There seemed no point in saving this.” As he handed her a stem glass, he felt the warmth of her touch. “I noticed a glider on the front porch. As long as it’s so mild out tonight, why don’t we sit out there?”
They walked along the hallway, past the parlor, to the front door. Colin held the door and Lizbeth led the way across the porch to the glider.
As they settled side by side, he breathed deeply. The spring air was heavy with the perfume of peonies and lilacs. “Oh, this is nice.”
“It is, isn’t it?” She sipped her wine, then lifted her gaze to the inky sky, awash with millions of glittering stars. “I remember my Grandpa Sully telling me that that star—” she pointed “—the one at the tip of the handle of the Big Dipper, was his star. If I ever wanted anything, all I had to do was look up, find that star and make a wish, and he would tip that dipper my way and spill all my wishes into my lap.”
“Sounds like a very generous grandfather.”
“He is. He’d give my sisters and me the moon if he could.” Lizbeth chuckled, remembering. “He used to say that he knew what we wanted even before we did. And more often than not, he was right. It’s odd. I’d settled nicely into the routine of managing one hotel after another, and I knew he was pleased with my work. But out of the blue he sent me here to New Hampshire to check out a hotel he wanted to buy for our chain. That’s when I happened upon this cottage and fell in love with it. Until that moment I hadn’t even known how weary I was of traveling the world. But I knew instantly that I wanted to sink down roots here. I’ve always wondered if Grandpa Sully had a hand in it, or if it was simply fate.” She sighed. “I suppose I’ll never know. But knowing my grandfather, he’ll manage to take the credit.”
Colin’s hand was along the back of the glider. He could feel the brush of her hair. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to twine a curl around his finger. “He must love you a lot.”
She could feel him playing with the ends of her hair. She wondered if he knew what that did to her nerves. “He does.”
“I can see why.”
At the gruffness of his voice she turned to find his face so close to hers she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
“Don’t, Colin.”
Her eyes were wide. He could see the glint of starlight reflected in them. It made her even more enticing. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t kiss me.”
He heard the way her voice trembled slightly. “You know I want to.”
“I know. But I’m not…ready.”
She could feel the tension humming through him. Could almost sense the way he mulled it over in his mind.
“All right.” He drained his wine to soothe his dry throat. Then he touched a hand to her cheek before he drew it away and got to his feet. “Good night, Lizbeth.”
“Good night.”
She stayed where she was, listening as he crossed the porch and let himself in the front door.
As the silence of the night closed in around her, she realized that though he’d given in to her request without an argument, there was no sense of satisfaction. She ought to feel relieved. Instead, she felt oddly deflated.
She had her wish. And she found herself, as always, alone.
She leaned her head back and stared at the stars, fighting unexpected tears.
Chapter 4
Lizbeth latched the gate behind her and started up the street. She’d meant to get an earlier start, but her visit with her neighbor, Loretta, had taken considerably longer than she’d expected.
She closed her hand around the piece of paper in her pocket. It contained a list of errands she was determined to complete before dinner.
She liked lists. Liked being able to cross off items, as they were completed. It gave her a sense of satisfaction. A sense of accomplishment. It was probably what made her so good at operating a bed-and-breakfast. No matter how many guests filled her rooms, she was able to manage the food, the laundry, the cleaning and all the little extras that went into making their stay as luxurious as possible.
It was one of those near-perfect spring days. Though there was still a bite in the air, the sunshine made the day seem warmer. A fresh breeze caught tendrils of her hair, yanking curls from the combs anchoring them and whipping them around her cheeks. The hem of her spring-green skirt stopped just shy of her ankles, and was slit on either side to her knee to allow for walking. The breeze teased it with each step. The short-cropped yellow cardigan was just warm enough to fight the chill when she passed beneath the awnings of the shops along Main Street.
On a whim she veered from her path and followed the street that meandered into the residential section of town. For a week now Colin had been talking about the work he was doing at the Yardley house. She wanted to see for herself.
Even before the house and yard came into view she could hear the whine of an electric saw and the steady sound of hammering. When she reached the curving driveway, she stopped and lifted a hand to her forehead to shield the sun from her eyes. She was startled to hear her name.
