

### Time To Put Your Boots On Girl

### CJ Hawk

Published by Smashwords and Copyright 2011 CJ Hawk

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and strictly fictional. All persons, places or incidences are creative endeavors of the author. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this independent author. Please keep in mind when converting to various eBook formats some typographical errors might occur.

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Katy Beck is Caribbean bound with her best friend until a sip of bad luck makes everything go foggy and dark. Next thing Katy Beck knows is either her best friend is playing a bad joke, or she just stole her husband, her money and her looks. To make things worse that soon to be ex-best friend, Sabrina, just left her on the porch of an old run down shack, in the middle of a mountain, with only her beach bound attire.

Katy had a way of making the worse seem better and maybe a good guardian angel or two. As luck would have it, she was plopped right in the lap of one very hot war hero and famous journalist. However, life isn't always as easy as it seems and Katy wants to make sure she offers more back in her life then a set of DDs and a pretty smile.

With every trick of the trade, Sabrina left a trail of misery for Katy. However, that is nothing a good sense of humor and new great friends can't take care of. Plus, a little shiny thing called gold doesn't hurt either.

Chapter One

In a dreamy state of mind, I settled into my husband's limousine. I snuggled up alongside my best friend, Sabrina. We sipped our mimosas and began watching the sunrise, on the cool crisp fall morning. The empty road toward the airport seemed to go on forever. We were destiny bound for a long week in the Caribbean, for a girlfriend's getaway, while my husband acquired yet another company.

I looked off into the horizon, watching the sun that was just starting to peak up and crest its rays upon the golden fields of farmland, lining the way to the airport for several miles. It felt like heaven was reaching out with fingertips on those golden fields of grain.

I felt Sabrina's hand grab mine as she whispered into my ear. "Drink up girlfriend. This is going to be the best trip yet." A childish giggle exited her recently plumped up lips, and her hand guided my mimosa into my mouth. I took a very large gulp and watched from the corner of my eye as my husband's driver, Haus, had a suspicious look in his eyes from the view of the rearview mirror. I passed it off quickly as I was very tired from not sleeping the night before, since I was always anxious before flying. This time, I was a nervous wreck.

I glanced back over to Sabrina and smiled as I took another sip of my mimosa. I let the cool feel of the drink wash down my throat. I looked into her blue eyes and saw a twinkle to them as her lips smiled wide. My voice sounded slightly slurred to my ears. I passed if off as being tired. "We are going to have the best time."

Something was different about Sabrina this morning. She spent the last few months getting more work done on her body, face and hair, then what was considered normal. I was suspecting a new boyfriend was within reach. I took a long look at her beautiful features and thought to myself that since we had become best friends she had begun to look more like me every day. The blue eyes were natural. However, the long blonde hair, same hairstyle and fake boobs, practically matched my natural blonde hair and God-given curves men found so enticing I passed if off as a compliment. Who wouldn't want their best friend to look, dress or even act like them after the three years they had been friends? Best friends at that.

The last thing I remembered was the heavy feeling of my eyelids, as I rested my head against the back of the leather seat, facing towards the rising sun. I drifted off into sleep thinking of the ocean, the beach and the wonderful trip that was ahead of us. That was the last thing I remembered before my reality became a nightmare.

I woke up to the sound of slamming doors. I pried my eyes open, then squeezed them closed and slowly opened them as I sat myself up from the far backseat of the limousine. Sabrina was nowhere around inside, nor was Haus. The limo sat parked, and I had a sudden state of confusion pounding inside my head.

I rubbed my eyes and my forehead with the palms of my hands, trying to relieve some of the pounding. I was having a hard time adjusting my eyesight. Everything seemed hazy and out of proportion. I heard Sabrina shout something from outside to Haus and I felt the quick rush of air as the limousine door opened and bright full daylight blinded my eyes. I quickly shielded my eyes from the sun. Confused, I wondered how I could have fallen asleep so fast and hard. Wondering why the sun was so bright and why we should have been on a plane and landed about now, and we weren't in the Caribbean.

"Miss." It was a demand from Haus to take his extended hand and step out of the limousine. Trying to look around, I only saw the bright harsh sunlight dancing through the mountain aspen leaves, a rundown shack of a cottage on a single-lane dirt road and nobody else but us in sight.

I looked into his eyes as I stood next to him, still holding my hand as if I was a princess. His name left my lips in a whisper, and his eyes seemed apologetic. He guided me towards the steps of the run-down cottage and sat me down. He quickly turned away and proceeded to get my purse out of the limousine seat I just left.

It felt like lightning had crackled in the air, as Sabrina turned and looked at me in a very devilish grin and let out the most evil laughter. "I have waited, patiently mind you, for this very day. You, my dear, are out. I am in where I belong. Mathew was mine from the beginning, but you stole him from me. Now I have him back. You will no longer be Mrs. Mathew Rhinholt. You are now just plain Katy Beck, or you can still go by Klarissa, if you choose." The evil laughter left her lips again.

I sat there numb and confused. I was waiting for a camera crew from 'the jokes on you' to pop out of the woods. My eyes still could not focus entirely, and my head was beginning to feel as a vice grip had just been tightened.

I watched Haus hand me my large purse, which was as big as some of my luggage. I pressed it against my chest as a shield against the way Sabrina was acting. I was thinking any minute now she will say 'just kidding', and we would laugh our asses off. Then get back in the limo for a later flight. We had played practical jokes on each other before but not to this extreme.

Haus turned to Sabrina as if she was the one he was serving. "Miss. I need to turn the limo around in that driveway across the road. Then I will be ready to go when you are. Are you ok here alone?" I watched his eyes glance towards me then back. What did he mean by alone? She was with me. What was I going to do? I could not focus on the house across the dirt road that the limo was parked in front of. My body felt like it was rocking itself in a chair back and forth. Nothing seemed real. I tried to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming, but my fingers did not seem to want to cooperate. I had to be dreaming.

I watched all six feet plus of Haus, his golden curly hair, in his black suit and drivers cap, get back in the limo. I heard the limo start up and then we both watched him expertly turn the limo around on the single dirt lane road with only a small dirt driveway allowing him this privilege.

It all felt surreal. I looked at Sabrina pleading for an answer with my eyes and felt the tug of tears building. Had my worst nightmare come true? A reoccurring one where Sabrina sat poolside; drink in hand, dressed in lavish jewels, in a gorgeous two-piece swimsuit while Mathew stood behind her and rubbed her shoulders telling me I was old news. Sabrina was the one for him now.

Sabrina couldn't and wouldn't. We shared so much together. Mathew had a cold heart when it came to business, but he always took care of me, as long as I took care of him, in the sexual sense. Thinking quickly of how I took care of him nicely yesterday in the shower. He seemed more than happy and satisfied. There had been no indication things were going south for us. I was stunned. I wasn't able to speak. I fulfilled my end of the bargain.

"By the look on your face and the drugs I doped you with; you're confused. So let me make this quick because Mathew and I have a plane to catch to the Caribbean mind you, to celebrate our success. See. You my dear are out. I saw Mathew first that night that we all met. I even claimed him, but I guess gentlemen prefer blondes. However, I have convinced Mathew that I will be the better trophy wife to your sorry GED ass." Her laughter was wicked.

I felt a small amount of bravado. "I won't let you. I will take Mathew for half, and you can have him. I don't need you or him, and I can live just fine off half of his sorry ass." I crossed my arms in front of my chest with the straps of my purse dangling over my shoulder. Then the straps dropped to the crook of my elbow as I tried to stand up gracefully. I was like a bull in a china shop.

"You are dumber than I realized. See behind you and the land you stand on, is where your sorry ass is going to live. The money in your purse is all you have to live on, and you divorced your husband weeks ago claiming you wanted nothing in return. See I was you and I filed for you. Starting to see the picture? Me, pretending to be you and start to look like you has been a three-year plan. Haven't you ever noticed how easily people got us confused?" Her laughter filled the air. I remembered back to when Sabrina was thirty pounds heavier than me along with a full head of chestnut brown hair. I shuddered at the difference, now that I was staring at her with the new information.

Haus got out of the limo and opened the back door for her. His eyes were screaming I'm sorry. With Sabrina's back to him, I knew that would change as soon as she looked at him. Christ she had even slept with Haus, claiming him as a victory. Making me vow to never tell. Now I would. Damn why hadn't I saved any of her sleazy texts where she damned Mathew and would try to get me to steal from him and leave him. As far as I was concerned, as the picture was taking shape, I didn't need to pinch myself. This nightmare was my reality, but she could have him. As far as being flat out on my ass, I was going to be just that.

I watched Sabrina drop a single key, on a smiley face key chain, right on my newly polished toes, in my adorable flip-flops, that I picked out for the trip.

"So long sweetheart. Enjoy your humble abode." The snap of her fingers sparked in the air. Within ten seconds, they were gone. I turned to look at the rundown cottage and realized that my entire luggage, six pieces of it, was sitting on the front porch with a missing step. My formals for the one night of fine dining, I packed several since I can never make up my mind. My gazillion swimsuits so I wouldn't regret packing the perfect one. My makeup and hair kits in the luggage and everything in them, cost more than the fake boobs Sabrina was wearing.

I saw a note taped to the front door. I took the porch steps carefully and ripped it off the holey screen door. A neatly typed note that anyone could have written on a computer was trembling in my hands.

Klarissa,

Darling, this may all be a shock to you, but it is for the best. I have a small bank account set up for you in the town down the hill from this house. See darling, Sabrina has saved all those nasty little e-mails you sent her about stealing from me and fake photos you produced to have me look as if I was gay. We know I am anything but. Sabrina will be my wife now, and as long as you keep your mouth shut and stay away from the tabloids; I will deposit your living expense into the bank account. Stay out of Denver, stay out of our circle of friends, stay out of sight, and you will stay alive. Speak any of this to anyone and you will pay dearly. It would do you good to go back to school and start a new life far away from us. The pictures Sabrina showed me of you with other men, was the final straw. I gave you a lavish life in exchange that you be my obedient wife. You failed me as you had failed your best friend. I wish you luck in your new life. Sabrina will have your things packed and shipped to you when we get back from the Caribbean.

Mathew

Well, if that did not beat all. The bitch's degree in psychology paid off after all. I had shown her how to use that photo-editing program in the first place to make jokester pictures of each other. God how could I have been so stupid.

I watched a tear fall from my face to the type written letter and wanted to rip it to shreds. However, I intended to keep it and fight. I intended to show it to the tabloids. I... had nothing to show but the letter, and I was sure if Sabrina was able to pull off the divorce as me, I could consider myself screwed. She probably set up the account as me and bought this house as me.

I stepped back down off the porch and picked up the key on the smiley face chain. "Nice touch." I said aloud to no one. As that was how I felt at that very moment, a no one.

I opened the creaky screen door and slipped the key into the front door lock of a wooden door that had seen better days. It turned with ease, and I opened the door and felt like I stepped back in time to more years than I could count. It was a small-roomed cottage that looked like it was out of the early 1900s. The only indication that it was lived in the last two hundred years was the plaid couch and the duck and geese decorations on the wall, along with the peeling wallpaper.

I stepped back outside and let the screen door slam shut. I saw a porch swing at the end of the porch, hidden from the front of the road by tall unruly bushes that had several leaves to hide behind. I sat on the swing and dropped my purse at my feet. I began to cry loud wailing sobs uncontrollably.

As some time had passed, whatever drug Sabrina had given me had worn off, but the pounding headache still presided in my head. I had a feeling it was going to be there for some time until something worked its way out.

Chapter Two

The sound of tires crunching on the dirt road had me still myself on the swing. Could this all have been a very nasty joke? Were they back? I peeked through the weedy bush while hiding on the porch and saw a black Range Rover, on large tires, turn into the driveway at the house across the road. You could barely see the house as it was set back among trees and professionally hidden by nice landscape. A far contrast to this house or shack as it appeared sitting right on the road.

Thankful for the unruly bushes I was hiding behind, I watched the Range Rover disappear down its driveway to the back of the house. For minutes, I heard nothing. Not even the sound like a car door slamming. I sat myself back down on the swing. I began to move myself in a rocking motion and wondered if my neighbors would be friend or foe. I wondered if the sight of my expensive luggage on the porch was as much a shock to them as it was to me.

I finally heard a faint car door slam among the whispering leaves, then nothing. No person or persons came my way. I was relieved, as I had no way to explain why I was here.

I tried to soak in my surroundings. The colors of fall were just beginning to show on the outer edges of all the aspen leaves surrounding the area. It seemed as if the house was up towards the top of the dirt road.

Several minutes passed and nobody ever showed. I couldn't blame them. This house looked like it should have been condemned years ago and torn down for something prettier to be built.

The sun had moved further into the horizon, and it seemed like it was at least three o'clock. The sounds of my grumbling tummy echoed throughout the porch. I doubted that any food possibly existed in the house. I was afraid to go in and look. I reached down to the old faded gray porch and picked up my purse. Inside laid my wallet with the thousand in cash I took out just for the trip and shopping. Now it was going to have to last me until I could figure out what to do next.

A small pink envelope was inside my purse. I reached in and opened it. It was a generic card with a scene of flowers and a puppy. The kind of card you would buy in a box of a dozen of cheap cards. A small note in a man's handwriting appeared inside the card. "I'm very sorry. Haus" I was stunned. Perhaps Haus knew all along. I doubted he kept these kinds of things handy in the car. If he did, he was a sensitive man. From the stories Sabrina told me and my experience, he was anything but.

A MasterCard gift card was nestled between the card and envelope. That confirmed my suspicions that he knew all along. It didn't say how much was on it. I wasn't going to expect much seeing as Haus was a paid employee of my husbands, and he didn't exactly pay the top pay rate. Then, on the other hand, how much money did he make in this little stunt to keep his mouth shut?

The small acknowledgement did warm my cold heart. However, it did not stop my tummy from grumbling. As if in robotic mode, I began to lift my luggage into the house and set about exploring my new humble abode. A sudden movement of eight long legs stopped me quick in my path. I squashed it within a flick of a moment. The one thing I hated most was spiders. The second thing was dust and cobwebs. The humble abode held more of those then I could digest. I ran looking for the bathroom to puke. Only to find a nonfunctioning toilet full of old pee.

Damn that Sabrina. She had bought a house that squatters had lived in. That or she had peed in it herself. Just at that thought, my stomach contracted. The puke ended up in the sink. I quickly reached for the old-fashioned nozzle to turn on, and I was thankful that the water worked.

Upon further inspection of the small house, I discovered broken glass on the backdoor. It must have been how the squatters or wild teens had gotten in and out of the house. It was dirty. It was small, only one bedroom and one bathroom if you could call it that. It had a small kitchen and laundry room off the back of the house. The largest of living space was up front, and it was smaller than my dressing room back home. It was a joke. It had to be. They would come back tomorrow. No one could be this cruel.

I quickly texted both Mathew and Sabrina. "Joke? Right?" I closed the lid to the toilet, and sat down and waited. I stared at my phone with only two bars hoping the signal stayed strong, and they would text me back that Haus was on his way to get me. I waited minutes that felt like hours, and my phone vibrated a text back and then again. With much trepidation, I read the messages from both. "No joke good luck" Sabrina. "Good riddance" Mathew. Seriously?

"GAH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I took a deep breath and realized my worst fears had come true. Deep down, there had been signs I had chosen to ignore. Little bits and pieces were coming together like a difficult bazillion piece puzzle.

I pushed myself off the toilet with my hands to my knees and went in search of a breath mint in my purse. I chewed feverishly then went in search of my toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash. I hadn't thrown up since I had the flu last winter. Memories of Sabrina by my side, day in and out, came to mind then I mentally took a red sharpie marker to her face and scribbled her out.

All the happy memories I had of her, were now jaded by the fact she had ulterior motives. I could fight this and try to convince Mathew. She was always quicker and smarter than me. Yet, a small part of me was glad. It wasn't the dreamiest or the most romantic of marriages. However, it was better than my life before. It wasn't the money and lavish things so much as I was going to miss the security that I wasn't on my own anymore.

I had to buck up and think of this as an adventurous camping trip. I had to find the silver lining in the clouds, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I had to realize that my options were few and that my first priority is food because the sound of my stomach grumbling had just gotten louder.

The search of the cabinets came up empty, only dead bugs and cobwebs. The laundry had a closet full of stuff, old broom, dirty mop, a few cleaning supplies and rags. A note hung on the mop. "Have fun!" It was in Sabrina's handwriting. I had to wonder what I did that was so mean to her that made her be this cruel.

The old washer had seen better days and there was no dryer. A clothesline in the backyard among the tall weeds caught my eye out the laundry room window. Sabrina had to of picked this house with the cruelest of intentions. She knew my hatred for laundry and cleaning. The small closet, in the bedroom with no bed, had old linens in it and several dead moths. This most likely meant the linens were full of holes.

The front room had an old looking, black and dusty, fire-burning stove with no wood around. Probably what heated the house? The couch smelt funny, and all the windows had a fine layer of dust with the lightest of sheer curtains covering the windows. I wouldn't be able to last here a week let alone a cold mountain winter.

The fast thought of driving into town entered my mind to get my bearings until I realized I didn't have a car. I didn't see a garage, and I doubted that they left me one in fear I would jump in and drive back to Denver, exposing them for the weasels they had become.

I wrestled with the thought of introducing myself to my new neighbors but at that very moment, I was embarrassed and sick with grief and despair. The lurching of my stomach indicated I wanted to throw up but there was nothing in my stomach. The pounding inside my head seemed to have gotten worse, and I was sure I felt the slight sway of my body like it wanted to collapse onto the floor.

