Nora's Guy Next Door

by Jo McNally

His forehead creased, but he nodded. “He was an ugly sucker, too. Maybe this was one of his relatives setting a trap for me.”

  Her laughter bubbled up again. There was something hysterically charming about Asher Peyton believing the same theory she did—that spiders always got revenge.

  “You’re kinda my hero right now—you know that, right?”

  He handed her the walking stick he’d created. “Hero? For what? Humiliating myself in front of you?”

  “No, although that was entertaining.” His eyes narrowed, but his mouth slanted into a smile. “You’re a hero because you saved me from a spider when you were probably just as afraid of it as I was. Isn’t that one of the classic definitions of courage—acting brave when you’re really afraid?”

  “Would you please stop using the word afraid in reference to me? My manhood can’t take it.” He pointed up the trail. “I’m no hero, Nora. Start hiking.”

  She did as he asked, but smiled the entire time. He was braver than he knew. The trail brought them to a small clearing with a hulking boulder in the middle of it. There were rocks everywhere in these mountains, of course, but this was larger than most—the size of a motor home. It was only partially exposed, half buried in the mountainside, which continued to rise above them, more stone than soil at this point.

  Nora bent and put her hands on her thighs, trying not to wheeze out loud. She hoped Asher wasn’t going to ask her to climb any farther, since it looked like it might require actual rock-climbing skills.

  His hand rested gently on her back, his fingers working into her aching muscles.

  “We’re here.”

  She straightened, looking up at the mountain.

  “And where exactly is ‘here’?”

  “The Kissing Rock.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Why would anyone climb all the way up here just to kiss?”

  “Turn around.”

  “Oh!” What little breath she had in her was taken away by the view. They were high on the mountain, looking almost straight down to Gallant Lake, which glittered in the sunlight. The town was to the left, and she could see the resort and the stone towers of Halcyon. She spotted the top of Asher’s log house below, the dark green roof standing out as a sharp geometric shape in the midst of all the natural beauty.

  “Oh, Asher! It’s incredible!” She was whispering. It felt like being in church, as if the surroundings commanded that kind of reverence. His arm rested on her shoulders.

  “Yes, it is.” He wasn’t looking at the vista in front of them. He was staring at her with a heat in his blue eyes she’d never seen before. It was more than desire. He pulled her in close and planted a kiss on her forehead.

  “But why did you name this the Kissing Rock? Why not call it the Scenic Overlook Rock?”

  “It’s been called the Kissing Rock for generations. Kids sneak up here and sit on the rock to take in the view and spoon, or make out, or hook up, depending on the generation.”

  “So they have to climb through your land to get here?”

  “No, there’s an old logging road that comes up most of the way, and they walk over from there. And it’s not my land. Your cousin and her husband own it. Blake bought most of the mountain a few years ago to protect the town from a casino developer.” He took her hand and led her toward the boulder.

  “I remember. He originally wanted the casino, but Amanda convinced him it would ruin the charm of Gallant Lake.” Asher was helping her up the short, steep path to the top of the rock. The view was even more spectacular up there, but scarier, too. It felt as though they were standing on a cliff’s edge, with the mountain falling away at their feet. Nora pointed to a mountain well to the north, with wide trails winding down through the trees. “What is that?”

  “That’s Hunter Mountain. Michael gives snowboarding lessons there in the winter.” He frowned. “Apparently it’s where he and Becky met.”

  She avoided that conversational land mine and pointed to a mountain closer to them, directly across the lake. It had similar trails winding through the trees, but they were more narrow and overgrown. “Is that another ski resort?”

  “It used to be, but it’s been closed for a while now. I heard it’s for sale, but it would take a fortune to bring it back.”

  They sat on the rock, which had been warmed by the sun. He was looking at the lake, seemingly lost in thought.

  “Do you come up here often?”

  He hesitated, then shook his head.

  “I haven’t been up here since Dylan died.”