“Beth.” Sue Yardley waved a hand. “Come on in and see what we’re up to.”
“All right.” Lizbeth started up the drive, aware that Colin was standing on the front porch with Bill Yardley. Both men turned to watch her. “Just for a minute. I don’t want to keep you from whatever you were doing.”
“We were just showing Colin what we wanted to change here at the front entrance.” Sue Yardley met her halfway and tucked her arm through Lizbeth’s. “Bill and I seem to have a new idea every day.”
“Hello, Beth.” When they reached the top step Bill Yardley leaned over to brush a kiss on Lizbeth’s cheek.
While she returned his greeting, she could feel Colin watching her.
Bill Yardley slapped Colin’s arm. “We’re so glad you were able to put this guy up at your place, Beth. He’s a miracle worker. Wait till you see what he’s doing with this old place.”
Bill led the way inside, with the others trailing. Colin lagged slightly behind, enjoying the way Lizbeth looked, her cheeks pink, her hair mussed. He itched to touch her. Instead, he kept his hands tucked into his back pockets.
Just past the entrance foyer, a drop cloth covered the hall floor, and an entire wall was gone. Several workmen were busy drilling, sawing, hammering.
Bill Yardley had to shout over the noise. “When Colin’s finished in here, we’ll have a great room big enough to accommodate our family without spilling out into the dining room and kitchen.”
Sue Yardley sounded ecstatic. “You know what our Fourth of July parties are like.” She turned to Colin. “Who would know better? I always ask Beth to do most of the cooking. Now that you’ve had a sample, I’m sure you understand why.”
He nodded, but before he could get a word in she went on in that same breathless voice, “Of course he knows. I’ve seen the lunches you’ve been packing for him. Makes the rest of his crew crazy when they’re stuck with fast food, or whatever I can scrape up.” Without a pause she said, “Won’t it be grand when Bill and I can put up the whole family in here without feeling like sardines?”
Lizbeth nodded. “You’re going to love it, Sue.”
“Now you have to see this.” Taking advantage of his wife’s break in the conversation Bill led the way to another room, where carpet had been rolled back to reveal beautiful hardwood floors. “Look.” He pointed. “We had no idea we had such hidden treasures. It took Colin to unearth it.”
Lizbeth turned to him. “How did you know what you’d find?”
“Just an educated guess. Most of these old homes have all kinds of treasures that have been covered up through the ages. Usually it starts with a fad. Wall-to-wall carpeting that everyone has to have. Or wallpaper that is pasted over wonderful old coved ceilings. When you start paring down, you either find trash or treasure.”
She turned to Lizbeth. “You really ought to consider keeping Colin on when he’s through with our place so he could start on your renovations.”
Colin shot her a quizzical look. “You’re thinking of making some changes?”
She shrugged. “Just a few walls I thought I’d like to take down. Nothing as major as this.”
“You’ll have to show me some time.”
She nodded. “All right.”
It occurred to her that the house had grown quiet. Could the workmen be finished for the day?
“Oh, Beth. You haven’t seen our other addition.” Sue steered her into a cozy back room where a fat white-and-black cat lay in a basket. Climbing over the cat and spilling onto the floor were half a dozen tiny balls of fluff.
“Oh, Sue. Millie had her kittens.” Lizbeth dropped to her knees and began petting them. At once they all began vying for her attention, struggling to climb into her lap, nipping at her finger.
Bill exchanged a glance with his wife. “I wish we could talk you into taking one of them home with you when they’re old enough. We need to find them all loving homes.”
Lizbeth was already getting to her feet, shaking down her skirts. “You know better than to ask, Bill.”
“Yeah. So you’ve told me. But just because your last attempt at a pet failed is no reason not to try again.”
“It’s reason enough for me. I cried over that lost kitten for weeks.”
Bill glanced at his watch. “We promised Bill Jr. we’d make it to his game, Sue. We’d better go.”
He shook hands with Colin and brushed another kiss over Lizbeth’s cheek before turning away.
Sue caught Lizbeth’s hands. “Promise you’ll come back in a few weeks and see the results of all Colin’s work.”
“I promise. I wouldn’t miss it.”
When the two were gone Lizbeth started to turn away. “I’m really sorry. I never meant to keep you from your work this long.”