by Katie Dowe
“One of the reasons why I decided not to adopt.”
“I thought you were still looking into it.”
“Brianna wants to but we are so busy, when would we find time to take care of a child?”
“If you really want the child, you would find the time to do so.”
“You are one to talk,” Kandy muttered. “You don’t even have a man.”
“What is it with you guys? First it was Marcia and then Delia and now you! Do I have to have a man to be happy?”
“Honey, you are asking the wrong person. I am into women.” Her sister told her dryly. “You need someone in your life, honey.”
“I have you and Karen and Khalif.”
“We all have significant others. You don’t.” She pointed out.
“Maybe I will find a gorgeous man on my vacation who will not mind putting up with a woman as independent as I am.”
“I hope you do.” Kandy said seriously. “I have to go, please be careful.”
*****
“I really appreciate you inviting me over for dinner, honey, but it is not like I am going away forever,” Kadine teased as her friend passed her the salad bowl. Her husband who was Chief resident at the local hospital lifted his head from some report he was reading and smiled at her. The children, Maria and Malik, both fourteen year old twins had gone up to their room to study for exams.
“I am expecting you to be incommunicado during the entire time there so I am getting in all the conversation from now.” Marcia told her looking at her warningly.
“You want me to turn off my phone during the entire time there?” Kadine looked at her incredulously as she crunched on the fresh lettuce.
“Exactly.” Marcia took her seat next to her friend and poured herself a glass of the red wine from the cooler. “Vacation means vacating everything that you have been attached to that contributes to raising your blood pressure and giving you dizzy spells.”
“Larry would you please talk to your wife?” Kadine demanded.
“I plead the fifth on this one,” he said with his lopsided smile, his dark brown eyes crinkling as he looked at both women. “You are on your own.”
“Coward,” Kadine muttered making a face that caused him to laugh. “I will leave you two ladies to it.” He came around and kissed his wife on the cheek gently and lingered as if he could not bear to leave her just yet. Kadine felt a sliver of envy going through her at the shared intimacy, which forced a smile on her face.
“Make sure you actually relax while you are there Kay,” he said as he ambled away.
“You can have that and more if you would just stop being so picky,” Marcia said as soon as her husband had left the room.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Kadine murmured as she sipped her wine.
“There is a doctor at Larry’s hospital that has been divorced for the past two years. I could introduce you.”
“No, thank you. I am not into dating someone’s reject.”
“He could be the one who rejected her.”
“Even worse!” she retorted. “Stop trying to set me up. It will happen eventually.”
“I hope so.”
Chapter 2
“Scott, I am afraid we have a dilemma,” Rosemarie Myles, manager for the health and vacation inns all over the country, said over the phone in her usual unhurried manner.
“I am sure it is something that you can sort out all by yourself,” Scott told her mildly as he sipped his coffee and glanced over the financial section of the papers before heading out. The snow had eased up somewhat and John had reported that there were several cattle that needed to be moved from the east section of the grounds.
“We had an influx of visitors in Angel’s wood last night due to the storm and I am afraid that we have no vacancy.”
“So what is the problem?”
“Our sole guest, Ms. Kadine Washington, who usually sends businesses our way is coming in as we speak and has nowhere to stay. We could not very well turn back the visitors.” She continued in a defensive tone. “I was wondering if you would allow her to stay at the farmhouse for a few days until we are clear.”
“You know how I feel about strangers invading my personal space Rosemarie,” he said in an exasperated tone.
“I know, Scott, but this woman has been loyal to us; we cannot very well tell her to turn back in this weather.”
Scott thought swiftly. The place was certainly big enough for one woman. She could be put into the royal suite which had two bedrooms, a bath, a sitting room and a small kitchenette although he was sure Patsy would not mind preparing her meals.
“Okay,” he drained his cup and set it on the table. “How is she getting here?”
“She is driving.” Her voice was grateful as she responded. “I will just call her and give her the directions to your place. Thanks Scott.”
“No problem,” he got to his feet and went to get his jacket and to tell his cousin to inform the staff that they were going to be having a houseguest.
*****
“This was definitely a mistake,” Kadine muttered as she made her way slowly through the piles of snow on the dirt road. Rosemarie had called her and told her about the changes and had apologized profusely saying that her cost would be cut in half. She had thought about it as a sign that was telling her not to go but had forced herself to tell her yes and that she understood. But now navigating her silver SUV along the road with the dark clouds hanging low in the sky, she was beginning to wonder if she had made a huge mistake! She had cracked the window at one point and had pulled in her breath sharply at the icy wind that had flashed inside causing her to bring up the window hurriedly. At least she would have no need to worry about peace and quiet, she thought wryly. It was like she was entering the cemetery!