  She waited for him to work through whatever was going through his head.

  “The boys used to love coming up here. The three of us would climb the trail and sometimes go a little farther up the rock face.” His eyes warmed. “Michael was always a natural at rock climbing, and he’d go so far up Dylan and I would lose sight of him. He’d have to whistle the entire time so we’d know he was okay.” Nora smiled, thinking of the way Michael often whistled to himself.

  “Thank you for bringing me here, Asher.”

  He nodded absently, his mind clearly still on memories of the boys. “We’ll take our time going down. You’ll probably be aching tomorrow.”

  They stood to leave, but she stopped him, resting her hand on his chest. “Wait—we haven’t kissed. And this is the Kissing Rock, right?”

  His melancholy faded and he started to smile again. “Aren’t we a little old for making out on the Kissing Rock?”

  “If we weren’t too old for floor sex, we’re definitely not too old for this.” She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. His arms wrapped around her and tightened. He deepened the kiss until their tongues were having a spirited dueling match. He lifted her off the ground, then nipped her bottom lip.

  “You’re not afraid someone will see us?” He liked to tease her about wanting to keep their relationship on the down low.

  “I think we’re safe up here today. Are you ready for some rock sex?”

  “I vote for bed sex this time. Let’s head back to my place. I’ll sneak you in the back door.” He was referring to his apartment in town, not the mountain house, which was still unfinished. It had been ten days since they spent an afternoon on the floor by the hearth, and they hadn’t been back up to that bedroom since then. But they’d spent plenty of time in the bedrooms above their shops in town. He was going to have to deal with the unfinished business at the house and in his heart eventually. But when he started trailing kisses down the side of her neck, she decided that could wait for another day.

  “Bed sex sounds like a great idea.”

  * * *

  “SO, THIS FIGURE includes the staircase and the metal railing, and the sculpture your friend is going to make?” Blake was studying Asher’s estimate. “And you can have it done in time for the golf tournament in a few months?”

  Asher nodded. “The quote covers everything, including installation. You’ve got a big charity tournament happening here, right?”

  “Yes. Amanda’s cousin Bree started a foundation to benefit veterans. She wants to do a fund-raiser here as her first major event, and my lovely bride said yes before letting me in on the plans.” Blake winked. “You’ll find the Lowery girls are good at getting their way.”

  “Yeah, I’m beginning to sense that.”

  The fact that he was here in Blake’s home office while Nora and Amanda giggled in the kitchen over dinner preparations was a prime example. He’d had no desire to turn this business meeting into a date night, but when Nora heard he had the quote ready, she’d promptly announced they had to have dinner with the Randalls.

  As Michael had so bluntly pointed out, Asher didn’t do family dinners. And yet here he was, making small talk with Nora’s family. He’d been chafing at her insistence on keeping their relationship some big secret. But she’d b
een adamant, especially after old Mrs. Townsend said something to her in town about dating “the woodworker” so soon after moving here.

  If he pushed her, he was afraid she’d give in to her worries about the family entanglements and end things. He wasn’t ready to lose her, even if it might be the logical and inevitable conclusion to what they were doing. So if she wanted to go public, at least in the confines of her cousin’s home, he wasn’t going to complain.

  He wondered how much Blake knew about their relationship. After all, Blake was married to the woman who’d been discussing floor sex with Nora. His face heated. How many details had Amanda shared with her husband? Blake burst into loud laughter, jolting Asher out of his drifting thoughts.

  “Holy shit, man, are you blushing right now? You’d best get over that if you’re sticking with Nora. Trust me, there are no secrets between those girls. And I mean no secrets, if you catch my drift.”

  Asher didn’t answer right away, caught on five words...if you’re sticking with Nora. He wanted to stick, but he didn’t know if he had it in him to start all over again. And then there was the whole mess with their children hating them right now, no matter how quiet they’d kept their activities.