I slowly sank to the floor with my back to the wall facing the front door. I sat there for minutes crying empty tears and wondering what my next step should be. I hadn't talked with my parents since I ran away to Vegas to strip. I was just shy of my eighteenth birthday, a virgin. Yet, anything was better than a mom on drugs and a dad who was drunk all the time.

Back then, my body screamed sex with any man who looked at me due to my full figure, long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Or so, I was told. I hadn't seen a lot of options back then, so I used what I thought was my advantage.

In my mind, I didn't see me running back to mommy or daddy. The last phone call I had made to them left me with the discovery of a disconnected phone. I felt that was a sign that I shouldn't go back.

Looking back it was easy to see how Sabrina and I hooked up. She acted like an older sister and mother figure.

Then Mathew came along and offered to take care of me. Giving me all the love and affection I craved along with lavish gifts and an offer of a lifestyle I never imagined I could have. Once we were married, things were always good, as long as I kept his high sexual appetite sedated and myself in tiptop shape physically. My credit cards had no limit; my best friend was always welcomed in his home, and his friends became mine. Or so, I assumed. I was sure they wouldn't give me the time of day now.

The sun was starting to get lower, and I knew if I was going to get into town and back with a few essentials, I needed to start out now. I eyed my luggage with my yoga and snorkeling gear. I had really looked forward to our snorkeling excursion. I crawled on my knees and quickly entered the combination to the luggage lock. I popped it open and tossed the lock on the floor. I unzipped the luggage and found my yoga top and pants. I undressed in the front room. I wasn't worried if someone could see in if you couldn't see out from all the dust and grime on the windows.

I found my running shoes and a pair of ankle socks, and set myself out for what would be a short journey to town. I didn't bother locking the door. At that point, I was hoping to find a motel/hotel in town, and I would stay there until morning. With my wallet and phone in my small black sports backpack, I set out of my new humble abode for any site of human life.

Chapter Three

I began walking at a fast clip downhill. The road was steep going down, so walking back up would be a challenge with a lot of groceries. I began making a mental list in my head as to what I would need. A good bottle of wine was going to be worth its weight to carry. I had some sorrows to take care of. Forget health food. I was on a warpath that didn't involve men or slender waists. I could now eat what I wanted when I wanted, and not get judged for a pound gained. I smiled at that thought and felt a warm sensation fill my body with hope. I rounded a bend in the road, and it opened wide to a valley below. It was breathtaking.

The rolling hills that intertwined into a valley river below filled with aspen trees of green and yellow shades, coloring the landscape. The tall intermingling pine trees were lush with green fir tips, and the river sparkled with clear dark-blue water with the late day sun starting to cast golden stars of light off the bending river.

I took a deep yoga breath in, and stretched my arms over my head and slowly let it out as I let my arms sink to my sides. I felt alive in a new and unusual way. I didn't feel so helpless and alone anymore. I didn't think Sabrina would understand my love for the fresh mountain air. It ran parallel in first place to my desire to sit on a beach and let the ocean lap at my toes. This place might not be so bad after all.

I did notice, that I did not see a town in sight. I could only hope it was down the road and hidden by all the trees. Because if not... I was screwed. Hell I was screwed any ways. Maybe I would pull a Forrest Gump and just run my broken heart to all eternity.

I looked down at my newly acquired tennis shoes I had bought just for the trip to match my turquoise blue yoga tank top and dark navy blue yoga pants with the matching bright turquoise design. I had pulled my long blonde hair into a puffy ponytail before I left the cottage. I was a walking billboard for fit and athletic cute. I didn't doubt that. I hadn't thought to wash my face before I left which I was sure was a puffy splotchy red mess of mascara ruins.

I spit into my fingertips, wiped my spit under my eyes, and used the underside end of my tank top to wipe my eyes clean. Thankful this brand of waterproof mascara held to its fifty-dollar price tag. It was actually waterproof. I slapped my face with my hands and pinched my cheeks to get the blood flowing. I figured by the time I got to civilization that I would look normal, as long as I held back any more tears.

I felt like I had walked several miles when I knew it was most likely only one. I heard the crunching of tires approaching behind me, and I stepped to the side of the road to let them pass. Who should pass me but my neighbors in their black Range Rover with darkly tinted windows. I watched the Rover slowly crawl to a stop then sat there. I smiled at them and stopped myself, turning extremely nervous inside. What if Sabrina had placed me directly in the path of a serial killer? Or worse. How the heck, do I explain my existence in that rundown shack?

I froze with a plastered smile on my face as I watched the black Range Rover slowly back up next to me. Then in what seemed like an even slower pace was watching the passenger window lower down. Who was driving the car was not who I expected. I wasn't really sure what to expect. Maybe some dangerously looking mountain man, with a hidden knife next to his seat to dice me up with.

"Need a lift?" His voice was smooth and deep. His eyes hid behind very expensive sunglasses while his jaw was chiseled in a tense motion, and his mouth was set in a straight line. He had one hand draped across the black leather steering wheel and another down by his side. 'Serial murderers come in all shapes and sizes.' My inner scared cat voice squeaked in my head. While the sexual part of me imagined what lied behind those sunglasses and underneath the pricey tee shirt he was wearing. As if he read my mind, he raised his glasses to his head and attempted a smile. "Mike Smith. I believe we are neighbors."

I reached my hand in to shake his. He accepted and pulled his hand off the steering wheel and turned towards me as he shook my hand. "Klarissa Rhi... I mean Beck." Hell I had to remember I was no longer a Rhinholt.

He repeated his question as if I was bothering him. "Need a lift to town?" Before I could stop myself, I asked the stupid question, which I knew could lead to more questions I wasn't prepared to answer. "How far is town?"

He cocked his head and with a squint of his eyes; he reached up, slide his glasses back down and draped his hand back over his wheel looking straight ahead. "Farther than you'd want to walk those pretty new shoes of yours."

How did he know my shoes where new? Christ did I have immature stupid written on my forehead. I sensed Mr. Smith and I, if that was even his real name, were not going to be new BFFs. As if. Asshole. "No thanks. I'll enjoy the walk into town."

He grumbled something, then started to raise the window and drove about two feet. The Range Rover stopped again and this time, he shut it off and out walked a very tall and fit man with the type of features that read rich, yet laid-back man. He walked with confidence. His leather flip-flops matched his worn jeans. However, not his pricey cotton tee or his expensive shades or brand new Range Rover. He had money, but he had attitude as well. His blonde hair and blue eyes made him look clean cut. His lean athletic body shape did things to my body that any healthy normal woman would respond this way. I cut myself some slack for feeling any sort of attraction on looks alone.

I took a step back almost scared he was coming at me at such a fast clip. He stopped just short of the cliff we were next to and pointed out to a large boulder on a rocky cliff on a mountaintop quite a ways over. "Well, sweetheart. If you insist on walking, you might want to head straight down this hill and hike the next to walk straight down the next. Town is down that hill from that boulder there. On the other hand, you can catch a ride with me and be there in less than fifteen minutes. Your choice. I leave in ten... nine... eight...seven..." He was talking to me like a child.

I stopped him short. I put my hands up in the air. "I get it." I examined my predator for a split second. His facial features softened quite a bit. The sun was starting to fall in the sky, and it lit up the back of his curly blonde hair like a halo. His hair was just shy of his neck with little light wispy curls on the edge of it. His blue eyes were intense when they weren't hiding behind sunglasses and his face aged him somewhere in his thirties, possibly ten years older than my twenty-five. He was most likely far more educated and mature then I had ever been.

I jumped in the Range Rover's passenger seat and clicked the seatbelt in. I felt messed up. I should have just grabbed a few clothes and started hitch hiking my way to the nearest motel six and try to get a waitress job at a local café. Because at this particular moment, I knew exactly what Sabrina was laughing at while sitting in the Caribbean lounge about - me.

The first minute of the drive down, the now very windy road, was quiet between Mr. Mike Smith and me. I should be thankful to my knight in shining armor. He certainly knew how to act put out. With a slow intake of breath, I composed myself and turned to a man with extremely handsome features once he seemed more relaxed. "Sorry." I whispered softly from my lips, as I let out a light puff of air.

"No sorry needed. I just get the impression you have no idea how far it is to town when your limo driver dropped you off."

Nice, he saw the whole show. I tapped my fingers against my legs. Now I had no freaking clue where I was or how far. How the hell, do I say that without coming out looking like Queen Stupid.

A few more minutes passed, and we were still deep in mountain country on a single-lane dirt road. Shit we were far from town. I was going to need a car, and I don't think a thousand dollars was going to get me much. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"I get the impression something's amiss?" His voice had a timber smooth sound to it, a serious sound to it.

My voice, on the other hand, sounded squeaky and high-pitched. "No. What makes you say that?" I kept my eyes adverted from him as I knew I was a lousy liar.

He slowed the Ranger for a sharp curve and then started straight again. This time we were off the main mountain we lived on and next to the riverbed. I saw a few other houses along the way that looked far from the road.

"Hmm." His voice sounded speculative of me, rightly so. I was wondering myself what everyone would think about me, and my new humble abode. Looking for a job in a small mountain town can be hard if no one knows you.

The river looked beautiful. I found myself getting lost in the scenery. The soft mediation music coming from the Range Rovers speakers reminded me of my last massage I got last weekend. I did not think I would be getting too many more of those anytime soon.

"Hmm." This time it was louder, along with the taping of his fingers against the steering wheel; I got the impression, he was not going to let this go.

"How much of the limo driver dropping me off did you see?" My voice sounded weak and wimpy.

He didn't speak up right away, and then he slowed the Rover to a stop along side of the river and turned and looked at me. "None. Why? What was there to see?"

I looked at him not sure, if he was lying or telling the truth. "Nothing. Nothing at all. However, you said you saw the limo driver drop me off."

"I didn't say that. What I saw was a limo coming up the road as I was driving into town. When I got back, the porch of ol' man Kunz's place was loaded with more expensive luggage than I've seen in a while and no one in sight. My journalistic aptitude assumed that was you in the limo, and the luggage belong to you. My next question is why in the heck are you there?"

I swallowed hard. Why was I there? Could I spill the truth? Yeah right. Who in the heck would believe me? I did what I did best when backed into a corner and reflected the subject back to the man. Which every man loved, didn't he? "So? You're a journalist? For what, like Time or National Geographic or some big news gig?" I sounded too enthusiastic for myself.

The Rover started up and raced down the road at a much faster clip than before. The silence dreaded on. I had not answered his question, and he had not answered mine.

Chapter Four

The town of Senoia Pass was really quaint and small. It was not within walking distance of my humble abode. It was not even running distance. I looked around town as we drove through and parked at the local gas station. Neither one of us had spoken another word. His body language read pissed, and mine read misery. Together we were great company.

As we got out at the gas pump, I spoke up first. "I need to run in to buy a map. I don't know if you mind driving me back?" I shrugged my shoulders, and put one running shoe behind the other and looked up at him through batty eyelashes. I decided to lay it on sweetly. I did not want to have to walk home.

He walked up to my five foot five frame and towered over me. He had to be at least six feet. His shoulders were broad, and his jaw clenched he looked down at me through shaded eyes. "I would be a real asshole if I made you walk your cute little ass all the way back up to the house, now wouldn't I?"

He said cute little ass. There held some promise. Jesus what was I thinking. The last thing I needed was another bossy domineering man in my life, last thing. Right after I got a ride back, so I had better stock up for at least a week.

"I was just asking." I pouted my lips, and looked down at my now crossed feet and set my hands behind my back. I felt like crap and at that particular moment, anymore nasty comments and I might just start running off into the day crying. Alternatively, the exhaustion of the tears and whatever drug Sabrina had slipped me was causing me to feel physically exhausted. Tears would only take up more energy that I did not have.

"I'll tell you what. You tell me exactly what you are doing at ol' man Kunz's place, and I will give you a ride anytime you need; that is, when I am in town. Until you get your own ride, deal?"

I looked back up at him, and uncrossed my ankles and let my shoulders fall in a slumped fashion. "I think I'm the proud new owner. Jobless, penniless, at least from my standards of the world I had been living and slightly confused. It has been a long day. Can I spare you the details and just take me to a local store to get some food and supplies? When I was dropped off, all that was left was my luggage that was Caribbean bound at six this morning. It's now what, about five, and I haven't eaten all day, and I really just want to sort things out for myself."

"Jesus Klarissa. I'm sorry." He wrapped his big strong arms around me. I choose that moment to collapse into his arms crying, right there at the gas pump. What else was I to do? I just craved the feeling of anyone's arms to hold me and cry, not alone for the first time that day. For the few minutes I cried, I started to feel better. I felt like I had a friend, in this horrible situation. I pulled away from his arms and wiped my eyes dry with my hands.

"Thanks."

"Ok. I need to get gas and then there is a grocery store just next street over. I forgot gas and a few items earlier today. I think that limo threw me for a huge loop. I was afraid you were my fiancé back two weeks early from Afghanistan. She's a journalist for NBC and tends to travel in that manner once she's spent a few weeks over there reporting on the war."

Christ. He had a fiancé who is a war journalist to boot. Well at least that put him safe out of my way for trying to seduce. I could respect his relationship, unlike some people.

I passed on going into the gas station for a map after I had made a scene at the gas-station pump. Lucky for me, it was packed full of city folks up from Denver looking to take a hike among the changing aspens of fall.

As I sat in the Rover, I looked around and remembered reading about this town in the Sunday paper and mentioning it to Sabrina that we should take a hike. She laughed her ass off. I could hear her voice in my head saying, "look who's taking a hike now baby." She did always tease and call me baby. Back before today, I always thought of it as a sincere long drawn-out baby like in the movie dirty dancing. Now I considered it an insult. God I was stupid, blind and stupid, and dumb, dumb blonde. I knew my internal mental bashing was not helping me any but even so I continued to do it.

The Range Rover door opened, and the light filtered inside of the car. "Ready?" He started up the Rover, and we were on our way. As we started to pull out on the main road, a large truck pulled out ahead of us and almost hit us. Mike's arm instinctively came back with his palm flat against my DD chest and held me in place. "Christ. Asshole! Look where you're going." He yelled at the other driver then turned to me. "You ok? Damn woman, get your seatbelt on." I fluttered my eyes full of tears, because for one split second, I saw the huge truck almost hit us, and I had wished, deep down, that it had and that would spare me all the crap. For one split second, I wished I had died.

Mike's hand was still against my chest, and I was sure he could feel the super-fast flutter of my heart. I was in shock. "Klarissa? Are you ok?" His hand dropped and went back to the steering wheel. I shook my head yes while clicking my seatbelt in place and turned my face away from him. I felt the car engage and drive down the road. All I could think was how sad and unfulfilled my life must be that I wanted to die so quickly and so young. Was that what marrying Mathew had turned me into? A superficial materialistic spoiled brat.

I had to prove to myself more than anyone, that I could make a castle out of my shack, and that I had more to offer in this world than a great pair of DD's on a beautiful face with bright blue eyes and long blonde hair. I had love and affection to offer as I so much craved all my life. I had something more to offer.

First, I had to fix up the shack and make it a home. Then I needed a job, which would require a car. I had to find out what bank had my account and how much money was in it. Next week, I would try to call Mathew and find out exactly what the terms of our divorce were and how much money he would be sending me. I knew I could make it. I just wanted some time to wallow in my despair. I had that right after what I just went through. However, I did not want it to be in front of Mike.

The main street held all the amenities one might need in a little town, although it was not but a two-hour mountain drive from Denver. I remembered that from the article I read about this place. I saw only one bank, and I would go there once I had myself more pulled together.

We pulled into the parking lot at the main grocery store, which again, looked busy with tourists adjusting their camera and hiking equipment. I watched them empty their coolers of melted ice from the long day in the car. Standing around talking in the parking lot sharing digital photos on the cameras and laughing. How I wished I was one of those people at that particular moment. How I wished I had just come off the mountain from a long hike and was catching a quick bite before the relaxing drive home, sharing the topic of fall and all the beautiful splendor of the day with a loved one.

I was in full my life sucks mode, so I am going to torture myself with happy images of everyone else's life. It seemed to be lifting my spirits just a bit. The sound of the car door closing put me back to reality as I watched Mike stand there waiting for me to get out of the Rover.

I got out, and went around to his side and smiled. "Thanks." He looked away as he said 'no problem'. However, I got it loud and clear. When I told him my predicament, I kind of made myself his problem. That was not fair to him; it wasn't fair of me to lay that heavy of a load on a total stranger.

As I walked behind Mike, I watched him grab a grocery cart. He mentioned he only needed a few items, and I wondered if the cart was for me. I stepped up my pace and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey. I thought you only needed a few items. Is that cart for me?"

"Yeah, but if you're a modern woman and want to push your own cart... push away." He stood backed away from the cart and motioned to the cart as if he was a game-show host, and this was my prize.

"Quite alright. You can push. I like a man that pushes my cart." That sounded an awful lot like flirting. A natural-born habit of mine that only got worse with age. As Mathew's wife, I made the habit a way out of anything or into anything with anyone. Mike deserved better. "I mean..."