She traveled a few more miles until she saw the turn off for the farmhouse. She looked in fascination at the smoke billowing upwards from an actual chimney. It was a throwback to an era that she was not familiar with. The farmhouse had been featured in several magazines of the rich and famous and could not exactly be called a farmhouse with its elegant simplicity combined with the old worldly exoticness. The gate was wide open and she drove up the long driveway that was cleared of snow until she got to the redwood front doors. There was a man waiting outside for her with his jacket wrapped around his brawny frame and a fur hat over his head and his ears. He walked swiftly out as the vehicle stopped and opened the door for her. “Welcome miss,” he beamed at her, his chocolate dark face pleasant and friendly. “Let me get your bags. The boss said I should make sure you arrive safely. Miss Patsy is waiting inside to show you to where you are going to be staying.”
“Thank you Mr.–” she looked at him enquiringly.
“Just call me Jack, please.” He said with a grin as he opened the back to get her things.
The living room was massive with a fire cackling cheerfully in the hearth giving the place a warm glow. A tall homely looking woman with black hair pulled back severely from her face came forward to greet her.
“Ms. Washington, welcome to Apple Farm.” Her dark blue eyes were kind as she extended a slender hand. “My name is Patsy.”
“Thank you.” Kadine looked around the elegant homely hall and commented. “For a minute there I thought I was given the wrong directions. It is pretty remote, isn’t it?’
“We have a community right here,” Patsy said with a nod. “There was a storm yesterday so everybody is staying in today.” She turned and looked at a maid hovering in the doorway. “It is now after twelve so I am sure you are hungry. We prepare the best roast beef sandwich in the surrounding areas and some hot chocolate with cow’s milk will do the trick.”
“Sounds yummy,” Kadine said with a wide smile causing the woman to stare at her for a moment.
“Let me show you to your suite.” She turned away and Kadine followed her along a winding passageway. She caught a glimpse of several rooms with different colors and paintings on the walls. There were
no carpets to sink your feet into but shiny hardwood floors and colorful throw mats all around. She opened a door in front of her and indicated that Kadine preceded her. She stepped in and could not stop the gasp from escaping her. Kadine was used to elegance because she had been to many hotels and guesthouses to check out the accommodations first hand, but the sitting room she was shown into had much more than elegance — it had class that surpassed all the ones she had seen. It was painted in a pale shell pink and the furnishings were delicate white. There was a small fireplace with silk sofas lined up in front of it. She followed Patsy into the bedroom and felt her heart accelerating at the loveliness there. It was a blush red decor with an enormous bed that took up most of the space. The windows were floor to ceiling and she could see the snow on the ground for miles away.
“You can see outside but no one can see inside,” Patsy told her as she went over to the window.
“It’s so lovely,” she murmured. “Do you get many guests here?”
“No. Scott likes his privacy.”
“I will make sure to keep out of his way,” Kadine turned back to her with a smile.
“Get freshened up and I will send someone with the lunch.” She paused and looked at Kadine for a moment, taking in her skin tight denims and bulky dark blue sweater and knee length boots before continuing. “We serve dinner at seven. If you like you could join us or have something served in here.”
“I will let you know I feel like sleeping until the cock crows in the morning.” She grinned at the woman showing very white teeth against her pale lip gloss. “I have a feeling that cocks do crow in these parts.’
“They do.” Patsy nodded with a glimmer of a smile before leaving.
Kadine waited until the woman had closed the doors before going exploring. The bathroom was enchanting! There was a large shower install, a claw foot bath that was large enough to hold maybe four people with double sinks. Instead of the usual mats, there were dazzling white towels strewn around the cobbled floor. She had glimpsed the kitchenette and noticed the small patio around the back. With a wide smile she pulled off her clothes and got ready to sample the many tubes of bath splashes displayed on a table near the bath!
*****
“Our guest arrived earlier,” Patsy commented as she cut into the delicate sliver of roast beef she and the cook had prepared, savoring the texture of it with satisfaction.
“What?” Scott looked up from his meal with a slight frown on his forehead.
“Our guest, Ms. Washington.”
“You did not invite her for dinner?”
“I did but she wanted to take the time to sleep.” She crunched into her fresh vegetables liking the homemade dressing she had made to go with the roast beef. “She is beautiful.”
Scott looked at his cousin in amusement as he leaned back in his chair. “Are you by any chance trying to set me up with our guest?”
“Not at all,” she said with a smile. “I am just making an observation. She is a very beautiful woman and she seems nice.”
“I will bear that in mind.” He smiled at her. “So she found the place okay?”
“She commented on the isolation.”
Scott nodded. It had never bothered him to be in the middle of nowhere so to speak. He loved the fact that they were not near to any neighbors. Whenever he felt like a night out, he would take his private plane and head on into town where he had an apartment and spend a night or two and visit the club he was a member of. But this was his home and he was very comfortable here. “Do you miss living in a big town?”
Patsy looked at him in surprise. “I would not trade living here for anything,” she said stoutly.
“I was thinking of having a party in April and inviting the neighboring farmers.” Scott commented as he sipped his wine.
“Just let me know so that I can prepare the menu,”
“I will.” He smiled at the woman who had made his home her own and had made things easier for him. He changed the subject and told her about the break in one of the fences and the mare was looking to foal sometime tomorrow. Patsy listened attentively pleased that such a powerful man as this was sharing his work with her.