  Becky hadn’t been back to work at the café, although Nora said she stopped by occasionally. It was enough to give Nora hope, but Asher was skeptical. Michael was avoiding his father, as he had ever since Asher offered to pay his way to Stanford at Christmas. He frowned. That no longer seemed like such a great solution to the baby problem. The baby was due in two months, and he didn’t like the thought of Michael leaving at this point. He should probably tell Michael that.

  Blake shook his head. “You’re in that I-don’t-know-what-the-hell-just-hit-me phase, aren’t you? She’s got you spinning in circles and swatting at moonbeams, right? Falling when you absolutely don’t want to fall?”

  Asher barked out a laugh, thinking about the moment at the Kissing Rock just four days ago, when he’d looked at Nora, smiling up at him as if they didn’t have a worry in the world, with Gallant Lake sparkling behind her. A long-forgotten emotion had flared up inside him then, and it was taking all of his strength to ignore it.

  “That about covers it, yeah.”

  “I get it. The Cousins...” Blake raised his fingers into air quotes. “I always refer to the four of them in capital letters, like a secret society. The Cousins have the power to knock a man right to his knees. Amanda turned all my business and personal plans upside down with one toss of those pretty blond curls. She’s a lot like Nora, small but mighty, you know?”

  Yes, Asher knew.

  “And Bree and Melanie are a lot alike—successful women chasing after the wrong things. Bree figured it out when she met Cole, but Mel’s still a work in progress.” He clapped Asher on the back. “Buckle up, buttercup, because if you’re going after a Lowery woman, you’re in for a wild ride.”

  “Daddy! Daddy!”

  A two-foot-tall version of Amanda toddled into the paneled office, smiling with her arms upraised. A halo of white-blond curls surrounded her face. Asher took a step back as Blake scooped up his daughter and swung her through the air.

  “Hey, Maddie! How’s my favorite girl?”

  “I thought I was your favorite girl.” Amanda was laughing, standing in the doorway with Nora. She walked over to join her husband and daughter, but Nora stayed still, staring at Asher with a hungry fire in her eyes.

  There was something else in her gaze. Something deeper. He’d noticed that look a few times. She was looking at him like he was her everything. With a shock, he realized how much he wanted to be exactly that.

  “Oh, Blake, look how cute they are, gazing into each other’s eyes like we’re not standing right here.” Amanda giggled. “Come on, you two lovebirds. Let’s have a drink before dinner.”

  Asher took Nora’s hand when he reached her, and they walked to the solarium off the main salon. He’d been to the Randalls’ historic home before, and the place never failed to appeal to his builder’s soul.

  Built at the turn of the last century, it was an actual stone castle, complete with turrets and towers—one of many built by the rich throughout the Catskills and Adirondacks back then. Few still existed, and fewer still were actual family homes like Halcyon.

  As an interior designer, Amanda had worked miracles with a place that had been long abandoned and faced demolition. Now it glowed with golden marble floors and polished mahogany ceilings, the rooms full of color and comfort.

  “We have all our family meals out here.” Amanda gestured to the glass-walled solarium. “It’s more comfy than the big dining table. Honey, could you open the wine?”

  It was all so normal, despite the elegant surroundings. A family meal, with the Randall children, Zach and Maddie, joining them. Laughter and conversation swirled around him while they ate.

  Asher did his best to keep up. Did his best to smile and nod and participate. But Nora had been right the other day when she told him his social skills were so rusty they squeaked. Sure, he and Michael used to have meals together. They’d usually talk about sports or movies. He and Dan grabbed a pizza once in a while. And he and Nora shared dinner every night these days.

  But two people was much different than six. He wasn’t used to the ebb and flow of affectionate jokes and shared stories that filled the room. And there were children here. And one was a boy of twelve. The same age as Dylan when...