"I got your meaning. You like it when the man does the man thing. No biggee. It's actually kind of nice. My fiancée is a woman who can't have anyone do anything for her just to prove her point, yet she has a maid clean her house; a chauffeur drive her around and a regular dry cleaners that picks up her laundry. I guess it's just when it comes to man type things she always has a point to prove that she can do it just as well. Last winter, she tried to out chop me in wood." He shook his head back and forth in memory and got very quiet for the next few minutes, as did I. I sensed the way he briefly talked about his fiancé that the love and passion were missing from the whole picture. I just could not make it my place to fill that hole. I had my own screwed-up life to contend with. I wanted more for myself in so many ways now and with each step of the grocery store, I was determined to make my life my own. I just had no idea on how to go about doing it.

I watched Mike put some fresh produce in the front part of the cart. "Better start putting in what you need, or we'll be here all night." His tone had a light laughter to it this time, as if he was joking.

"I'm kind of baffled where to start. I guess because all of this is somewhat still sinking in. There were a few cleaning supplies, and lord knows that place is filthy. So let's see. I need bug spray, lots of it, maybe some laundry detergent and dish detergent. I need towels, dish towels, bath towels and shoot." I stopped just as Mike stopped and turned to watch him look at me in despair.

"What you need to do is explain to me exactly what happened." He looked down at me with a stern face of concern. His voice sounded firm yet sincere. I was not ready to explain it to myself let alone anyone else. I had not quite grasped the whole situation. Worse, I was more embarrassed than my entire rundown trailer park life of drunk and drugged parents growing up.

I looked up at him with embarrassment. "Not now." I walked on ahead and started grabbing anything in sight that I might remotely need to clean that place, clean me after cleaning that place, and clean my clothes after cleaning. Going along the aisles I began tossing in some canned soup, case of pop and a few edible items. The snack isle was screaming my name, but I only grabbed one snickers bar and one bag of peanut M&M candies. As we rounded the snack isle, I knew there was an angel. The store sold wine and beer. I grabbed two bottles of red wine, and as I set the bottles in the cart, Mike shook his head no. I ignored him. I walked onto the dairy isle for some milk to go with my box of cereal.

As I went to put the quart of milk in the cart, I noticed the wine missing. "Hey. Where's my wine?" I stamped my foot and squared my shoulders putting my hands on my hips.

The laughter that left Mike's mouth was pleasant to my ears even though it was at the expense of my wine. "I can't let any new neighbor of mine drink that dollar store crap wine. I have a wine cellar in my basement. I think I can afford you a few good bottles of wine as a welcome to the neighborhood gift."

"Well. Ok. As long as they aren't expensive. Thank you. That is very kind." I turned and headed down the last few isles of personal items. I felt a warm gush in my body of hope and happiness that my new friend extended to me. I did not think there were many things I needed as I had packed for more than a long weekend in the Caribbean, but a glance nonetheless, could not hurt. I stopped short of the condoms and lubricants and about fainted when I watched Mike toss in a large box of condoms. Christ. The visual of him slipping that on himself shot my senses to hell. I froze in the condom aisle. By the time, Mike made it back to me from rounding the aisle towards checkout I smiled and crazily grabbed a box of super tampons. Perfect. He gets condoms. I get tampons. He gets sex. I will probably be on my period, permanently.

Chapter Five

The cashier rang up all the groceries together. I tried to stop her, but she ignored me. When I stammered, she practically shouted at me that 'Mike here says he got it missy.'

As we walked out of the store side by side, I shook my head and tightened my lips whispering 'my name's not missy, it's Katy.'

"I thought your name was Klarissa. Klarissa Beck. Got something you need to share. Missy?"

Gulp. "Klarissa Rhinholt as of yesterday or whenever they got the divorce papers through. Three years prior I was just little ol Katy Beck from Wheat Ridge Colorado. Born and raised in a trailer park until I was eighteen and ready to run." Damn. I said too much.

"Hmm. There is a story here."

"There is but I wouldn't want to bore you."

I watched him open the back of the Range Rover and start to put the bags of groceries in. "I am a journalist you know. I have my ways of finding out. However, I can wait until you are ready to talk."

I slinked into the passenger seat and let him finish putting in the groceries. I heard and felt the rear door slam shut and watched as the driver-side door opened. Mike stood there for a minute looking at his phone. He texted someone back and then placed his phone into the console between the seats. He climbed in and clicked his seatbelt. He turned to me and smiled. "Seatbelt Missy. That is unless you like my hand on your chest?"

He had a nice sense of humor, and I could tell he was a flirt as well. How far we both were willing to take it as two strangers was beyond me. I was lonely and sad. He seemed attracted and lonely, with a fiancé, far away. I had just had my heart ripped out and shredded by my husband and best friend. I could not, would not, do that to another human being.

"Buckling up." I said it with a smile of sincerity.

The drive back up the mountainside went much faster than coming down. With the sun now starting to settle behind the mountain, the road seemed ominous. If I had not taken the ride, how far would I have walked down the hill, before utterly freaking out? Maybe, there was an angel on my shoulder guiding Mike to me. That didn't speak too highly for my guardian angels as they had led Sabrina to me when I needed her most. Likewise, look where that got me.

"It's beautiful up here. I'm very thankful you offered me the ride."

"No problem. Do you want to talk yet?" His gaze stared straight ahead, and his driving speed was suddenly much slower than coming down the mountain. A small part of me trusted him, but a big part was telling me no. He was a journalist after all, and I was instructed no tabloids, not that I intended to stay quiet forever. I just knew I would need whatever cash Mathew was affording me to that account. Having Mike pay the two hundred dollars for everything I bought today was a huge help.

"Not yet." I smiled in his direction, and he gave me a brief glance with a wry smile. "I have the money in my purse to pay you back." I started to dig around in my backpack and pull out my wallet.

His hand rested on my wallet in my lap. "Keep it. Something in my gut tells me you need it. Besides, I have seen ol' man Kunz's house. It has not been lived in by anyone for some time, if you don't count the teens that break in there from time to time to have a little party. I've called the county Sherriff more times than I know."

"They don't mess with you or get you back for calling?" I remembered being a teen with a body full of anger and an attitude willing me to party at any moment.

"Nope. They wouldn't be that stupid." He reached for his phone as it began to vibrate, glanced at the screen, then flipped it over on its face and set it back in the console.

"If you need to get that." I put my wallet back in my backpack, zipped it up and held it against my chest like it was a teddy bear.

"I'm good. They can wait." He smiled over at me and looked back at the road.

"So how come the kids don't mess with you? I mean is this something I might have to deal with? Do I need some type of protection?" I fidgeted with my yoga top on the bottom edge with my fingers.

"Maybe we might need to install a few lights on your property. In the meantime, I will park my Range Rover in your driveway. It's only Thursday. By Saturday night, they might chance coming around, although the roughest of the crew was caught on my security cameras a couple of weekends ago. I made sure their parents got the message loud and clear."

Shit. Double shit. If he had security cameras, then he most likely saw everything that happened today when Sabrina and Haus had dropped me off. It almost seemed like an eternity ago, but it had only been hours. Maybe he had not watched, maybe he does not record, or maybe he does not bother looking unless something happens. Something happened. Me. A totally out of place person, in a very not me house, across the street from him, with no car and obviously, no idea that I would be living there up until a few long hellish hours ago.

Something Mike said struck a chord with me. He said 'we' when talking about installing lights on the property. I did not want to read too much into it. If I was in his shoes, and this had happened to some other person, I would want to let them know they had a friend. Maybe that was just how I needed to look at it. Sabrina had been a good friend even though her final intentions were wrong. I needed a good friend right now and Mike seemed to want to fit the bill, for the time being. However, in two weeks when his fiancé was due back, I had to be on my own. I did not want to be the one that puts a wedge between their relationship.

The first thing we discovered, as we went to open my front door, is the lock was not functioning. Even if I had locked the door, it would not have locked. Someone had super glued the lock from locking. The key slid in and out and turned as if it was locked but either way it had to be replaced. I put that top of my list. I was going to need a ride back into town preferably tonight to buy a lock and fix it, along with tools. I didn't see any tools in the kitchen or laundry room, and I was not about to go digging around the beat-up old shed out back to locate tools to replace the lock.

Then when we went to flip on the lights, the electrical did not seem to be working. Mike headed directly to the fuse box in the laundry room and with a few loud switch clicks, the single bulb overhead light came on. The kitchen light and bathroom light were missing light bulbs along with the front porch.

I turned to Mike with a grim smile, and before I could say a word, he spoke up and took charge. "Look, it's already late, and you said you hadn't eaten. The place has no lock; missing most of the light needed to do anything, and you look more exhausted than my first tour in Iraq. I have five bedrooms in that house. You are welcome to one of the guest rooms and baths, and we can tackle all this in the morning. Besides, we haven't even checked to see if the cold items you bought have a working fridge to hold them."

I wanted to fight and say no I'm a big girl, and I will be fine. I wanted to. I really did. I lowered my shoulders and looked at my feet. "Alright." My tone held volumes of disappointment even though a real bed and hot bath sounded heavenly.

Mike went into action and I just followed his lead. He checked the fridge, and it might be working now that the electrical fuses switched back on, but it was not cold. He began unloading my dry storage goods from the car into the kitchen. I grabbed the bag with the personal items and set them in the old cast iron bathtub. I tied the bag closed to keep the bugs out and set the drain plug in place. Memories of a cockroach-infested trailer in my early teens came to mind, and I shivered with goose bumps. Two steps forward, one-step back I told myself.

Within ten minutes, I had a change of clothes, my toiletry items, a brush and hair clip in my small sports backpack. I did not want it to appear as if I was moving in.

"Ready." Mike popped his head back in the house from unloading the last of the stuff. He had his single bag of produce from the store along with the box of condoms I could see through the bag. I gulped deep. In his other hand was two bags of my cold items I had bought at the store. I guessed he would be keeping them at his place until my refrigerator was cold.

"Yup. Thanks for offering. I wasn't even sure where I was going to sleep." We headed out the door leaving the old style single bulb light on in the front room, and Mike's car parked in the driveway. We headed across the street and up his perfectly landscaped rock path to his front door.

His house was the polar opposite of ol' man Kunz's cottage. I stopped referring to the place as a shack in my mind and envisioned a beautiful white cottage with shabby chic décor and plenty of flowers surrounding it. I turned and looked back at my place and shuttered. It was a long way off. It needed massive weeding, board replacement and paint on the outside. Half the fence along the front yard was a broken split-rail fence.

I turned back and quickly examined Mike's front yard with expensive perfectly placed mountain moss rocks. Clusters of aspen trees were placed perfectly along with shrubs and flowers. The outside lighting was strategically placed so that all windows and doors were lit up, and the outside of the house was made up of flat rock mixed with timber. It had custom built home all over it. It was a home, not a shack or cottage.

Mike opened his front door and motioned for me to go in first. What was inside, was what I had expected, a very manly, not humble, abode. There was custom tile, custom timber staircase to a loft, and stainless-steel kitchen with a very open floor plan. All smooth cool colors on the walls with artwork that screamed gallery not just reprints in a frame. It reminded me of my home, my old one with Mathew. Only Mike had a lot more of the homey touches. Like a custom knitted blanket draped over a dark leather couch. Magazines of variety were placed haphazard across a handmade log table. Photos everywhere framed of Mike and various people. He appeared to have many friends. Then one particular photo struck a chord.

It was on the custom log table in a very elegant silver frame with a half-empty glass of wine next to it. It was Mattie Black, NBC's top war journalist. Her sharp smart features and chiseled face looked happy while looking up at Mike, who was smiling into the camera. Her dark short black hair was bluntly cut and behind her ears. Her deep brown eyes, so big, that all of America had fallen in love with her on TV. Shoot. That was Mike's fiancé. I had no worries about him even being remotely interested in me. She was gorgeous, smart, funny, witty and talented.

I heard Mike set the bags of groceries on his counter and turned to see a yellow lab, years in his prime, slowly waddle in with his tail going a mile a minute. "Jesse, meet Klarissa. Unless that is, you want to go by Katy again. Katy suits you." He smiled and rubbed the yellow lab behind the ears. The graying around the mouth and his slow easy movements told me he was a good old dog.

I smiled and knelt down for Jesse to approach me, and he promptly left his masters side for a fresh set of fingers to scratch and rub his old achy body. I had not replied to Mike's question because I really had not put a ton of thought into it.

"Klarissa?" Mike's voice held a question just in my name alone.

"Huh." I looked up then I stood and watched Jesse walk away slowly and settled himself by the backdoor that looked out to a deck that held the most incredible view.

"Do you want to go by Katy or Klarissa, or you can even pick a new name for yourself. Kate?" He smiled and poured two wine glasses full of a deep rich red-colored wine. Then turned to his stainless steel refrigerator, and set the wine inside. He pulled out a tray of cheese and fruit that looked left over from a party.

"I'll have to think about it." I accepted the glass of wine and motioned my head to the view. "Can I?"

"Certainly. Besides Jesse's favorite spot is right there on the edge of the porch looking out to the lake below.

I walked over and slid the lock to open on the glass French door. I opened the door, took a step outside, and breathed in the clean mountain air deeply. The deck was a custom wood deck, newly stained with at least twenty feet in length out. The deck ran the perimeter of the backside of the house with steps down to another larger deck and more steps down to a fire pit.

Mike hollered from inside the kitchen. "Left-over deli chicken alright? I've got all the makings for sandwiches with some left-over cheese and fruit from a party I went to last night."

I envisioned his life full of incredible smart friends, cozy friendly parties, a smart intelligent girlfriend and a good old dog that was there for him. I wished just a tenth of that life for myself.

"Kate?" His voice hollered out to me again.

"Sounds great." The exhaustion of the whole day had just started to settle in as I sipped the expensive wine and breathed in the fresh air while mentally soaking in the view and trying to find a way to meditate myself to relaxation.

As Mike stepped out with a tray of food and his wine glass in his other hand, I watched him work the full hands with grace. He set his wine down on the custom deck outdoor dining set, then the tray. He positioned the tray of cheese and fruit between two plates full of chicken sandwiches and chips. He pulled a chair out and motioned for me to sit exactly next to him looking out to the sunset view that was beginning to happen. I had practically finished all my wine and set the empty glass down on the table. I started to sit when Mike offered to get me more wine. "Actually, water please. I never drink more than a glass of wine."

I watched his eyebrows raise in question. I remembered the two bottles of wine I put in the cart and laughed. "Tonight was going to be an exception. If I was going to sleep with the bugs in that house, I was going to be drunk." That thought made me smile. I had not been drunk since my wedding night to Mathew. After that disastrous event, I choose not to drink too much ever again. Mathew had been embarrassed that I could not hold my alcohol and stated his disappointment in our sex that night.

I wanted to wait until Mike got back from getting me a glass of water, and the food smelt too good. I snuck a quick bite of the sandwich, and it was heavenly, although bread and water would have sufficed as hungry as I was.

Mike handed me my tall glass of ice water and then refilled both our glasses with wine. "In case you need to drown a little sorrow tonight. You'll be safe here with me, and I guarantee there aren't any bugs in any of my guest rooms."

I smiled and dug into my food. I had finished half my sandwich when I caught Mike's confused look on his face.

I swallowed and took a sip of wine. What the heck, I thought. I could use a good buzz about now. "What's up?"

"Well you certainly appear to be starving." I watched him take a sip of wine and pop a piece of gourmet cheese cube in his mouth, and then wait.

"I have this nervous habit before flying. I don't eat the day before out of fear of throwing up on the plane. On the way to the airport Sabrina treated me to a mimosa in celebration of our weekend ahead in the Caribbean and... well I haven't eaten in two full days. That's all."

That is when I saw the true side to Mike's journalistic animal instincts kick in. "Who's Sabrina? Why did you end up here today instead of the Caribbean? What does your husband, or excuses me ex-husband, think of all this? Why...?"

I stopped him cold with my hand to his lips, as tears began to well up in my eyes with the pressure of a waterfall about to explode at any minute. "Stop." I pleaded breathlessly. "Unless, you want me to throw up again today, please stop." I set my hand back in my lap as the physical touch of his lips warmed me up inside and made me crave deep passionate sex with the man. I could not understand my body at that moment. The thought of this morning and all that happened had made me want to throw up the food I just ate. Then the touch of my hand to his lips made me crave him deep inside me. I was more upset with myself at that moment than I ever was.

Mike's breathing turned very deep and fast, as his bright blue eyes closed and open several times. Jesse must have noticed all the anxiety, walked over to Mike's side and put his head in his lap.

"I'll tell you, just not now. Ok?" It came out so soft and breathy that I was not sure if he heard me.

I stood up and pushed back the chair to excuse myself to the bathroom. "I really could use a bath and a bed. Care to show me where I am staying tonight?" It was only going to be one of those nights. For tomorrow night, I saw a blow up mattress at the grocery store, and I was sure Mike was willing to drive me back in town tomorrow for the new lock and light bulbs. I would make a list in the morning. I would find that bank tomorrow and get my money. I would see how much Haus left me on the credit card, and I would find me a car. I wanted to be free of everyone and thing, by tomorrow night.

Chapter Six

Mike showed me where his master bedroom was at on the main floor. 'In case I needed to find him.' He told with me a matter of fact tone to his voice. With the door to his room closed, I did not see where he slept, which was even better.

We took a straight set of carpeted stairs down to another level of the house. It too had a set of double glass doors that walked out to the where the fire pit was outside and the incredible views. The entire backside was windows and a big open room with a bar, pool table and a large TV, with couches and chairs. All designed for a man. On each side of the large main room were two doors spaced equally apart.

