“Maybe.” He chuckled. “Add two types of salad and a bottle of wine. Are you sure you won’t join me?” He held out a paper plate and fork.
“I might be a little hungry.”
Nick unpacked the picnic basket, which contained crispy fried chicken, potato and pasta salads, and a bottle of white wine.
“Why do I get the feeling you had this planned all along?” She bit into a chicken leg, sighed at the delicious flavors, and then licked the crumbs from her fingers.
“I did no such thing.”
“You usually go around with a basket of food in your truck, ready at a moment’s notice?”
“Only when I know there’s a beautiful lady in need of rescuing.”
Her cheeks warmed. This guy was irresistible.
They feasted on a delicious lunch and stuck to the house renovation as their safe topic of conversation. Nick pulled out the last container from the basket.
Katrina rubbed her belly. “I’m stuffed.”
He flipped open the lid. “Yum, my favorite. Fresh strawberries and cream cheese dip.” Nick dipped the tip of a strawberry into the cream cheese and bit off the end. “Are you sure?” He dangled a strawberry from its stem.
With narrowed eyes, she gazed at the empty food containers. “These are my favorite foods, and they tasted very much like Frankie’s cooking.”
Nick twisted his fingers by his mouth, locking his lips and tossing the key.
“I need to have a chat with my dear friend.” Katrina leaned on her elbows. She could imagine her devilish friend humming a wicked tune while preparing the food for this picnic.
“Don’t blame Frankie. I asked her to prepare us a lunch.” He dipped another berry in the cream. “Come on, you know you want to.” Nick wiggled the strawberry in the air.
Katrina couldn’t resist. She grinned and bent forward. He scooted closer and brought the berry to her lips. She opened her mouth, but he smirked and then dabbed the cream cheese on her nose.
She sat straight. “Two can play that game.” She dipped her finger in the cream cheese and smeared it across his nose.
He let out a hearty laugh.
She selected another strawberry, dipped the fruit in the cream, and then held it to Nick’s lips. He leaned and parted his lips. With a jerk, she snatched away the berry and licked the cream before biting the tip of the strawberry.
Staring with a narrowed gaze, Nick cleared his throat. “I want to kiss you right now.”
Forgotten, the fruit fell from her fingertips and landed on her lap. She swallowed hard and ran her tongue over her dry lips.
“Think what you want about last night, but I can honestly tell you that kiss wasn’t about comforting you,” he said. “I wanted to kiss you.”
Control, stay composed! His tempting gaze made her heart flutter. She bit her bottom lip. “When I got up and saw you gone, I assumed you regretted what happened.”
“Not at all.” He intertwined their fingers. “I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, wondering if you kissed me only because you were vulnerable. I thought I had taken advantage of the situation, and didn’t want you to feel awkward, so I left.”
“I knew what I was doing.” Smiling, she squeezed his hand. “For the first time in a long time, I reacted without thinking. I would normally create a detailed plan in my head, and then decide what action was best to take.”
By the tip of his finger, he lifted her chin. “I like when you don’t think.”
Their combined laughter was music to her ears.
“Katrina, I like you a lot, and I want to spend more time getting to know you…to see where this goes.” He waved a hand between them.
Oh, how I wish I could. She shook her head. “As much as I’d like to, I can’t. I’m leaving at the end of this job. My home is in Paris. And we’ll be business partners. Business and pleasure don’t mix.”
“I know that better than anyone, but the more I purposely avoid you, the closer I want to be.” Nick rubbed his thumb on the palm of her hand.
The door to her heart hung on a loose hinge. If only she could break free. “There’s something you should know—” She had to tell him the truth. The secret was killing her.
He placed a finger over her lips. “I know everything I need to. You’re very independent, strong, beautiful, and…challenging.”
Nick’s silly grin loosened another bolt holding the door to her heart. “My life is complicated,” she whispered.
“Any more than mine? You know about my past, my business, my heartache, and trust issues. I’ve never let anyone close, until you.”