*****
Kadine knew she had turned in too early. She had eaten the delicious meal and had watched a black and white movie on the large flat screen television in the sitting room and then had gone to bed dropping into a deep sleep as soon as her head hit the soft fluffy pillows and was just waking up. She turned to look at the bedside clock and saw that it was only two a.m. and she was wide awake. Maybe she would watch some more television to pass the time until she nodded off to sleep. She got up and reaching for her robe to pull on over her pyjamas, she headed into the sitting room. She sat there and channel surfed for a few minutes before deciding that there was nothing she wanted to watch. She put away the remote and went into the small kitchenette to investigate the pantry. She suddenly had the urge for a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate. Search of the pantry revealed that there was nothing like that there. She worried her bottom lip as she wondered if she should take the chance and go on to the main kitchen to find what she needed. It was almost three a.m. now; surely the occupants of the household were all in bed by now!
She pulled her robe around her body and decided to take the chance. There was a light left on in the hallway and allowed her to see where she was going. She remembered passing the kitchen on her way to her suite and found her way into the large ultramodern kitchen. A light was left on over the stove allowing her to see the clean and care that they had put into the place. The island had stools placed around the marble counter and in the middle was a table like surface that allowed people to sit for a meal. Kadine ran her fingers over the smooth marble counter feeling the coolness of the tiles. She was so absorbed in the feel of it that she never heard when he came inside the doorway.
“Should I charge you additional for coming in here so late at night?” a deep voice sounded behind her causing her to jump!
Kadine turned around slowly and found a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach at the sight of the tall ruggedly handsome man in front of her. His wheat blonde hair was tousled as if he had just risen from sleep and there was a stubble on his jaw. His deep blue eyes were identical to Patsy and she realized that they were related. He was tall, much taller than she was and was lean and muscled in his t-shirt and loose sweat pants. “I am Scott Taylor,” he extended a hand for her to take.
Kadine went forward and took his large hand which swallowed her slim one. “Kadine Washington. I was not snooping, I swear,” she tilted her head and looked up at him. “I wanted hot chocolate and I came searching. I hope I am not in breach of some guest etiquette.”
“I am sure we can look past that.” He held her hand a little longer than necessary as he stared into her dark brown eyes. She took her hand away and stepped back a little feeling almost swamped by his presence. “Let’s see,” he went over to a cupboard and opened it starting inside with a contemplative look on his lean handsome face. “How about instant? Patsy makes the best homemade hot chocolate I ever tasted but I never asked her for the recipe.” He said turning to give her an enchanting smile.
“Instant will do.” She sat on one of the stools and watched as he warmed some water and got out two mugs showing that he was familiar with the kitchen. She had seen his pictures in the papers a lot and realized that he looked far more handsome in person. “You have a habit of wandering around in the middle of the night?” she found herself asking him.
He passed her the cup and sat opposite to her, his dark blonde brows lifting. “I am,” he said with a smile as he sipped the hot chocolate. “How about you?”
“I am afraid that your very comfortable bed beckoned to me too early and I woke up and could not sleep. This is good by the way.”
“Thanks. So how do you like it so far?”
“It’s remote and I am not used to remote, but I have been threatened by my doctor to take the time off and get some peace and quiet. It’
s like a fairytale in winter.”
“That’s quite an interesting analogy,” he murmured with a twinkle in his eyes. “You just came up with it?”
“Just this minute,” she said with a laugh causing him to stare at her mouth feeling something stir inside him. “I sat in the bedroom looking through the window at the snow glowing white on the ground.”
“Why were you threatened by your doctor?” he asked her casually. His hot chocolate was down to the last drop but there was a certain reluctance to stop talking to her.
“I am overworked and I have been having dizzy spells for the past two weeks. She is not only my doctor she is also my best friend so she can afford to take certain privileges.”
“I see,” he stared at her, his eyes roaming her beautiful face that was free of makeup. “I will be going up into the hills in the morning to take a look around. How about coming with me?” he heard himself suggesting.
“I would love that,” she said looking at him quizzically. “Are you sure I won’t be in the way?”
“As long as you keep very quiet,” he said with a straight face.
“I can do that,” she whispered with a smile. She got to her feet and he did the same. “Thanks for the drink. Should we wash up?”
“I will take all the blame for an untidy kitchen,” he told her lightly wishing that she would stay for a few more minutes. Her robe had gaped open revealing the lace camisole she had on and glimpses of her breasts.
“You are too kind,” she turned to leave and then turned back. “Nice meeting you Scott Taylor.”
“Nice meeting you, too, Kadine Washington. I leave at six a.m.” he laughed at the horrified expression on her face.
“I hope I can get up.” She waved and then disappeared.
He was tempted to go and watch her leave but forced himself to stay put. Patsy was right! She was certainly beautiful and had behaved as if she knew him a long time ago. He was used to women coming on to him because of his looks and who he was but she had treated him as one of the guys and for the first time in his life he found he did not like that.