Mike pointed to the doors. "Take your pick. I have four guest rooms with a bathroom separating each two rooms on each side. They're pretty much all the same. Queen Bed." He spoke on as if needed to explain why all the extra rooms. "I bought the house for the view; the downstairs was already set up this way. I don't get too many guests up here on the mountain."

"Oh." I waited a second playing a game of ennie meanie minnie mo with myself. Mike figured I was indecisive and led me to the room closest to the bottom of the stairs. He opened the door and stepped aside. When I turned to look at him, he was checking the backdoor lock and then turned to look at me, and our eyes held for a good few seconds without words. We both were a story in itself. I spoke a single word 'thanks' then I slowly shut the bedroom door and slid my body down the back and hugged my knees and began to cry. I had a feeling my story was just starting while Mike's was a wealth of incredible history.

I recognized his picture with Mattie Black as well. Decorated war hero turned war journalists, shot down while saving a child, and now he wrote for publications like Time and Newsweek. I was beyond embarrassed about my little drama that played out today. Nothing like the action or real-life drama he saw. I was officially too embarrassed to tell him anything.

I sat there for a bit crying softly into my knees as I hugged myself, when a soft knock at my door caught my attention and I heard his voice whisper 'Kate'. I froze out of fear he heard me crying. "Kate. I'm going to set your backpack at the door. Everything you need is in the bathroom. Enjoy your bath. I will be in the loft working. I've got a deadline I missed today."

Then I heard his steps go up the stairs. I waited a full five minutes before I opened the door. There sat my backpack and a tray with my half-eaten sandwich, some fruit and cheese and another full glass of wine. A small delicate sunflower lay next to the wine. I was touched. I could see how my drama might be affecting him. He felt helpless, unless I was willing to let him help me. He told me at the store today how he liked being the man, and his fiancé would never let him do anything for her. I had to think about it. It might serve us both well to let him help me get the cottage back in place. And maybe. Just maybe, as I got myself back together, and placed all the pieces of the puzzle together, I could let him in on what happened.

I bent down, grabbed my backpack and set it inside the door. I picked up the wine glass, took a big gulp, turned and set it in on the bathroom counter. I came back to the doorway and bent to pick up the tray, and as I stood up out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mike's feet as he was walking back up the stairs. He had been watching me. It was probably in his nature to observe.

I smiled inwardly and felt warmth feel my heart. People cared about people they did not know. They want to help strangers, family and friends alike. If I was him, I would be doing the same. I did not want to play the victim. I wanted to start a new life tomorrow independent. Sometimes letting someone help you, helps them just as much. I was going to let Mike help me tomorrow, but first a hot soaking bath, the rest of that wine and a good night's sleep.

I started the bath running and found some bath salts under the sink. It looked like it was part of a gift basket set. I dumped the bottle in and smelt the lavender scents fill me nostrils. I took another large sip of wine and let the deep red rich wine slowly slide down my throat. Then I began to undress out of my yoga clothes, and I set them neatly in a pile on the counter. I took my hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste out of my backpack and then set them on the counter. I grabbed my travel size shampoo and conditioner and set them next to the bathtub on the tiled ledge. I stretched a few tall yoga stretches to work out the knots in my shoulders. I rolled my neck around a few times and then did shoulder rolls. I stood in front of the mirror with the lights dimmed and stared back at myself.

I was a beautiful woman outside. Now I wanted to be a beautiful woman on the inside. 'Good riddance Mathew and Sabrina.' I spoke aloud to myself. Then I turned and shut the water off and picked up my wine glass and slipped into the warm soft water until my head was almost completely under water. With my wine glass held out of the water, I laid like that with my knees bent and my head, except my face, under water for minutes. When I finally, slid my body back up to a sitting position, I let out another deep breath and took another sip of wine.

I thought of how I use to watch my mom as a little girl. She would take the longest hottest bubbliest baths. I would sit on the toilet and watch her sing herself silly. I remembered my favorite. Mr. Sandman.

I began humming along to the mental memory I had of her singing that song. "Hmm a hmm. Hmm a hmm. Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream. Give her a complexion like peaches and cream. Give her two lips like.. hmm a hmm. Hmm a hmm. Then tell me my lonesome nights are over. La... dee dah. Hmma a do we a do. Mr. Sandman bring me dream. Make her the cutest that .. dee dee a do." I kept humming all those oldie but goodie, songs my mom used to sing. Humming to words long forgotten, by making the doo whop sounds of yesteryears. It seemed in the last year; I had done a lot of remembering of those songs when times got tough. The more I thought about it, there were times.

By the time the water was cooling, I washed and I conditioned my hair quickly then rinsed. I swiped my legs with my razor just for me. I got out and found a nice plush white towel and dried my body then tossed my hair up like a turban with the towel. I grabbed my travel size bottle of lotion out of my backpack and slathered myself with the cool rich lotion. I would not be buying expensive lotion anymore. I was going to enjoy every last drop of this one.

As I stood in front of the mirror humming Mr. Sandman again, I took the towel out of my hair and quickly brushed through the wet strands. I stood there naked and watched my hands as they covered my breasts for a minute. I wanted so badly for Mike's hands to be on me touching me. I let one hand slowly wander down my stomach as if I had done as a stripper and rub myself across my belly down between my legs. I stopped myself short as I heard a knock on the bedroom door.

"Kate. Your phone is ringing upstairs. It must have fallen out of your backpack."

I felt flushed with excitement at what I had almost done in Mike's house. "Ok. I'll be up in a minute."

I dressed quickly in my denim shorts, black bra and tank top. I slipped my flip-flops on and ran my fingers through my wet hair. I ran some lip balm across my lips and practically ran up the stairs.

I was anxious to see who called, and I was more anxious to see Mike. By the time I reached the stairs, I was a little heady. The last glass of wine made me tipsy. I giggled like a little girl as I landed flat on my face at the top of the stairs. It took me a second to realize that Mike was in his loft, and he was humming Mr. Sandman.

"Catchy tune." I giggled up to him. He looked down at me over the loft. "Catchy tune." He replied with a huge smile that melted my heart. "Over there on the counter. It rang several times before I decided to let you know. I turned the ringer off."

"Thanks." I stood there looking back at him smiling. Letting the luxury of the feeling of the wine take over me and make me feel calm and seduced. I watched Mike continue smiling back then he turned away and spoke loudly over his shoulder down to me. "Almost done with this deadline, I'll be down in five."

"Ok." I hollered up and then grabbed my phone to see who had called. It was Haus. Several times and one from a number I did not recognize. Unknown name, unknown number. One was a text from Haus. 'Are you ok?' So I texted back. 'Great now. Met up with a friend to help me. KIT'. I did not mention the credit card he gave me. I was not even sure if I would need it. However, I would send him a thank you text later. Even though a small part of me knew, their plan would not have worked without him. I was sure he had made a pretty penny from Mathew to keep his mouth shut. I shrugged my shoulders and then bent down next to Jesse's dog pillow and began to give the old dog a rubdown.

I was lost in the moment of petting Jesse that it took me a second to realize that Mike was leaning against the wall staring at me. "He's a good judge of character. Believe it or not, he doesn't let most people pet him. So I guess you passed his test."

I looked up at him smiling and went back to petting Jesse's belly. I was at a loss for words as the image of Mike aroused something in me that I did not intend to awaken anymore this evening. He was barefoot, and I found that in itself very sexy. The way he filled out his tee shirt across his chest with broadened tight muscles, with his arms crossed, his biceps flexed and his eyes were soft towards me. The way I liked a man to look afterwards. I had to come to grips with myself. These feelings were just due to how lonely I was feeling all day.

"Kate." The sound of his voice caused my hand to still. I turned and looked up at him as I sat on my butt on the floor next to Jesse from kneeling on my knees. "Did you decide what I can call you?"

I laughed and offered my hand for him to pull me up. "Kate sounds good. Katy reminds me of my life before Mathew." We stood in front of each other smiling. "And Klarissa makes me think of the last three years married to that man and Sabrina. Kate sounds smart. Like the new me. Kate. I like the sound of that."

I watched him take a step back as if he did not trust himself. Hell, I did not trust myself. Because the next thing I wanted to do was wrap my hands around the back of his neck and pull him in for a kiss. Maybe my face was as readable as his was. I turned and looked outside.

"Suns down. Boy, you can really see the stars up here. They're so clear and bright. I'm gonna like that living up here. Say hey..." I turned and saw that he was now watching me intently from behind the kitchen island that expanded at least eight bar stools across. I went up, pulled a stool out and sat down. "I finished my wine and sandwich. Thanks. I'm still a little hungry. You got any more of that gourmet cheese and grapes?"

He smiled and turned to the refrigerator. "Sure. Let me just pull out what I brought back from the other night. It was small get together in town for a writer friend of mine, his fiftieth birthday. We all brought some party trays and surprised him, and he insisted we all bring our leftovers home. As usual, I brought too much." As he turned, he had three small party trays in hand. A cheese and fruit, a mini sandwich roll up and brownie desert tray. I had my eyes pointed to the brownies.

The clock on the microwave read 9:12. It was later than I thought. I had been downstairs for a bit. I would never have eaten before bed with Mathew. He would criticize me for the unnecessary calories. However, with my new life, I now intended to put on a few special late-night snack pounds. Moreover, I was going to enjoy doing it.

Mike set out two plates and took the tray tops off all the trays. "Dig in." He smiled and then I watched him pull two fresh wine glasses out of the cabinet. He poured each of us another full glass of wine. Part of me wanted to say no, and another part of me wanted to sleep deeply tonight.

I put two brownies on my plate first, loaded some fruit and cheese, then two mini sandwich roll ups. I took a small sip of wine and offered a toast up to Mike. "To new friendships and healthy neighbors." I smiled.

He toasted me back with a sincere smile. "To new friendships and healthy neighbors."

I dug in with vigor to the food again and between bites, I tossed out questions to Mike, as if I was the journalist. "So what branch did you serve in the military? How long were you at war? When did you decide to become a writer?"

"Marine. Five years marine but made it through only two years at war. Then I was honorable discharged due to a bullet to the knee. I always wanted to be a writer. Now you asked me three questions, so I'll ask you three. Let's make a game of it." He must have read the look of horror on my face. "Ok. How about we keep it to simple questions like favorite colors, pet names etc."

"Ok. Who was the writer's party? What...?" He stopped me with a hand to me lips.

"My turn. Missy." We both started to laugh.

He nodded his head and spoke with laughter. "What is your favorite color? Which pet was your favorite? And... let's see what did you go to school for?"

I smiled. I felt a tad embarrassed but since we were to be friends, I was not going to lie. "Purple. Deep purple. I've never had a pet unless you can count the pet mouse I found in our trailer house once, and then it had babies and I tried to keep them as pets until they got ahold of the recon trap my dad had set. And, I never graduated from college. Actually, I never went to college. I only have my GED." I bit my bottom lip and looked up at him.

"Deep purple. Huh. I can see that. Actually, that pricey luggage of yours is deep purple and tan."

"Taupe. Eggplant and Taupe. BIG difference." I laughed. I was always a color hound. I loved the eccentric feel of exotic color words as they rolled off my tongue. "If you must know eggplant is my purple. I love color words." I laughed feeling giddier with each sip of wine.

"Ok. Eggplant and Taupe. I won't ever look at luggage at the airport the same." His laughter filled the room.

"Alright." I took another sip of wine to wash the food down. "My turn, three questions." I held up one finger, then two, than a third. A quick flash of my expensive manicured nails made me realize by tomorrows end they would not look that way, and I would not be able to have them done for a long while. "Do you travel a lot for writing? What writing project are you working on now? And, oh yeah! Who was the writer friend you just had a party for? Was he famous? Do I know any of his books? Can I meet him?"

"Slow down Missy. That was more than three questions." He started to fill my wine glass back up, and I wanted to stop him but I didn't. I was a happy drunk. Tonight I just wanted to be me and sleep soundly so I let him refill. Besides, it was a smaller glass than before.

"So let's see. I still travel but not as much, mostly for vacation. My travel writing gigs are over. I'm currently working on an in depth piece for Time. I've got a fiction story in the hopper, but I've run up against a wall every time I try to pick it back up so really it's not a project. Oh, and as far as my friend, he is a newspaper writer on finances. He actually retired here in town and bought the local county paper. He has some young kids running it with his control. So as far as famous I would say no. As far as meeting him, yes. He would be a good resource to help you get your finances straightened away with the divorce."

I almost bit my tongue and spit out the brownie I just took a bite of. I swallowed hard and smiled.

"My turn to ask." His smile showed dimples when he smiled this deeply. He had a look of mischief about him. His eyes were sparkling or maybe it was the wine getting to me. "Let's see. You're a color hound and petless so question one. If you could have any kind of pet, what would it be? What color do you dislike the most? And...what was your last job?" He smiled so sweetly I could not let him down. He was going to faint when he found out I was a stripper last.

"Mike I'll answer your questions, and then I really need to turn in." I yawned wide and tried to blink my eyes several times. I looked down, and my plate was empty; my belly was full and the wine had officially made me very, very sleepy.

"So a color I dislike is... I'd have to say pea green. For some really, uncomfortable reasons that I am not willing to go into. If I could have a pet..." I yawned even longer and had a hard time focusing on the questions. "A sweet little kitten." I stood up, smiled and stretched my back. "I think I need to head down to bed. Good night, Mike. And thanks." I started for the stairs, and just as I got halfway down, I heard him ask loudly.

"Last job Missy?" I hollered back up to him, stopping on the step. "Stripper. It's the only job I've ever had besides waitress. Good night Mike." There was silence. I smiled to myself. I knew that put a knot in his knickers. However, I had lived the life I had because it was all I knew. I was here not by choice, but I was going to make a fresh life for myself, and it wasn't going to be a stripper.

"Good night Kate. Sleep tight." As I started to walk the rest of the way down the stairs, I heard him humming Mr. Sandman again. That ballooned my heart up so big I wanted to burst. I must have been singing louder than I realized in the bathtub, and it stuck the catchy tune in his brain. Coming from him, it sounded sexy as hell, and it was going to be a while before I got this image of him out of my brain. However, it would help me ease into sleep.

Chapter Seven

Morning came, and I was sure it was late. There was no clock in the bedroom, and I had left my phone upstairs. I stood and stretched my naked body. I had always slept in the nude, for as long as I could remember. I slipped into my clothes I had worn the previous night and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I had circles under my eyes and a puffy face. I remembered crying in my sleep on and off last night. It was going to be inevitable for a while.

I splashed cold water on my face several times, then brushed my hair out and put it in a braid. It was too much work to do anything else. I decided to change back into my yoga clothes as it was going to be a busy day of cleaning.

I ran upstairs with my backpack on and all my personal stuff in it. I had remade the bed and cleaned up the best I could so it would look like I was not even there.

As I came up the stairs, I noticed Mike was out on the deck reading a newspaper and drinking coffee. "Morning." He spoke with his back to me. He must have heard me come up the steps. I stepped out onto the deck thinking how I could never get tired of this view.

"Morning. You sleep good?" I was asking him. He set his paper down and smiled up at me.

"I should be asking you. You got a little tipsy there towards the end last night. Do you know you told me you were a stripper to shock me?"

I sat down in the chair opposite him and smiled. "Mike. I was a stripper or bar waitress all my working life until I met Mathew. I married him. I was not trying to shock you. I think you need to know that your new neighbor has a seedy past."

"Bar waitress is not seedy. Stripper, on the other hand, has a risqué outlook. As long as you didn't sleep with every Tom, Dick and Harry that watched you dance. Did you?" He looked me straight in the face as if he was interviewing me.

"Oh Mike. You're so funny." I stood and patted his shoulder. "Mind if I grab myself a coffee?"

"Inside. Creamers in the fridge. Sugar is next to the coffee maker. Cups on the counter. Bagels and cream cheese if you want, in the fridge." He took his paper, flicked the pages open and went back to reading it. I sensed it was a shield between us. His tone changed a bit.

I got myself a coffee and bagel slathered with cream cheese. I sat down in the same chair as before and ate a big bite of my bagel then washed it down with a large gulp of coffee. His silence was deafening.

"Hey." I tapped my foot to his leg, and he peeked a bit over the paper. "Mr. big reporter man. You can find out all you want on me and Sabrina and my ex-husband Mathew Rhinholt. You can even see my Facebook page. Password is passionfor2. If you really want to know about me just Google my ex. I know that nothing of the divorce will be in there. I was told yesterday I'll be paid to keep quiet." I took a bite of my bagel and watched him set the paper down and stare at me.

I swallowed and smiled. "By the way, I hate to ask this of you, but I need a ride to town for the new lock and tools, oh and light bulbs, also a sleeping mattress and the local bank. Sabrina set up a bank account for me in town under my name."

With his hand firmly on the table, holding the folded paper, I saw his jaw tighten and his fingers tense up. "My turn. I told you I would drive you anytime I was in town. So today, whether you like it or not, I am spending the day getting you set up proper in your place. As far as the bank, we'll get there sometime today. As far as a bed, I'll let you take the one you slept on last night. I could use a workout room down there so you can have that bed, along with the nightstand and lamp. My interior decorator felt it appropriate to give me five bedrooms. Now..."

I waited with trepidation as his bare foot had just brushed my leg and set next to my foot. I was getting that feeling of lust again while looking at him. He seemed so domineering. I knew that was the last thing I needed, but I could not keep myself from staring and smiling as he talked.

"You're smiling. What's so funny?"

"Did you really think I was teasing you about being a stripper? Silly boy. Look, let's keep that between us. When I start looking for a job in town I don't think I'll get hired by that experience."