Katrina turned, gazing toward the city’s horizon. The setting sun flickered orange shadows off the tall buildings. She wasn’t immune to the scenery, or Nick.
He curled a finger around a strand of her hair. “We have something special. I can’t and won’t walk away.”
“I’ve lost everyone, Nick. My first crush died of a brain tumor, my parents were ripped from my life by a car accident, and my grandmother was taken by a heart attack. Pretending I’m strong isn’t easy, but the pretence gets me through each day.” She blinked away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
“Lean on me. Let me be your strength. We’re good together.”
He was so right. “There’s something I have to tell you, which might change your mind—”
Nick silenced her with his lips—kissing her tenderly at first, and then deep and passionate.
The conflict of Katrina’s thoughts bolted, leaving her heart in control. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Love soared through her like a powerful rush of emotion that was new and exciting.
His tongue teased hers, and she fell onto the blanket. Nick released her hair from its ponytail, and Katrina explored the muscles of his chest with her fingertips.
Her eyelids fluttered open. When had the sun disappeared from the horizon? Closing her eyes again, she rested her head against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
“Katrina Witherspoon, you are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.” He poised over her, gathered her into a hug, and then leaned on his side. “You take away my breath and scare the heck out of me at the same time, but I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
Why did he have to say all the right things? Just the right words to remove her apprehension. She straightened and packed the picnic basket.
He lifted onto his elbows, watching her.
“There’s one left.” She dangled a strawberry and slipped the fruit between his lips, followed by her tongue.
Nick pulled her closer, wrapped his arms around her body, and held her.
Katrina rested her head on his chest and gazed to the night’s sky. The stars twinkled above. When she spotted a shooting star flash across the sky, she made a wish. When Nick and I have parted ways, please let me forever hold onto this moment…and my love for Nick.
Chapter Ten
Katrina wanted to ask Nick to stay when he had dropped her off at the cabin, but she knew one kiss would lead to another. She wasn’t prepared to take their relationship to the next level. Her family had taught her that consummating a relationship was a serious step. Revealing her secret to Nick meant she could have lifted a heavy burden from her shoulders. But her confession would have ripped away any chance of sweet parting kisses at the door, only Nick’s departure and no return.
So, here she sat, alone at the kitchen table and staring at the cedar box. After a few tense moments, she jumped up and tidied the cabin to keep her mind occupied. When that didn’t work, she dressed for bed, rearranged the cupboards, and checked her email. Two hours later, the clock ticked midnight. She couldn’t take the suspense any longer. Succumbing to her curiosity, she unlocked the box. She lifted the lid, and a scent of cedar shavings drifted past her nose.
The contents consisted of family mementoes. She sighed in relief and then heartache overwhelmed her. Many of the photographs were of her parents, and under those photos were baby pict
ures of Katrina, as well as cards and drawings she had made for her parents. She gathered the photographs and cards in a pile and went into the living room. Katrina pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Looking at the photographs made her smile. Each one held a special memory. The photos of Katrina as a baby had her mother’s handwriting scribbled on the back, including a date and description of where the photo had been taken. She recognized most of the pictures from the main family albums, but one photograph caught her attention. Katrina had never seen this picture. Her mother held a newborn baby. She flipped over the photograph and read, My Dearest Katrina, two days old.
The photograph slipped from Katrina’s fingers and floated onto the blanket. She stared at the picture, noticing a familiar loneliness in her mother’s eyes—one Katrina recognized in her own reflection. Why did her mother look sad? She frowned and tucked the photo under the pile. Another hour passed as she gazed at the items. Giving in to exhaustion and her drooping eyelids, she placed the memorabilia on the table and went to bed. One of the photographs haunted her dreams—the one of her mother’s despondent eyes.
The sun peeked through the small opening in the curtain, causing spots beneath Katrina’s blinking eyes. She propped a pillow behind her back and stretched her long legs under the blankets. Sleeping in was something she rarely did, but after releasing the image of her mother’s troubled stare, Katrina hadn’t wanted to wake from the fevered dreams of being in Nick’s comforting arms.