  Nora’s hand landed on his and squeezed. He turned to face her, blinking rapidly, trying to smile. The understanding in her eyes made his scalp prickle with shame. He was a basket case, and the fact that she knew it just made it worse. Zach was telling a story about something he and his friends did on the school bus, and Nora leaned in.

  “I know this is a lot for you, but you handled the spider, and you can handle this.” He stilled, remembering their conversation climbing Gallant Mountain. She’d called him her hero for facing his fear and dealing with a spider for her sake. Feeling not at all heroic, he nodded. This family meal was ripping at his heart, but bolting from the room wasn’t an option—not when it meant running from Nora.

  Later that night, back at her place, he held her as she slept. He thought long and hard about what she was doing to his life. Blake had said the Lowery women had the ability to make a man swat at moonbeams, and as silly as it sounded, Asher understood. His heart was turning inside out for this woman. He was feeling things he had never thought he’d feel again, like hope. And happiness. And every once in a while, like this moment in the dark listening to her breathe slowly through softly parted lips, he felt peace.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  SPRING BEGAN IN earnest in Gallant Lake once April arrived. The morning sun sent reflections of light from the lake sliding across the walls of the café. Nora hummed to herself as she wiped down the counter. Business had been brisk earlier, but now she had time to think about last night in Asher’s bed, and the memory made her body warm all over.

  Cathy walked up behind her. “Oh, girl, you got it bad. You’ve been wiping the same spot on the counter for fifteen minutes now, just humming and smiling to yourself. You are completely besotted.”

  “Besotted? Cathy, have you been reading those historical romance novels again?” Nora moved to wipe down a table in the now-empty shop. “Did you order the pastries for this weekend? We need more napkins, too. And...”

  Cathy started to laugh. “Yes, boss, I ordered the pastries and the napkins and more coffee beans and milk. Your ordering schedule is very clear, and everything on it has been checked and double-checked.”

  Cathy made fun of her checklists, but last week she’d admitted they made it a lot easier to keep track of things. Nora glanced at her employee, who was wearing jeans, sneakers and a green Gallant Brew T-shirt. Her salt-and-pepper hair was in its usual long braid. The tinkle of the bell over the door made N
ora straighten from wiping the last table.

  A young woman stood in the doorway, her expression uncertain. She was around Becky’s age, possibly younger. She was tall, with bold facial features that looked familiar somehow. Her long, dark hair was loose, shining and perfectly straight. Her brown eyes were the same unusual shade as... Nora spun on her heel to look at Cathy, who was frozen in place at the cash register.

  Cathy and the girl stared at each other in silence—grandmother and granddaughter seeing each other for the first time. Nora was thankful the shop was empty, allowing the two women to just stand and stare as long as they needed to. It was Cathy who spoke first, her voice thick with emotion.

  “You look just like your mother.”

  The girl hesitated, then nodded. “Everyone says that. I think I look like you, too.”

  “True enough. I could never lose that girl when she was with me—everyone knew she was mine.” More silence. “How did you find me? It’s Gracie, right?”

  “Yes. Grace.” She twisted her fingers together, her face pale with nerves. Nora stayed very still, trying not to disrupt them. “My grandmother—my other grandmother—told me what you did. That so-called scholarship you created.”

  “I asked her not to do that.” Cathy’s head shook back and forth. “You weren’t supposed to know.”

  “I didn’t believe Nana’s story about some mystery scholarship I never applied for. I thought she’d cashed in her retirement savings, and I was furious. She finally told me the truth. She gave me this postcard.” Grace held up a faded Gallant Lake postcard, and Cathy paled. “Why did you make her lie to me?”

  “Paisley didn’t want me in your life...”

  Grace stood taller, walking to the center of the shop before stopping. She moved like Cathy, strong and sure.

  “On the postcard, you say you’re sorry, and you’re doing better. Sorry for what? Better than what? Why have I never heard about you, or from you, all this time?” Her voice hardened as her mood shifted as quickly as only a teenage girl’s could. “I was alone, you know. I was five when they died.”