He shook his head and set his coffee cup on the newspaper on the table, I suspected to keep the slight breeze in the morning air from blowing the paper away. "You can be whoever you want to be. A lot of folks in this town came here to get away from someone or thing."

"And you?" I wondered what he was getting away from.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest making his biceps flex again, making me swoon with lust. I watched him lean back and look serious at me then look off in the distance. "Look I've got my own hidden story. I guess we both have a lot we don't want to talk about. Maybe one of these days we'll trust each other enough. Deal?"

"Deal." I took a huge bite of my bagel and turned to look at the view. When I turned back around Mike was getting up with his folded paper under his arm reaching for his cell phone.

"Can I feed the rest to Jesse?" He had been calmly salivating just feet away from me, watching me take my every bite.

"At his age you can feed him anything that won't kill him. Which, by the way, chocolate and grapes are major no-no's for dogs. FYI."

I tossed the rest of the bagel to Jesse, and it was gone in one bite and a gulp. The thought of feeding something to a dog that might kill him worried me. "I'll ask before I feed him anything." That got a big smile out of Mike as he stood there.

I stood and finished off the last of my coffee. "I'm not much of a morning eater if I eat too much the night before. I'm going to head on over and start somewhere. I plan on sleeping in the front room, so I think I'll start there and work my way back."

Mike turned and headed into the kitchen without saying a word. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. I watched him set his coffee cup in the sink and the newspaper in a recycle bin. He grabbed his socks off the counter, which he placed there earlier and headed over to a large leather chair. I watched him put on his socks and running shoes while I put my cup in the sink. I eyed my phone on the counter.

"Hey I forgot I left this up here." I took my backpack off and slipped it in the front pocket thinking about how I was going to need to charge it soon.

"Yeah. You had a few calls last night again, after you went to sleep. I turned it off." He stood up and grabbed his car keys out of a delicate pottery bowl on the table by the front door. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a pad of paper and pen I could borrow. I think my thought process might be a little scattered. So I was thinking we could write down a plan of action."

He put up a finger, shot up the stairs to the loft, and came back with a yellow legal pad and pen. He handed them to me and smiled. "POA eh?"

"Yeah. And, more than one. The house, me, a car, my account, my life, basically a plan. Now, if I follow that plan, yippey skippy, and if I don't, well shame on me."

"Well then. Let's get to yippeying and skippying." We both started a soft laughter that ended with our eyes locked and neither of us moving. We were inches apart in his front door entryway and we both seemed to be holding our breath. I started to close my eyes as I felt him leaning in towards me with his eyes focused on my lips. I repeated a mantra to myself over and over again, this can't happen, this can't happen'. Then I felt his fingers wipe something off the side of my lips, and I opened my eyes in disappointment.

"You had a little bit of cream cheese left over on your face." He said it more to the door with his back to me, and we walked outside heading for my new cottage.

Chapter Eight

"Tell me again why you won't be sleeping in the bedroom."

"I am going to need the entire room to set up a dressing room, if Sabrina is really going to pack and ship me all my clothes. Silly." I patted him on the shoulder while he mopped up the hardwood floors. "Besides, come winter, I'm thinking this is the only heat source in the house, right?" I pointed to the wood-burning stove in the far wall of the front room.

"No. There is some electric floor vents here, but electric heat can get expensive up here. This house should have been converted to propane, but never was. I think the old guy just liked chopping wood."

"So what would you suggest I do? Seeing as there is a good chance I'll be here on a budget for a while."

"Let's just tackle getting this place. Get it cleaned and running functional and worry about heat and bills and winter on another plan. Sound good?"

I let out a huge breath of air. It was all too much, more than I wanted to bargain for. A part of me was excited as we cleaned the place. This was going to be my very first home owned by me. At least, I think it was owned by me. I needed to find that out. I jotted 'ownership of cottage' down on the legal pad under the to-do list. I put an A next to it for priority seeing as if it wasn't really mine, and Mathew could hold it over my head, then I wasn't going to do too much to it.

"Kate?" His tender voice broke my concentration as I was contemplating writing something more on the legal pad.

"Yeah?" I turned to him, and I think he saw the worry on my face.

He stopped mopping and walked over and laid a hand on my shoulder then looked down at my notes. "Does that sound good, or do you even own this place?"

"Gosh Mike. I have no idea." I shrugged both my shoulders up to my ears and looked down at his hand on my shoulder. He must have thought the personal space was too much and dropped his hand. "I was just dropped here yesterday about this time, with the effects of some type of drug Sabrina slipped me. I was told that she was me. That she divorced Mathew for me, and bought this house and set up the account, and then... then..." I started to cry lightly with hitches in my breath. Tears filled my eyes, but they did not completely fall. "Then I found this note on the door." I pulled the neatly folded note out of my backpack and handed it to Mike. I watched his face contort to a serious set on it, as if he could punch a hole in the wall. Next thing I knew, he grabbed me up in his arms and held me super tight whispering in my hair. "Don't worry Kate. Everything is going to be alright. Everything."

I just wished I could believe him. I pulled myself away after a few seconds of his hug. I could not fight the urge, I had to kiss him, so I pretended I had to go to the bathroom and practically ran.

When I came out, Mike was reading the note again. I felt the desire to defend myself. "It's not true, any of it. I didn't do those things. I was faithful to Mathew. In fact, I had only been with a few other men before him, and I thought we were in love. At least as much as an arranged marriage could be."

He jaw tensed and flinched. "Arranged?" He said it so tersely it scared me.

"I'd like to think of it more as an opportunity. See the night I met Mathew; I had just been fired. Sabrina was taking me out to dinner and then Mathew happened. In the weeks to come, he told me how he would be handed his dad's business, if he found a suitable wife. Some computer guru of his, doctored up my history with school and a degree, listing accomplishments. We married, and would stay married as long as he was happy. As long as he was happy, I got paid." I paused and listened to how bad it sounded to myself. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Quit looking at me as if I sold my soul. I just needed a break for a change. Look, a lot more goes into this than it seems. I loved my life. I loved my husband, and I loved Sabrina."

A moment of silence passed, and the note in his hands got set back on the legal pad on the window ledge. "You said loved. Past tense. Kate only a day has passed. What's the chance he's going to want you back?"

"Hell. I don't know. I got a text last night that they were married in the Caribbean. Shoot. I don't even want them back. I just want to move forward. Is that alright with you?" I yelled it at him and slammed the door to the bathroom as I went back in. I could sense my stomach turning into knots and my eyes brimming with tears. I did not want to cry.

A knock at the door stopped me still. "Kate. I'm sorry. Look. It's almost noon. I'm gonna run back to the house and make us some sandwiches. I'll bring them back here to eat, and then we can head into town." A moment passed, and I could not seem to answer.

The door opened, and he leaned in on the doorway and crossed his arms. "Ok. Look baby girl, please don't cry. I didn't want to make you mad."

"Don't call me baby." I tried to brush by, and his hands stopped me by grabbing my shoulders. He took a second, and then he pulled me into him and laid the sweetest gentlest kiss on my lips. I tasted the salt from my tears, and I did not fight him. Instead, I let my hands start to wander up his muscular chest and slide behind his neck. I turned my head just so that the kiss would deepen, and his hands slid to my face. I felt myself leaning into him, and he pulled away, our deep breaths echoing within the small space of the bathroom. We stood there breathing hard and staring at each other.

"I'm sorry." Those words exited my lips with a heavy load.

His fingers brushed my lips. "Don't be. I'm not."

Then I stood tall and took a step back. "You're engaged Mike and I just had my world turned upside down. I won't do to someone else, what was done to me."

He turned and started to walk away then he stopped and turned back. "You didn't alright. Mattie called early yesterday morning to confirm she wanted the engagement off, until we could talk to each other face to face. So yes, technically I am single. If that note is true, you are single. I'd be lying to you if I didn't say I was extremely attracted to you and want to be the one to rescue you from this mess. I won't say it's not true."

I took a step forward into the main room. "Ok, but for now, I really need a friend. Ok."

He cracked a smile, looked down in defeat for a moment, and then up, and his smile widened. "Ok. Friend. However, Kate, I saw the security footage. I believe you and more than wanting to play your hero, I was attracted to you the minute I tried to drive by you. The minute I held you at the gas station, I could feel it too. But for now, friend."

I looked at him in a completely new light. I let my resolve soften, and I felt it too. I had to be strong. I needed a friend. He needed a friend and we both had a messed up love life that needed to straighten itself out first.

As soon as the holey screen door smacked closed, I brought my fingers to my lips and ran them back and forth, over where he had just kissed me. It had felt so incredible, better than any man had ever kissed me. Far better than Mathew. There was sparks and tingling, and that sensation every romantic woman wants and cannot always find. He gave that to me, and I would cherish it. For now, I really needed to get my life in order. A thought crossed quickly through my mind. 'Maybe he needs me as much as I need him'. Thinking about all the little bits and pieces he said, made some sense. Maybe he did need me more, or as much as I needed him.

Chapter Nine

"I made a few calls while making lunch." Mike's excited voice spoke up between bites of food. We finished the last of our sandwiches in record time. We had been famished from the super-fast cleaning job we did to the place. Other than the windows, it was starting to sparkle as much as it could. "The house is owned and deeded to you. Your bank account is under Katy Beck at the local bank in town. With some sweet-talking, I found out the balance is five hundred and twenty two dollars with a pending deposit for you to sign for another thousand. The teller told me that you set it up for an automatic deposit from another account in Denver to deposit a thousand a month. There is a safe-deposit box there in your name with some items you put in, or Sabrina, whichever. There is an older Toyota Corolla you had parked behind the bank and paid to be stored there until you could pick up. There..."

"Wait!" I started to laugh. "Jesus. She thought of everything. I wonder how long she had been planning this. OMG. This is so funny."

Mike looked at me funny and slightly tilted his head.

"The five hundred and twenty two dollars is all I had to my name the night I met Mathew. The old Toyota Corolla I bet is identical to the one I donated as soon as Mathew and I married. He bought me a beemer. BMW." I laughed.

"I know what a beemer is, but why are you laughing?" His voice held the distinguishable sounds of an irritated man.

"Because I had made a joke the night I met Mathew with Sabrina that I would take a job for a thousand a month just to be some man's sex slave. It was a joke, a freaking joke and now... Now, I am her slave. If I say a word of this to the tabloids, I get nothing. God this is so funny." I started laughing so hard my eyes began to water in a happy way for once.

"I'm glad you find this funny. Grab that pad with the list and let's get into town, because I've gotta do a few changes to an article when we get back."

"Okee-dokey." My spirits seemed lifted. I had some money. I had a car, and I had a new friend. With a roof over my head and my sense of humor was coming back to me. I was starting to formulate a plan in my head.

The drive into town was just as pretty as the first time. This time Mike and I played three questions on the way. I found out he loved banana crème pie, reading mystery and living in the mountains. He found out I liked anything chocolate and had a passion for reading romantic books when no one was around. Mathew thought they were trashy, so I hid them when I read them.

We found out that we both loved the ocean and had actually frequented a few of the same vacation spots. I found out he had a weakness for blondes. He found out I had a weakness for strong muscular chests and arms on men. We joked about my career as a stripper. Neither one of us felt restricted in our questions yet neither one of us asked anything pertaining to our current or non-existing relationships. However, we both agreed that we needed to build a friendship.

I told him how important this was for me to get back on my own two feet. Find a job. Fix the house up and feel as if I was on my own and making the right choices for a change. I filled his ears with the possibility of taking an on line internet course and was looking forward to the first snowfall and making my famous chili.

Once we were in town, we were all business. First, the bank, where I got my safety deposit box and all its contents; a set of car keys on another smiley face key chain and all my junk jewelry I thought I donated after I married Mathew, and he began buying me real jewelry. I pictured Sabrina fondling my real expensive jewelry and mentally took a red sharpie marker to her face. I felt a tad better.

I found out the MasterCard gift card that Haus gave me had only two hundred dollars on it. In his standard of living that was a lot, probably not as much as Mathew paid him for the stunt he pulled.

I signed for the first deposit of thousand to the account and got a debit card from the bank in my maiden name. All my identification still had Rhinholt on it. They already had copies of my birth certificate and major identification. Sabrina had been busy.

We left the bank to find the old Toyota Corolla that looked just like my old one, same year and color, beige with tan interior. The tank of gas was on empty. That was funny. Mike offered to get it filled with gas and told me to drive his Range Rover over to the small hardware store in town. I did so without hesitation.

I grabbed a cart at the hardware store and loaded it with a new lock, light bulbs and a few throw rugs. I picked up a shabby chic decorator book by the paint aisle and grabbed a few purple paint chip card selections for later. By the time Mike caught up to me, I had pretty much gotten everything on the list. We breezed through the checkout, and he tried to pay but I would not let him.

When we walked out I told Mike to load up the Corolla, and I would see him later. I had a few stops of my own to make.

He did so without asking, and I pulled out the map of the small town and looked at it. It had a hidden fishing lake, several hiking paths, a large recreation lake for boating and camping and a couple dude ranches. There were more businesses than I expected, listing their info on the map's advertising section. I quickly formed some ideas of where I would apply for work first.

I started up the car and began to drive wondering what the awful smell was. I stopped at a car wash and washed the outside, and as I was vacuuming out the inside, I found a hardboiled egg with a smiley face under the driver seat. The woman clearly wanted the bitch of the year award.

With thoughts of Sabrina banging around in my head, I proceeded to drive around town and get the lay of the land. Where was I? Was this even a place I wanted to stay? I knew why Sabrina picked this place and the cottage. She did not think I could last one day. Even though I technically didn't last the first night there, I had every intention of staying there tonight. This quickly got my thoughts wandering back to Mike.

If I was to uphold the end of the friendship deal, I had to work hard at being independent. I had to treat Mike as if he was one of the gals. No. I would have to treat Mike like a respected older neighbor and not rely on him for more than I needed. I decided to stop my focusing on Mike and turn back to the town. The very cute little tourist town I fell in love with, in that Sunday morning newspaper article that I boasted to Sabrina about wanting to visit.

What I saw around town pleased me. The shops, the locals, tourists and the hope of employment as I saw several help wanted signs in store windows and a local pub. I was going to give it a whirl. I might have felt as if I was right back where I started, but it was a better starting point then most people had.

A small coffee shop caught my eye, and I decided to splurge on a Frappuccino, large size for a change. I ordered a pumpkin spice flavor that was a monthly special only, and a cinnamon chipped scone to go. The college boy cashier was very nice to me. Although, I have never really had a problem with interacting with people, I have always been a people person. Always ready with a smile and a friendly word. I tipped the boy two bucks and headed back to my car.

It was a far cry from the black BMW sitting at home, or what was once my home, alongside five other nice cars that Mathew owned. I would miss that car. However, I would not miss Mathew or Sabrina.

I got back in my car. I decided I needed to head back home and get started. The lock and light bulbs needed replacing. I wanted the windows cleaned, and I needed to know if the washing machine worked. Fortunately, Mike had made sure the entire bathroom and kitchen plumbing was in working order along with the refrigerator. The oven was a loss, but the cook top worked, and I did not see me cooking any fancy holiday dinners anytime soon.

I began humming a Nora Jones song softly aloud, seeing as the radio in the car was nonfunctional. I pulled up a small dirt road to a garage sale out front of a Victorian style house painted in bright purples and yellows. No one was around as I walked the rows of collectables and household goods displayed on old doors supported by wood saw horses. I picked a few things up and set them back down thinking I could get a few things but not today.

"See something you like?" A voice from behind me spoke. It was a deep smoker's voice. I turned to see a very white haired older lady with her white canvas tennis shoes, denim embroidered shirt and denim capris topped off with a large white floppy hat, and a fanny pack strapped around her waist. She had a warm smile considering all the lines around her face. Her eyes twinkled a light blue, and her lips were covered in a bright pink lipstick. I liked her on character alone.

"Actually. Hi. My name is Kate Beck. I just acquired the old Kunz property up on Timberline road. I have been spending the day cleaning and getting the place in order. I'm going to need to do a little shabby chic decorating to the place. You know, add a girl's touch." I lightly elbowed her arm and smiled down at her five-foot height.

"Oh honey, you got yourself one hell of a project." She extended her hand in greeting. "Edna Brown. Why Mr. Kunz and I was friends a long time. God rest his soul. He definitely wasn't no girl. That man was a man's man. Rumor has it, he hid gold in that hill behind the house. How much of that property do you own? Just the house or all of his old land?" Her voice crackled a bit as she talked. Then she had to clear her throat.

"Gosh. I'm not even sure." I laughed a bit softly. "Divorce present from the ex. He had an odd sense of humor. However, I have decided to make it work. Your sign says open seven days a week. I have my eye on a few things, but I really need to get back up there. Mike Smith is helping me, and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"Mike who? You mean Mike Gallagher. Shit that man tries to hide his identity around these parts, but he ain't no Smith. He's a Gallagher. His family owns quite a bit of ranch land out here. And, he ain't no single pea in a pod. He's got family just an hour or so over Hoosier Pass there down in that fancy town Frisco. Yep. And, he made his own big money from writing those war books. Says he's a journalist now but we all know his history. Damn girl, his life is embedded in this town. In fact, we all thought he bought that house on Timberline Road just to get married and start a family." She was so winded from talking so fast she started hacking hard. I laid a hand on her back as she bent over coughing, trying to offer some help.

When she finally stood, she patted my arm with her weathered hand. "Don't you worry about me. Gave up cigarettes years ago. Just can't get rid of this cough or asthma."