She swung her legs to the edge of the bed. When she set her feet on the plush mat, she felt her toes still tingling from her dream of walking on cloud nine. Getting close to Nick was a mistake, but she couldn’t stop herself.
Katrina showered and then put on her navy blue cotton dress. She lifted the matching short-sleeved jacket from its hanger and placed it on the bed. The barometer rose at an increasing pace. She pinned her hair into a neat bun behind her head. Katrina slipped her feet into a pair of black pumps and then glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Before her stood a successful businesswoman ready for a meeting in a few hours. She wished her parents could see her now. A single tear dripped from the corner of her eye. No crying.
Rushing to the living room, Katrina picked up the photograph of her mother. Katrina had missed the tears last night, but saw them clearly this morning. Her mother’s eyes were misty with tears. Why had her mother been distressed just two days after Katrina’s birth? The question tugged at Katrina’s heart.
Maybe the answer lay in the cedar box. Katrina sorted the photographs and cards on the kitchen table. She read every letter she wrote her parents and every one of her mother’s notes. Nothing suggested her mother may have suffered from postpartum depression, as Katrina had begun to consider. Frustrated, she drummed her fingertips on the table. The thump of her fingers vibrated something inside the box. Katrina lifted the empty container and tapped the inside bottom. A thin piece of wood had been cut and refit snugly into place. A secret compartment? She wedged her nail to lift the corner until the cover fell onto the table. Hidden inside was a stack of letters, tied together by a red ribbon.
Katrina flipped through the envelopes one by one. They had been opened and addressed to Miss Sandra Robbins. She frowned. Why had her mother hidden mail belonging to Frankie’s mother? The two women had been best friends growing up, but why would Sandra give her personal letters to Katrina’s mother? The red ribbon hinted significance. The mail meant something special to someone.
She set aside the stack. The letters had nothing to do with her. Reading the written words would be an invasion of privacy. She slipped the silky red ribbon between her fingers. If Sandra Robbins had given this mail to Katrina’s mother to hide, then the contents must be of great secrecy. The sender’s name Samuel Fisher was scrawled at the top left corner along with a post office box number. The mail was probably old love letters between Sandra and Samuel, which still left Katrina’s mind reeling as to why they had been in her mother’s possession.
Katrina tugged an end of the ribbon and then stopped. That sense of dread overwhelmed her again. Opening these letters could mean opening a can of misery. What if the letters held bad news and that information affected Frankie? She couldn’t bear knowing about a scandal that might cause anguish to her best friend. Katrina only had two options. Throw the mail in the garbage and forget she ever found the letters, or return them to their owner.
Startled by a knock on the door, Katrina sprang to her feet and swung the door wide. “Frankie!” She glanced from her friend to the letters on the table.
“The children are with my mother, so I thought I’d stop by for a few minutes.”
Katrina left her friend standing in the doorway. She rushed to the table and threw the mail in the cedar box, slamming the lid close.
Frankie stepped into the kitchen. “My mother is now visiting every day because she’s afraid I’ll go into early labor. As much as I love her, I’m about to pull out my hair if I don’t get a little peace.”
Breathing heavily, Katrina forced a laugh.
“What’s with the fancy business dress?”
“I have an appointment with a realtor later today. I’m hoping to acquire a spot downtown for a café.”
“So, what else is going on?” Frankie wiggled her eyebrows.
Her friend totally disregarded her mention of opening a café. Frankie had one topic on her mind. Katrina put a hand on her hip. “You are quite aware Nick and I were together yesterday.”
“Really?” Her friend’s eyes went wide and she blinked. “How would I know about the picnic?”
Got ‘cha! “I didn’t say anything about a picnic.”