Then I said something so out of character I thought she was going to keel over in shock. "Have you ever tried yoga for the asthma? It can really aid you in your breathing."

"Shoot darling I'm too old for some yoga smoga. I just take er easy when it gets like this."

"I understand. I really want that reading chair over there and the ottoman to go with. Your price says hundred for both. I'm on a budget. Can I offer you fifty?"

Without a breath, she shouted "Eighty."

"Seventy!" I shouted out.

"Seventy-five!" She shouted back, but I saw her smile.

I counter offered with a huge smile. "Sixty five for both and I'll teach you a few SENIOR yoga moves. Deal?"

"Hell. Deal. I've been wanting to barter with someone for some time. Hell that was fun. Now you can come back tomorrow to pay for the chair. But, before you go, I've got a new neighbor gift I want to give ya. You know how to sew? Of course you do. No woman in her right mind wouldn't know how not to. Let's see. I got this box of mix-matched material that is just screaming shabby chic. Some northerner moved in to the house down the lane. Practically gave me all the stuff from inside. Now the place looks all-metropolitan. Those folks should have stayed in the city. But I got a truck load from them, and the stuff is selling like hot cakes." I watched her bend behind a large wooden armoire that I wouldn't mind having, but I wasn't sure if it would even fit through my front door. I let my fingers trail over the wood of the doors.

"Here it is. About twenty or so yards in here. A few pillow duvets and at least a dozen or so curtains. Probably fit right on those rods of yours at Kunz's place. Shit we'll have to start calling it the Beck House. Any hoot. Here ya go. Consider it a house-warming gift and you better scoot. I'll get the Wyllie boys to deliver the chair and ottoman tomorrow. You swing by and pay me anytime with your cash and yoga lessons. I'm here seven days a week. Doing my bizness."

"Gosh. I don't know what to say. Thanks. Honestly, I haven't sewn since I was what... twelve, then my mama's machine broke, and we never got another one. However, I will definitely use the curtains and pillow duvets. The material is perfect. I love the purple shades mixed with pastels blues. I prefer deep purple, but I'm really looking for a change."

She patted my arm. "I bet you are darling. I pegged you for a purple passion sister. Well, you better run. Besides, my shows already started."

She was back inside in a flash. My second newest friend in town and she was a bit odd, but I had a feeling we were going to get along just wonderfully.

Chapter Ten

I drove up the road to the cottage noticing the tires on my car were bald. That was going to run me at least two maybe three hundred. Sabrina applying a screw to my head popped up, and I whipped out that mental red sharpie marker and drew devil horns and a mustache on a mental picture of her. I laughed aloud at myself and focused on the road.

I pulled up, and Mike's car was not in front of my place. I guess he figured I wanted to park my own car in my gravel driveway, which I did.

I popped the lever for the rear trunk and began unloading all my stuff. I set the new safety lock on the porch by the front door and was able to bring everything else inside in two loads. The large box of fabric went straight to the laundry room. I figured I better do a test run on the washer and found one of my new white towels I had bought. I tossed it in with some detergent. The washer only had three cycles. I was beginning to think it was older than me. I turned to leave the kitchen and noticed a small black microwave on my counter. A yellow post-it note from Mike attached on the front. 'Had an extra. So please keep'.

I had to wonder. I was beginning to think he was the kind of man who got a thrill by buying stuff for a woman. Just like Mathew. I wasn't ready to go down that road. I would have to find a way to repay.

I went about taking the old curtains off the windows. Most of which were moth ridden or just so plain old and worn, I had wondered if they even kept any cold out. I got to the bedroom and noticed the bed I slept on the night before in the room, along with the nightstand and lamp. I had to laugh. Mike was not going to give up on the fact that he thought a dressing room was not a good idea. I had put more thought into my original idea and mentally agreed with him that it was odd. I also knew that I would most likely want to sleep in the front room during the winter. I had a feeling it would be warmest with all the electric vents in there along with the wood-burning stove. The bedroom had only one electric vent and one outlet. Maybe I could find an affordable pull out sleeper sofa.

I went and grabbed a handful of rags and the window cleaner out of the laundry room closet. I set about cleaning all the windows. I couldn't stop myself from humming all the old songs my mom used to listen to. I hit my Pandora ap on my phone and typed in Sandman for the song. What I got was song after song, of all the old songs my mom used to sing to me. Mr. Sandman, Lollypop, Lollypop and my favorite Runaround Sue. It flooded me with memories, good memories, of my mom as I cleaned the windows. They were filthy, and each window took at least two cleaning tries. I could have gone for a third but was limited on rags. As I got to the bathroom window that had been broken, I noticed plastic was up. Then I remembered seeing the same on the backdoor window, which had been busted out.

As I walked back into the front room, Mike was working on the lock on the front door. "You didn't happen to get two matching locks did you? One for the front and the back?"

I leaned against the wall and tucked one foot in front of the other and my hand on my hip. "Why no, I didn't stop to think about that... Mr. Gallagher." The smile in my voice and the flirting of my eyes made him smile.

"Who told? Don't tell me. No respect I tell ya. No respect." He sounded like Rodney Dangerfield for a minute. We both started laughing.

I spoke in a serious voice and a dead straight-on look. I angled my feet standing towards him and leaning in with my hands on my hips. "You got something to tell me?" I mimicked his voice as best I could. "When you're ready to talk, we'll talk. A man's got a story ya know."

He shook his head laughing in a no position back and forth. "Actually I'll squeal like a pig if you want. My life is an open book. The name Smith is my writing alias for journalism. It's been working alright, up till now." His finger flicked my nose.

I quickly changed the subject, because at that particular moment, I wanted to suck on that finger that just flicked my nose and jump the man's bones.

I pushed off the wall and went about acting busy. "Hey thanks for the micro. How'd you get the bed and stuff in so fast along with fixing the windows?"

"That is a funny story. See, the Wyllie boys had come by with their parents to apologize, and I got them to move all the furniture and the microwave and put the plastic on the windows, I was sure they broke. Their dad took measurements and assured me he would be back tomorrow to fix."

"Wyllie boys huh? I stopped at a garage sale on my way up and bought a reading chair. Those boys are supposed to deliver tomorrow."

"Now I know who told."

I padded his shoulder then walked to the side of the old beat up plaid couch. "I won't tell. Hey. Help me get this thing outside and out of site. Maybe if those boys are gonna deliver the chair tomorrow that must mean they got a truck, and they can take this to the dump for me."

"I think those boys did some things on this couch that they might want it for a trophy. A few unmentionable girls got caught with them last time." A soft chuckle came out, as he appeared to have a memory of his own as a boy that age. "Let's get this ugly thing out back. The front porch is questionable in spots. I was going to put in a few planks that I found in the shed out back."

I propped the backdoor open and there was thankfully a decent set of steps out back. It was as if the old man only went through the backdoor. We got the couch at the end of the gravel drive that ran right up to the old shed. The old shed that was starting to look more like it was supposed to be a single-car garage. It was old and tattered like the porch. The shed showed its age with grey unpainted warped wood boards, and the doors opened in the middle to create an opening big enough for a small car. I glanced inside and saw all kinds of tools and gardening items. A single bulb hung from the rafters and swayed back and forth from Mike pulling the metal cord to turn the light on.

It had potential. Maybe I could get Edna to unload some of these things for me. I glanced around at the yard at the belly high weeds mixed with just a few wild flowers and what looked like was once some grass here and there. It was a large task ahead.

"One day at a time." I said to the air in general with my hands on my hips looking around.

"Ain't that the truth? You don't want to overdo it Kate. It has been just over twenty-four hours since, well; you've accomplished a lot. Any other women might have run for the nearest hotel and stayed there, but not you. You jumped right in and made the best of it. Amazingly so. I mean most women would have spent weeks wallowing in your predicament, gone shopping, gained weight whatever. Not you."

He said the last part with such sincerity. "Yup. Not me." I stuck my elbows back, chest out and head high. I stood triumphantly for a minute.

I turned to see Mike eyeing me up and down and smiling. "Hey Mike. Don't get me too far up on that pedestal. Sure, I'm a positive happy person by nature, but I had a moment when I wished. Well, when that truck almost hit us. I had wished for a single moment that I had died and not wanted to live. But then, your hand landed across my chest. Stop smiling. Your hand brought me back. I started to think that I wanted to be more than a trophy wife and give back somehow. I just hope I can make this work."

His finger put a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. "Baby you can do anything. Anything you put your heart to."

This time I did not correct the baby. This time I just smiled and mouthed the words 'Thanks.' This time I was going to let myself walk away and be happy for all I accomplished.

I took a step inside the kitchen and noticed the washing machine vibrating and trying to walk itself across the floor. I ran over and hit the stop button. Mike came in behind me and started laughing.

"I really didn't think that thing worked. I was going to get to that after the locks. Look, it's almost dinner time. I'm starved again. There's a great Italian restaurant in town. Let's take a break and head in."

I put a hand up. "Mike. Do you really think it's a good idea to be seen with me all over town? Besides, I actually wanted to make you some dinner. Gourmet grilled cheese with tomato soup and sliced apple. For giving me the microwave, the use of the bedroom furniture and all the other bazillion things you've been a huge friend in helping me with."

He looked down in defeat. "I really don't care what people think Kate. However, I'm game if you really want to make me dinner."

"I do. But first I want to wash the new curtains I got and something tells me..." I opened the washer to find my white towel turned rust colored and the washing tub full of rust colored water. I held it up for Mike to see and we both started laughing.

"I'll run those curtains you're talking about over to my place. I have a few things on-line I need to get done today. Let's say in about two hours?"

"That will be perfect. Can you just wash everything in that box there?"

He looked in and looked back with a perplexed look. "Uh. These might be a tad too girly for me to wash. I don't do pastels."

I gave him a light push, and he faltered back laughing. "Oh come on, they are not. They're called shabby chic. These fabrics with a fresh coat of white walls and painted floor, and this style house, it will be perfect. Perfect for a woman and her cat."

"You got a cat?"

"No, but I was thinking when I drove by the small shelter in town. I would love a kitten. So once I've gotten myself settled in I'm going to get one." I stood quietly waiting for his opinion.

"Sounds sweet." He kissed my cheek then lifted the box and headed out the front door. I stood there numb for several seconds with my hand on my cheek. At that moment, a HUGE part of me hoped Mike and his fiancé didn't work things out, and I got my independence act together fast. I didn't know how long I could hold out.

Chapter Eleven

With a piece of square plywood out of the shed placed on four planter pots I washed out and positioned upside down on the middle of the front room floor, I had a floor table. I laid the larger of my two roll up rugs on the floor and my only other clean white towel across the top. I put the two bed pillows on the floor opposite each other. I set the table with the only silverware I owned, paper plates and plastic ware that I picked up at the general store last night. Then it dawned on me that I forgot bowls for the soup.

The ringing of my phone startled me. I looked at the caller id, and it was that strange number again with unknown name. I answered apprehensively. "Hello." My voice sounded shaky and scared.

"Kate. It's Mike. Is everything alright? I'm coming over."

"No! Mike! It's fine. I just didn't know who was calling. Hey, I forgot bowls. Can you bring some over? I was just about to start making the sandwiches and soup. I have the large bowl set I bought for cooking and the few pans we bought, but I forgot about bowls to eat out of."

"Do you just want to eat here?"

"We could. I guess. It's just that I just set up a makeshift table and..."

"Say no more. I'll be over in five. I'll bring bowls. What would you like to drink? Red, white or..."

"Mike. I'm really not big on drinking. I made some homemade lemonade. Let's just drink that. Bring bowls and just yourself. Then I think I need to hit it early." I yawned loudly. Partially, out of defense and partially because I was starting to feel the exhaustion from the day's activities and all the mental thinking that was going on in my head.

The knock on the front door a few minutes later let me know that Mike wasn't going to be coming and going without being proper. I went to my front door and flipped the lock open. It wasn't quite dark yet, but the front porch light was on. I let Mike in, and he handed me the bowls.

"Already it looks so different. Just cleaning it and getting the old curtains and couch out make a huge difference. I've got some other furniture in the garage if you want to take a look tomorrow. You can have what you want. Its stuff the designer bought that really didn't speak to me. Cute table." He pointed to my makeshift floor table, and it did look kid cute in a way. I was looking forward to getting something to sit and eat on.

I had the soup done and staying warm in the microwave. The sandwich stuff was all out and ready to start grilling, and the sliced apples and lemonade were already on the table.

"Join me in the kitchen while I grill the sandwiches. You want one or two?"

"One's fine."

"I'm having two. I worked up an appetite today. I'll make you two and if you don't eat it, I'll save it for breakfast."

I watched him turn away from me and look out at the bank of small square windows that looked out to the backyard. His voice was smooth and sincere. "It wasn't long ago that this yard had a nice garden and some beautiful wildflowers. Those last few years, ol' man Kunz just didn't do much. We think he had some mini strokes before his last one. Edna found him, you know. I think she always had a soft spot for him."

I flipped the two sandwiches to the toasty brown side up and turned the heat down a tad. I wasn't use to cooking with this stove. I wanted to say something but all I could think about was, where did they find him, and I didn't think it appropriate to ask.

"I bet once you are back on your feet, by next spring, you could find a few helpers to get through all the weeds and overgrown yard."

I took the two sandwiches off and started on the next two. I got lost in the process while listening to Mike's smooth mellow voice tell me little stories about the man that use to own this place and how as a kid, he lived down in town at what is now a dude ranch off the highway. He told me a short story about the gold that ol' man Kunz claimed to have found on his property just up on the hill behind. There still might be a path worn down where he went on walks daily. That most of the townsfolk never believed him until he showed up one day with a nugget the size of his palm. People started asking him for money, and that was the last he ever talked about it.

I set the sandwiches on paper plates and had the bowls of soup ready. I didn't want to interrupt his stories, but I was hungry and Mike's mind was wandering all over the place. Something my mind and mouth tended to do when I was nervous or anxious. I wanted to eat, then sleep and try to wrap my mind around my whole situation.

"Hey Mike, food's ready." We both grabbed our plate and bowl, and then headed out to my makeshift floor table. We both took a few bites in silence with an occasional smile. Then I spoke up first. "On Monday I think I'll swing by the city office and find out exactly if I own all of this property or not. Tomorrow's Saturday and I think I'll paint the inside first, a fresh coat of white. I know you mentioned a deadline, did you get it done?"

He swallowed a large bite of sandwich and smiled. "Not exactly. I got an extension. It's the weirdest thing. I got into writing that fiction story I was working on a couple of months ago and stopped when Mattie left for her last assignment. It's been almost three months, and I haven't written a thing. Then all of a sudden, my creative muse came back. It must be you. The good-luck muse." He smiled and then I watched him dunk his grilled cheese in his soup and take a huge bite.

"I'd like to think I'm good luck for somebody. So when does Mattie come back? I can't wait to meet her. She's so beautiful and intelligent. I love to watch her specials on the news. Gosh not having a TV or cable is going to suck for a while. However, I guess it's not a necessity just a luxury. Right?"

His eyes lowered, and he looked back at me and shocked me with what he said next. "Don't underestimate yourself Kate. You are twice as beautiful and three times happier than I think Mattie could ever be. She's always finding the wrong, whereas you have impressed me in the last two days with your upbeat attitude about a really nasty situation."

I looked down at my food. I could not eat. I was so happy to hear him say it, but I had a feeling he was just as lonely as I was and this would not be a good time for either of us to do anything about it. "Mike you're just upset that Mattie wanted a break. All good relationships need a break from time to time. When she gets here in the next week and half or so, you two can kiss and make up, and everything will be all right. I always felt that way when Mathew and I took a break. I won't say I don't miss him or Sabrina. I do. However, I won't say I don't want to strangle both their mangy necks right now." I laughed nervously and looked up into Mike's face that was so serious.

"Kate. I didn't want to talk to you about this tonight since it's so soon, but I think you need to know. I had to know. I ran a few checks and got a few reports sent to me. It's who I am and it's what I do but when a person I care so deeply about is involved, I have to know."

I started playing with the towel on the table with my fingers twirling the end up and down. I looked up into his eyes and tried to make light of it, but a part of me was seriously scared he had some kind of information I didn't want to hear.

"Gee Mike. You look very serious. How much worse can it be? I mean what's happened to me sucks and Sabrina is an evil pathological liar and bitch, but less than three days ago she was the closest thing I had to a sister and best friend. She was half my life. Mathew was the other half. I mean..." My voice trailed off. His look hadn't changed, and he looked pained with information. Maybe it wasn't about me. Maybe it was Mathew and his company. Maybe it was Sabrina had escaped from the loony bin three years ago when I met her, and they just found out, and I could have my old life back. Not that I even wanted it. I had so many hopes and plans for my new future that I couldn't possibly see myself going back even if Mathew had found out it was all a set up.

"Kate. Where should I start first? I'm going to just give you some facts, and after you've had time to digest all this, maybe in a day or two, you and I should find you a lawyer."

I interrupted. "Jesus Mike. How bad is it?" My eyes felt the stinging in the back of my eyelids. I blinked profusely to keep the tears away.

"It's bad. But, it's nothing I can't help you get resolved. I think in the end; you will be financially much better off. Mathew will pay for what he's done."

I took a deep breath in, scared with what he was about to say. "I don't want Mathew's money. At least not until I get a job. I won't lie. I could really use a little more than what's in the bank and my wallet but hell; I'll starve before I take anything substantial from that man."