“Oh, right.” Frankie giggled. “Nick said he wanted to do something special to say thank you. I had leftovers and―”
“You’re evil.” Katrina smiled, thankful for her friend’s hand in Nick’s planned getaway. “The strawberries were delicious, and the dip was a nice touch.”
“So, how did the date go?” With slow moves, Frankie lowered to sit on a chair at the table.
Katrina glanced at the box and then her friend. She reached for Frankie’s elbow, guiding her to the living room. “Let’s sit here, more comfortable.”
Moments later, Frankie sat on the sofa, tucking a pillow behind her back. “Are you telling me about the date, or do I have to ask Nick?”
“We weren’t on a date, just an afternoon picnic.” Frankie’s nose scrunched, but Katrina ignored her disbelieving face. “We had a wonderful time. The setting, food, and company couldn’t have been better.” A knock on the door saved her from Frankie’s further interrogation. “I’m a popular gal today.” Katrina hopped up and opened the door to find Nick standing on the porch.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He leaned and met her lips for a lingering kiss.
Frankie cleared her throat. “Hi, Nick.”
Nick’s cheeks flushed. Katrina stepped aside, waving a hand to invite him in.
“Frankie, hi,” he said.
Frankie squirmed off the sofa. “I stopped by for a quick visit, but I have to go.” Shaking her head, she held up a hand. “No, I can’t stay, even though I know you both really want me to. If I’m gone any longer, I’ll be facing a search warrant signed by my mother.”
“I’ll call you later.” Katrina hugged her friend.
“You better because we have lots of catching up to do.” Frankie winked and closed the door as she left.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your visit with Frankie.” Nick pulled Katrina into his arms.
She snuggled her chin against his neck, breathing in his woodsy scent. Sandalwood? “What brings you here this morning?”
“You.” He kissed the top of her head. “And to make sure you hadn’t changed your mind about giving us a chance.”
Words of protest filled her head, but wouldn’t fall from her lips. Nick’s smile caused her knees to wobble. She nudged his arm with her elbow. “I wish I had more time.
” She walked into the living room to retrieve her car keys and cell phone from the desk.
“Where are you going looking so beautiful? I thought we’d spend the day together.”
A tempting idea. She tucked the keys and phone into her handbag. “I have a business meeting with a realtor.”
“You’d rather spend the afternoon with an old man in a stuffy three-piece suit, instead of me? He is an old man, right?” Nick gave a fierce frown and then chuckled.
“Stop.” Katrina picked up a pillow from the sofa and tossed it.
He ducked, and the pillow flew past him, landing on the kitchen table.
“The realtor is a woman.”
Nick retrieved the pillow. “You opened it?” He pointed to the cedar box.
“I caved last night.”
“So, good or bad inside?”
Katrina joined Nick in the kitchen and lifted the photographs. “Family mementoes my mother saved. Cards and letters I gave my parents, and many family photos of me as a child.”
“I definitely want to see those.” He gathered her into his arms.
Taking pleasure in the warmth of his embrace, she closed her eyes. “Unfortunately, I also found these.” She opened the lid, took out the ribbon-bound letters, and placed them on the table. Katrina tapped the inside of the empty cedar box with her fingernail. “They were hidden in this compartment.”
“Wow.” Nick examined the box. “The craftsmanship is amazing. A slot to hide the key and another partition to conceal private items. The designer was a genius.”
Katrina went to the living room and sat on the sofa. Her throat went dry. “My grandfather.”
Nick followed. “Your grandfather made this?” He set the box and letters on the coffee table.
“I don’t know for sure…” She swallowed past the lump. “My grandmother has—had a desk with hidden built-in compartments. Years ago, he crafted the desk for Gram. She said he wanted her to have a place to hide her brilliant ideas.” The memory of the story her grandmother told her about Granddad made Katrina smile. “Gram told me my grandfather was quite a character. He had said Gram was the smartest woman he’d ever met, and no one would steal her ideas because they’d never find them inside her desk.” Tears misted Katrina’s eyes. “That desk now sits in my home office.”
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