A light laughter exited his lips and a deep dimple I had not really noticed before showed up as his smile widened to the deepest, widest smile I have ever seen on him. It melted all my anxiety and I wanted to kiss that smile off his face.

"Mike?" I smiled back a bit and laughed. "What are you smiling at?"

"You. You're so full of life and tenacity. I just want to..." he paused and looked down in defeat for a second and back up. I had a feeling I knew what he just wanted to. I just wanted him to do it to. Although it wasn't right, not right now. We both had a lot going on with our old relationships that if we did anything, it might ruin it for our friendship. I needed his friendship the most.

"Kate. You won't starve. No one in this town has ever starved. They all tend to pull together in a crisis. How much of this crisis you want known is up to you. But first." He took a deep breath. Neither one of us was eating anymore. I did not think I would be able to.

"I watched my security tape from your limo drop off. That got me to run a report on you, Mathew, Sabrina and the limo driver, Haus. Then I Googled you. I logged on to your Facebook, and I had one of my investigators check into this new marriage of Mathew and Sabrina's. Not only did she set you up, but she is trying to ruin your name right now."

We stared at each other for a minute, his eyes pleading sympathy. My eyes were feeling heavy. I just wanted to lie down and sleep, and not wake up until the nightmare was over.

"Kate. I changed your password and then disabled your Facebook account. I have several good friends in the tabloid business. I sent out emails that there is another side to the story. Mathew and Sabrina have already hit the tabloids with a story that you have been insane for the last few months, and they have exhausted themselves from keeping you safe. They have you listed at a hospital for the mentally insane. The pictures they sent to the tabloids make you look awful. I'm assuming they're actually Sabrina. It was extremely uncanny how much she looks like you now, compared to all her legal documents and pictures from even a year or two ago." He stopped for a minute. Then his hand reached across the small makeshift floor table and rubbed my arm. I looked back up at him with despair.

"Forget about everyone else for a minute. Think about just you and me in this room. I want you to realize the woman that held her head high this afternoon, out by the shed, is still the woman you are. What Mathew and Sabrina did not realize is that when they dropped you off, all doped up and confused, was they dropped you off across the street from a very powerful man in the newspaper and tabloid industry. I know a thing or two about how to handle all this, and I've got really great lawyers and we are going to make this all better."

I stood up and started to walk away trying to busy myself in the kitchen. I stopped, and turned and looked at Mike still sitting on my floor pillow and looking up at me with concern.

"Shit Mike. I don't even care. Let them make me into someone I'm not. God what did I ever do to that woman. She was my best friend." I turned around so he would not see the tears fall, and I put my hands to my eyes as if that could stop them from falling. I did not have to wait but two seconds for his strong arms to wrap around me from behind. I felt his breath on my ear, feeling the heat from his breath on my neck breathing hard and fast. Followed with sweet words of how beautiful I am, how incredibly funny, smart, and handy with tools, which the last comment, made me break out in laughter.

I turned to him and wiped my eyes as his arms still held me, and I looked up. "You're never gonna let me forget how I had no idea that they made drills cordless, and I couldn't figure out the on from the off and the reverse to the forward. It's like driving a stick-shift car for the first time. Geez." I laughed a bit more softly.

Then his fingers raised my chin, and he spoke looking deeply into my eyes. "We. We are going to make this all good for you." Then he kissed me. Slowly at first, since I was not really kissing back. I did not want to have this lead anywhere out of fear of losing him. My resolve melted quickly, and I was kissing him back harder, with my hands on his back holding him as close as I could and my tongue dipping deeply into every space of his mouth. We both pulled away and breathed deep. I looked down out of fear of looking into his eyes. He breathed into the top of my head then spoke softly. "You're not alone in this."

I did not want to rely so heavily on him that I was back to being dependent upon a man. I needed to convey that to him. I pushed him off gently and took a few steps back.

"Mike. If I was you, and you were me. In addition, if you were a girl, or I was a guy and other than the kissing, well I know I would be there for you, helping you. Wanting to take out the bad guys. However, there has to be some boundaries for now. You have to know where you stand with Mattie. I have to stand on my own two feet, or I won't be able to forgive myself for being so dependent on you."

His look of sadness almost broke my heart.

"Mike. You do things to me. Make me feel more like a real woman than Mathew ever did. However, we are both in a delicate place right now. Half of me wants to make love to you, and the other half wants to scream and cry. I guess what I am saying is I would be stupid not to accept your help. I don't care what they've said about me. It will all pass." I let out a deep sigh and leaned myself against the wall facing him and several feet away. I was exhausted.

"Well I care. I told you, I'm attracted to you, but I can take better control of my emotions until we are both ready. I agree. Things are off with Mattie and me. I didn't fight this separation this time. It's happened before and I think, for both of us, that there is someone else."

"So maybe you're just trying to soothe yourself with me, and God knows I could easily use you to soothe my emotions right now. However, where would that put us later? I need you as a friend right now. Maybe someday there could be something else. However, if you keep kissing me like that I can't keep up the strength to turn you away."

"Then don't." He took a step towards me, and I put both my hands out in a stop motion.

"Don't. Not tonight. I'm too raw. I just need to get a good night's rest. Emotionally, I can't spend another night crying." I watched him take a step back and looked down, then up. His eyes had gone back to the softened sad look that could shred my heart so easily. It could be easy. I could just forget about the later and live for the now, and sink into his arms and let him make me feel again. Instead, I watched my mental mind start to build a wall between us.

"I need you to leave. Now. Before I change my mind."

"Let me at least help you clean up."

"No."

"Ok." He started to turn and walk away, then he stopped. He turned back with a sly smile on his face. "Ok. If we were just two girls helping each other out, you sure there wouldn't be kissing?"

I picked up a half-wet dishtowel and scrunched it into a ball then I tossed it at him laughing. "You are such a man!"

He ducked, avoiding the towel. We both started to laugh.

"That I am. Hey. Seriously, though. Let's add talking to a lawyer friend of mine on Monday. I think he will work this case pro bono. He likes a good challenge. Tomorrow is a new day. I was serious about the half a garage full of furniture I don't want or need. I just haven't taken the time to donate it. You can have free pick. And, I almost forgot. Barley called me today, and he can have you start work on Wednesday down at the Brew and Pub in town. Don't look at me like that. Edna set it up. That woman won't stay out of your business."

"How'd Edna know? I don't remember mentioning that I needed a job. Huh? What the heck kind of name is Barley?"

"Barley is a big burly man about six five and three hundred pounds, and he brews his own beer. Dabbled in wine, but he sucked at it. He has no last name that anyone knows and no past that he will talk about. Tips are decent on weekends with the tourists, and he's flexible."

"Sounds good. Thanks."

"Don't thank me. Edna set it up. By the way, she called me and told me you wanted the old pine armoire out at her sale. Wyllie boys are bringing it. You can pay her ten a week until it's paid for. I asked the price, and she said you two would haggle it out."

I laughed, and my soul filled with warmth. She was like a guardian angel sent to me. Just like Mike. Sabrina might actually deserve a thank you for all this.

"Smiling's good." He looked at me and shook his head. "I'm going to go get your curtains and material. The dryers been on a wrinkle-free cycle, and it has probably started and stopped at least a few times. I'll be right back."

"Sounds good." I watched him leave and I quickly set about cleaning up half of our uneaten dinner. My second sandwich never got touched, and neither did Mikes. However, eating wasn't even an option at this point.

I filled the kitchen sink filled with dish soap and got my pans cleaned up. Then I put fresh water in with a little bleach in the sink and took the rust towel from the wash. I had gotten Mike to drain the rust water out earlier, but the towel looked to be a permanent rust stain color. I figured I would soak it in the sink any ways. I opened the small window over the sink just a tad to keep the bleach smell from taking over. Then I headed for my bedroom. I set my phone on its charger but let my music list play on random. I grabbed my entire stack of luggage from the front room, and dragged it into the bedroom and set it all out on the bed. I unzipped the largest first, then the rest and left them lying open. I stood there staring at it. It was my week trip to the Caribbean laid out before me. I was mad. I was sad. Yet, a part of me felt more alive than in a long time. I started to feel hopeful.

"Knock, knock. Kate?"

"Back in the bedroom." I turned my head around the corner. "Just set all that on the floor table there. I'll get to it in a bit."

"Ok. I was going to help you hang them on the old rods. You know so you can have some privacy. What are you doing?"

"Sulking in my Caribbean luggage mess. Yeah, if you don't mind, I'd love the help hanging the curtains." I walked out of the room with a smile. "Edna said the house these came from had the same size windows, so let's take a look.

"I put the curtains on top and other material on the bottom." He had tossed it all in a large white laundry basket but just to have it separated was nice. I picked up several curtains and stood in front of a couple windows with my arms stretched open wide holding the material. "They're perfect. Two panels per window I'd say."

"Just tell me which window to which panel and I'll slide them on the rod for you."

We worked together quickly with only the sounds of music from my phone. When we finished I grabbed the rest of the material out of the basket and began folding it. Mike joined right in, and we finished in no time. There were some large material pieces that could make a great slipcover on my new chair. But then again, I was not sure what I was going to do. Maybe I would have Edna help me out.

"I'm stoked about the new armoire. How'd Edna know I wanted it?"

"She's a mind reader. Need anything else before I head back home. I got that one security light plugged in on your fence post, but I had to run an extension cord, several actually, all the way back to my garage. I'll work on wiring it with the porch light tomorrow sometime. I didn't get that much of an extension on my deadline. I'm going to go kick that out right now. You good?"

"Better than good, I'm great." I did the Tony the Tiger cereal stance and pointed a finger up high. We laughed and ended the night on that note. No kissing, no desire pent up, just two good friends.

As I puttered around my cottage for the next hour, messing with my luggage and making notes on my legal pad with my next steps for the house, I found myself starting to feel relieved.

I knew sometimes things had to get ugly before they got better. Nevertheless, I could see how Mike, Edna and Barley were going to be a step up in the right direction.

Chapter Twelve

Waking to the sounds of rain hitting the metal roof of the cottage was so romantic; I laid in my borrowed bed for a half hour listening to it. I wanted to make homemade chili and cornbread, and then read a novel. Instead, I would most likely eat the leftover grilled cheese and warm up another tomato soup. I mentally revved myself up to get on with my day. I wanted to tackle the house today and worry about the personal mess on Monday.

The hot bath I had taken the night before was not as hot as I would like. I would have Mike take a look at the water heater. I got myself up and dressed into another pair of yoga pants and tank top. I dug around and found my light jacket, and it dawned on me. I need my warmer clothes and fast. Maybe on Monday we could figure out a way to get my warm clothes.

I padded in socked feet into the kitchen and looked out at the downpour of rain. The yard was a mud pit already, and I was worried about my chair and armoire not coming today. No biggee I thought. Then I went about trying to close the kitchen window and realized the window was swollen open, and would not shut all the way from the moisture. Thinking to myself how old houses could be more work than desired, but a small part of me was looking forward to doing it. I figured if I could learn how to use a new-fangled cordless drill I could find out how you sand a window down and repaint. I rolled up my dishtowel and shoved it in the window crack.

My phone rang from the bedroom, and I ran to get it on the fourth ring. It was 9:32 on my phone and this time the number showed along with Mike Gallaher's name. I smiled and answered in my sweetest voice. "Good Morning Neighbor!" I sounded like I sang it out.

"Perky this morning are we?"

"Earlier I was. Bit nippily in here this morning."

A low groan came through the phone line, and I laughed back. I figured some friendly flirting was normal for me, and I was not going to stop being who I was.

"Your name shows now on my caller id." I said it with such excitement; I surprised myself how much it felt good to see his name on my cell phone.

"Yeah. I thought that might make you less stressed when I called then not knowing. Hey, talked to Edna and Mr. Wyllie this morning already. Those boys will be there soon. I'm going to run over and find some boards out of the shed to lay down for them. Maybe I'll move your car to my place and let them back up all the way to the back and bring in that way."

"But the rain. Won't the chair get ruined?"

"Nope. Edna had it wrapped in plastic and ready to go. Along with the armoire. She's all business when it comes to selling her stuff. She's on top of the weather, and I don't know if you got a chance to see her metal barn out along her house. Stuffed full of salable items. She opens that up when weathers bad."

"Ok. Well, I'm dressed. I'll let you take charge on that. I was going to paint inside today, but... I don't know. I'd rather make my famous chili. I love this weather." I practically hummed out the last part, as I felt so soothed by the rain and the prospect it brings for a fresh start.

"See you in a bit." He hung up fast. Ten minutes passed, and Mike was rustling around in my shed. I unlocked the backdoor and looked out in time to see him fall in the mud as he turned with the boards. I opened the door laughing and started to come out.

"Slicker than snot. Don't come out here." He laughed while covered in mud. I watched him get up and then turn, and go back to laying down the two-by-fours, for traction in the mud. Then he went back into the shed, and came back with a tarp.

"We'll lay this over the boards when they get here to help keep the mud out." He hollered in the rain, in my direction. It seemed to be getting heavier, and I wondered how all this was going to play out.

"Hey before they get here let's get your car moved." He stood soaking wet and muddy on my small back porch with a huge canvas tarp that looked half paint splotched. I took it from him and set inside the door.

"I'll go move it. I don't want your muddy butt in my car."

"Good point. Meet me at my garage door."

"What for?"

He grinned and ran back down my driveway in the pouring rain. I grabbed my car key and unlocked the front door, then dashed out in the rain to my car parked towards the dirt road in my driveway. I graciously made it to my car, drenched with muddy shoes.

I climbed in and backed my car out on the road, and then turned into Mikes drive. His driveway was paved, but the slick mud built up on my tires almost caused me to run into the back of Mike's black Range Rover. With his garage door open, he came around and shook a finger at me.

As soon as I got out of my car, I gushed with apologies. "Gosh. I'm sorry Mike. I didn't hit it. This car needs tires. I'm so sorry."

He smiled and laughed. "I'm not letting you drive that thing anywhere else until we get you some tires. Hey, come in this way."

I followed in and realized how large his two-car garage is. It had one side built in length to fit an entire extra car, making it more like a three-car garage. It was filled with furniture and household stuff neatly lined up on metal shelves.

I took my muddy shoes off and set them by the open garage door. Watching the rain slow up a bit I felt relieved yet I hoped it did not stop. I walked over in my socks and started to look at all the stuff on his shelves.

"Here." He handed me a white crockpot. "It was my old one. When I moved in here, the decorator coordinated all my small appliances with my bigger ones. That's my old microwave you've got. Take this."

I smiled. "Ok." I knew if he were a girl, I would have done the same. I followed him through the door that led us to his kitchen. We passed a short hall that held the laundry room to one side and a pantry to another.

Jesse came up slowly to me. "He's always a bit slow going when it rains." Mike spoke to me over his shoulder.

I set the crockpot down on the counter and got Jesse to go over to his bed, and I began massaging his achy joints. I had watched a dog show once on dog massage and remembered the benefits to it. I pulled the memory of that show forward in my mind and began trying to relieve Jesse of his pain.

After a few minutes, I heard Mike clear his voice. "I grabbed most of what I thought you might need to make chili. I even have a cornbread mix. Do you want to make it all here, or you can do it at your place? You just can't bake the cornbread there."

I thought for a moment. "Here is fine. No actually. I'd like to make it at my place. I love the smell of it cooking. I'll do the cornbread here and maybe ground the beef here as well. I guess I'll get it started here then have you help me bring it all over."

"Whichever. Look. I don't want to stop you from helping Jesse. The Wyllie's should be here any minute. I'm going to book over to your place and help them. I'm just going to change out of these wet muddy clothes first."

He disappeared down the hall where the laundry room was then went streaking by me in just his underwear. I took a deep breath and told myself that he was off limits. However, his muscular chest and strong muscular legs went speeding by me like a male cover model commercial. I bit my lower lip and smiled down at his dog. Jesse was practically asleep.

Moments later, I turned to the sound of Mike's voice. "It's supposed to get cold today. If that's the warmest you've got, then you're in trouble." He looked at me in question.

"I'm in trouble." I got up from massaging Jesse and stood to stretch. Stiff from all the work I had been doing and no stretching.

"Look I've got a few old sweats and sweatshirts. Let me toss a few things in a bag for you. I'll set them in your room, and if we make it to town you might want to pick up a few things."

"I know. I was hoping maybe that lawyer friend of yours could find a way for me to get my stuff out of my old house. Just my warmer clothes."

He grimaced at me in sadness. "One of the tabloid pictures showed you, aka Sabrina, ripping all your warm clothes to shreds. I don't think Sabrina was going to send you anything but a box of shredded clothes. She's like salt in a wound."

I breathed 'bitch' under my breath and then apologized to Mike. That evil woman had to of been working on this long before the trip to the Caribbean was planned. She had to of gotten those pictures out to the tabloids, several weeks ago.

"Don't apologize to me. I personally want to deck the bitch myself, but I won't hit a woman."

"She's not a woman. She's a heathen. Grr."

"Don't fret. We'll get you set up with warmer clothes."

"Mike I don't have a lot of money. Waitress at a bar isn't going to make me rich."

"Well my next news could be good or bad."

"Give it to me." I finger motioned with all my fingers on one hand as if I wanted him to let me have it.

"Edna's a big tabloid reader. Those tabloid pics have hit the stands. I don't think anyone will recognize you. The tabloids say Rhinholt, Klarissa Rhinholt. You're going by Kate Beck. However, Edna noticed."

"Good God." I gasped. A million thoughts went through my mind. The bank knew. They had to. Jesus. People in small towns talk. But, would Edna?

"Good news. Edna wouldn't tell a soul if she thought it would hurt you. However...." His voice trailed off, and I looked up at him with watery eyes.

"I'm not going to cry. I'm cried out." I stood with my hands on my hips and my feet in a stance.

"Good. Edna will most likely have a care package for you of used warm clothes. She told a few friends that your clothes and furniture got lost in shipment. So don't' be shocked, be thankful."

I let it all sink in. Remembering how Mike talked about a town that pulled together and helped each other. It may not be last season's runway warm, but I didn't care. I was actually looking forward to being snuggled up in Mike's sweats, eating my homemade chili and reading a book that I had packed to read on my Caribbean trip.

"That smile tells me you're seeing the brighter side to all this. Jesus woman you are incredible." He smiled, and I smiled harder back.

"I'm gonna run. I think I saw them backing up a second ago. Start on the chili. I'll be back in a bit."

I turned to the sounds of an old dog snoring. It warmed me up. I took off my light jacket as Mike's house was much warmer than mine. I set about opening and closing drawers in his kitchen to find what I needed. What he hadn't set out on the counter was in a fully stocked food pantry. I quickly thought how winters in the mountains could leave you stranded for days, and you do not want to be left without necessities.

My mind whirled with winter preparedness tips and lists in my head as I started browning the beef for the chili. I thought of my tires first. I would make do with clothes as best I could and would need at least one good pair of winter boots, a winter coat and a pair or two of jeans. I didn't want to skimp out on the jeans. I planned to splurge on those.

Within an hour, I had the cornbread made in a large nine by thirteen metal pan and everything in the crockpot ready to go back to my place. I took a second to sit down on Mike's couch and noticed all the pictures of Mattie were missing. A sad note struck a chord in my heart, and I did not want him to give up on their relationship just for me. I had to let some distance settle in by next week so that the time she got back we were the type of neighbors who borrowed an egg or sugar and waved as we passed each other by. It would be the best thing for Mike. I think.

A loud bang out in the garage caught my attention, and I went running out there. Jesse never moved as he was still snoring. I opened the door to see Mike with his Range Rover backed up to the garage door that held all the old household stuff.

"I dropped a box practically on my head." He was grinning from ear to ear. "Somewhere are my old dishes. Decorator picked those out too. Let's get a few things loaded into the Rover, and I'll run them over."

I noticed the rain had lightened considerably, but the cool mountain air had dropped at least ten degrees. I had left my jacket inside and felt a rush of goose bumps trickle up my arms.

"Kate?"

"Hmm. Yeah. Sounds great." I began rubbing my arms from the chill.

"Perky again. Aren't we?" He smiled and took off his work shirt and revealed an old gray tee shirt underneath. He offered me his navy flannel work shirt and I shook my head no.

"I'll just run in and grab my jacket." I turned and ran in and slipped my jacket on. It was nowhere as warm as the shirt he offered me. I was a romantic and wearing his shirt might have softened my resolve to keep this neighborly.

I walked back out with the cooked cornbread and set it on a workbench. I went back in and grabbed the crockpot that was ready to be plugged in at my house. I ran smack dab into Mike as I was trying to open the door one handed.

"Here let me get that for you. You ready to go back to your place or do you want to grab a few things from here first?" He watched me bend down, with his arms full of my new crockpot of chili, while I put my muddy sneakers on.

"I could just walk that over and back. It's not as rainy."

I offered my hands to have the crockpot back. "Don't be silly. It's..."

"Slicker than snot." We said together and started to laugh.

"Open the passenger door and I'll set this on the floor. Let's get a few things loaded into the back of my Rover and then run these over."

Once we got the chili and cornbread in the Rover, I turned to look at what all he had in his garage a little closer.

"So what do you have so far?" I saw a few boxes in the back of his Rover and a mop.

"Mop's for your floor. Sorry its pretty muddy. We tried to wipe are feet as we came in, but... it's muddy. That box is a set of plain white dishes. That box is marked cookware. Nothing fancy. I was a bachelor after all."

My interest spiked sky high. "Was? Were you married before?"

"No." He looked down and a bit sad. "It has to do with Mattie. I bought this house after we got engaged thinking she would fall in love with it, like I did. Start a family. However, sometimes one doesn't go with the other."

I tilted my head and was a little confused. "Which one doesn't go with which other?"

"God Kate." I watched his hands rake through his lush wavy blonde hair, and his blue eyes look back at me with concern. "How do I say this? I guess when I asked Mattie to marry me two years ago I had no idea a huge string of, I can't and will not's would come with it. One being kids. I just don't think I can compromise."

I took a step closer to the steel metal racks with neatly marked boxes full of stuff. Then I turned and looked back at Mike's gaze watching my every move. "You know you move like a stripper now that I've watched you."

"Shut-up! I do not. I like to think of it as a dancer." I did a twirl with one arm up, and one arm out then fell off balance and laughed. "Mike. Which of you didn't want kids?" I could not imagine it being him. I envisioned him with several little ones climbing all over him and laughing.

"Mattie."

I shook my head as if I understood. However, I didn't understand Mattie's lack of desire for kids. I wanted kids. Mathew had said 'not right now' more times than I could count.

"So what all do you want to give me? I'm not shy. Hell, I am poor. I'll take what you got and make use of it."

"Terrific. I've been looking for a sucker to take this stuff. Sucker." He said the sucker part like he was a gangster guy and did some funny motion with his fingers and hand. I started laughing. He was anything but a gangster thug looking kind of guy.

Chapter Thirteen

He wasn't kidding, my floors were caked with mud. I was glad we grabbed a few buckets out of his garage that I wanted to use as a makeshift washing machine until better times.

I decided to first plug in the crockpot after examining the mess. The rain had let up other than mist, and the backyard looked like a mud pit wherever they had walked to unload stuff. The chair, ottoman and armoire were wrapped in shipping plastic and duct tape. Nestled in my laundry room were two large black lawn and leaf bags. Mike caught me staring at them.

"Those are the clothes from Edna. She says they are all freshly laundered."

"That woman works fast."

I watched Mike as he went back out to his Rover and began unloading. I took off my muddy shoes and set them on the non-functional washing machine. I grabbed a bucket and filled it with water at the sink, trying hard not to get mud on my only clean pair of socks, but I was not successful. Once I had the bucket full of soapy water, I set it on the floor and took off my socks.

The floor took more time than it took Mike to unload all the boxes and stuff out of the back of his Rover. As I worked on the floor, I noticed he worked at getting all the boards and very muddy canvas up from the backyard and set on the side of the shed. As he started to come in the backdoor, I hollered out. "Don't you dare come in here with muddy feet."

"Wouldn't dare." He walked into the front room with bare feet, and I stopped mopping to admire his toes. They were handsome. God help me now. I was in love with his feet. Then a vision of my naked feet entangled with his caused an emotional stir that must have shown on my face. When I looked up Mike was studying me.

"What?"

"Almost done? If we're going to get you a bucket of white paint, we need to do it now. This storm is lightened up, but Mr. Wyllie is a weather buff and says we should have heavy rains all night starting around five tonight well through into tomorrow."

"Garoovy!" My Scooby doo way of saying groovy. I loved the rain.

Mike looked at his phone and put a finger up. "Excuse me." He stepped into the laundry room, and I could hear him talking. His voice sounded upset. I reached for my phone and put my music on to play softly. I selected my slow song set and the smooth jazzy sounds of Alicia Keys filled my front room. I went back to mopping to the sounds of the music and on the last few swipes, I felt triumphant.

Mike was still talking, but it was all hushed tones. Therefore, I tried as quietly as possible to rip off the plastic on my new furniture. I ended up sneaking into the kitchen to look for a knife, and Mike stopped talking and put his phone away.

"Knife. For the plastic." I couldn't seem to say a full sentence. His face was sad, and I sensed something was wrong. "Or you can tell me what's wrong." I turned and looked at him, and he quickly looked down and reached into his pocket.

He handed me a pocketknife out of his front pocket and switched it open. "I'll get the plastic." He smiled at me, but he was holding out. I did not want him digging into my personal life, at least not all the way. I did appreciate all that he had found out so far, so I was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I would let him tell me if he wanted.

"This is a quality chair. Could use a reupholster job. Maybe some of the swanky shabby chic material." He teased lightly as he uncovered the chair and ottoman. The armoire was in tough shape. Overall, the wood was a beautiful California red oak and had these huge antique looking handles to open the cabinet. It was dusty, but it fit perfect against my front room wall, making it the first thing you see when you walk in. It was going to hold all my books and extra blankets I was going to need to snuggle up through the winter.

"When we're in town let's get you some dry wood and long lighter to see how well this wood-burning stove works. We might need to get those blocks of chimney sweep that help clean out some of the soot." I listened to Mike but then I noticed a tear fall down his face as it turned away from me. I watched his hand slide up and wipe it away. "Dust in my eye." He proclaimed, but I wasn't falling for it. I rubbed his shoulder as he bent down getting the last of the plastic off the armoire. I rubbed harder and watched his body practically slump to the floor.

I whispered in his ear. "Want to talk about it?"

I heard and felt a huge breath intake from him, and he stood up and turned. You could tell his eyes were on the brink of crying then he blinked several times, and his face went blank. "I'm good. Tough editor. Let's get you going here. It's lunch time. I'm starved. Let's get a bite to eat in town, and your paint and wood ,and head back. I need to take a break and send something off when we get back. Deal?"

I sensed it wasn't an editor. I sensed it was Mattie. "Deal." I remembered not wanting to be seen in town due to the tabloid. I snuck in my room, grabbed a black baseball cap and slid my hair though. I dug around for dry socks and shoes and only found my black ballet flats. I slid those in my purse and figured I would wear the muddy shoes in and out of the car from my house. I found a clean tee shirt and a pair of denim shorts and closed the bedroom door. When I came out, Mike looked me up and down and shook his head. "You're gonna freeze. The temp is dropping again, and the rains picked up. Let's see what Edna has in that bag."

He went to the laundry room and picked up the two bags effortlessly. Then he carried them into my room. His bulging biceps made me fuzzy inside, and I looked away. 'Not until he's done with Mattie.' I told myself.

To my surprise, there were some great warm clothes in the bag, which looked like they would fit. I found a pair of jeans that were a little big, some warm socks, a pair of rain slickers and a nice blue sweater that brought out the blue in my eyes. "Let me change."

I ran into the bathroom and when I came back, I found Mike holding up several bikinis in his hand. Looking busted, he turned and smiled with his arms in the air and several bikinis dangling off his fingers. "How many of these were you going to wear to the Caribbean?"

"Don't be silly. I pack for options when I travel. It makes me feel secure." I reached down, grabbed my purse and headed to the front room to toss in my phone. I had the ringer on silent and noticed I had missed a few calls. I would check them later. "Coming bikini boy. I'm starved. The smell of that chili cooking isn't making me any less hungry."

I turned to see Mike right behind me. He had snuck up almost stealth like. He took a strand of my loose hair from my cap and tucked it behind my ear. Then he looked like he was going to kiss me. Quickly, I saluted him like a soldier. "At your service bikini boy."

He grabbed his keys out of his pocket, walked to the front door and flipped the lock. He turned to me and smiled. "Please. Let's not get too carried away with the whole bikini boy thing."

I laughed as I followed him out the backdoor and got my key out of my purse to lock it. I looked down at my rain slicker booted feet and smiled. I felt loved, and that was more than anyone could ask for at a time like this. His hand guided me at the low of my back as we walked through the muddy part of the backyard to his Rover. It felt so right there. I just wanted us to be on solid ground before we did anything else.

By two o'clock, we were back. Belly's full. Paint stuff ready to go, and I made him take me by the grocery store for a quick stop. I asked him to stay in the car as I was only going in to get cheese. He tried to say he had some and stopped. He knew what I was doing. I wanted to see the tabloid pictures for myself.

Back at the cottage, he seemed to be stalling. "I gotta run and get some work done." However, he didn't move. I was unpacking my stuff from the grocery store in the kitchen while he stood in the front room looking out at the rain.

I hid the tabloid in the non-functional oven along with the hair clippers and two boxes of reddish blonde hair dye. I walked into the front room and stood next to him at the front door.

"I unplugged that security light at the first sound of rain last night. I don't know if you noticed. Wyllie boys were going to get the word out that someone lived here. So, that should help. I'll leave my Rover parked at the end of your driveway tonight, but I'm going to drive it over and load up a few more things I think you'll need. We forgot wood and a lighter, so I'll grab those and swing them by later."

I loved his take charge attitude but all though lunch something was really bugging him and getting him down. I didn't want to push, but I wanted his company tonight. For a while.

"Be back by chili time. Let's say sixish? I'm going to hold off on painting until I can leave the windows open. You know so the smell won't kill me tonight."

"I picked you up the low VOC no odor paint. You can paint today if you want. I'll bring an oscillating fan by just to speed things up a bit." He bent down and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and he was gone.

I stood in my living room looking around. I had so much to do, but I wanted to get this room in order. I decided to paint first. I went into my room to find anything remotely not fitting and came across a CU Boulder College tee shirt that was three times too big and a pair of gray sweats. I padded out in my socks, set my phone music on and started to lay out plastic, paint tray and roller.

The knock at the backdoor startled me. I had not heard anyone pull up. Then the door opened, and my heart stopped for a second. I wasn't anywhere near the backdoor. "Kate. It's Edna. I didn't catch you at a bad time? That front porch is not safe for a raccoon let alone me. Doorbell doesn't work worth a damn either, but I don't know if you..."

I peeked into the kitchen. "Edna. Come in. I was just getting ready to paint." I did not want her to know how jumpy I was. I had a nightmare the previous night of waking to Sabrina stabbing me in the heart with a knife. I knew it was a metaphoric dream, but it scared the crap out of me, nonetheless.

"Hey. Mike told you about the thing, and those boys got you those bags of clothes? I baked up some banana bread this morning. An early cool rain makes me bake. Any ways I got three loaves. I hope you like banana bread. Won county fair ribbon three years in a row. Pissed-off Miss Walters but hell. I can bake one hell of a banana bread."

"I love banana bread." I reached out and grabbed the grocery bag with the three loaves.

"Chili eh? Smells good." I watched her sniff the air with a smile.

"Yeah. I love to bake too when the air turns cool. No oven though. Come in and sit down. Only got one chair though. Mike said he has a small table, and chair set in the back of his garage, he's gonna give me, but he had to go dig it out. He's got some work to do. However, he'll be back for dinner. Stay and have dinner with us."

"Well, only if you'll let me help unpack all these boxes here."

"Sounds great. Mike gave me that stuff. The Wyllie boys brought the bags of clothes. I've already worn a few things to lunch today with Mike when we had to head into town for the paint."

"Mike's a great guy. That Mattie has put a kink in his step if you know what I mean. Not much on her. You sure know how to make that man smile. I've seen it already. Today, when you went into the store, I watched him, watch you, in his big ol' black car. He's got a thing for you. The thing is girl, with what you've been through, its time you put those fancy heels of yours away. It's time to put your boots on girl." I watched her start to tear into the boxes. I was at a loss for words. She had a point. It was time for me to take charge of my life and worry about getting me settled and on track. It wasn't time for me to dwell in a new romantic situation since I had just been dumped just days ago.

After a moment or two passed, I smiled watching Edna just buckle down and get to work. "Just put things wherever you think is good. You probably know how to set up a kitchen much better than me. I don't even know what's in the boxes." I opened one of her banana breads onto a plate, took out a plastic knife and cut a slice off. Edna watched wearily for my expression of pleasure. Then the 'Oh my gosh that is good' moaned out while crumbs fell out of my mouth. I tried to catch them with my hand and toss them back in. My smile of heavenly food pleasure said it all. I sliced off another piece and put it in my mouth before walking back to the front room.

Edna's smile spoke for her. She was pleased. She deserved those three years of blue ribbons.

Edna talked while I listened and painted. She could be heard banging cabinet doors and putting things away as she talked. I was half way done with the walls without windows and went into the kitchen to look for the stepping stool Mike had given me. I noticed Edna was almost done.

"Mike gave you everything but the kitchen sink for the kitchen. That fancy designer he hired must have bought him all new stuff. I remember that gal. She was slick as snot. Charging that boy too much. Having truckloads of stuff delivered and trying to make her hanky panky into his pants. He had his day with her." Now I knew where the slick as snot comment came from.

I had to laugh thinking about any woman trying to manipulate or run Mike's life. A quick thought of Mattie came to mind, and I remembered thinking about things Mike had said about her. Maybe he wanted out of the relationship but did not know how. Now that he knew that he and Mattie were not compatible. I had to let him figure that out without sleeping with him. We had only had a few days together, and they were fantastic. However, I was fragile and broken. I did not know how things would be between us once I was independent and on my own. I had to be that first before I tried to find anything more than friendship with Mike.

A small part of me wanted his furniture, because if things worked out good with Mattie at least I would have a little bit of him with me. However, deep down, I was starting to see the sacrifice he would make if he married her and with each breath, my attraction to that man deepened.

Chapter Fourteen

By Monday morning, I was a ball of nerves. I stayed up half the night painting my room and the bathroom a fresh coat of white. Then I stenciled a vine in the bathroom I wanted to paint with leaves and purple flowers I had seen in Jamaica, one trip long ago. I had good memories of that trip, and I was not going to let Sabrina ruin them now. I had to hold onto some semblance that some of our time together was true.

Mike had told me he would pick me up at ten in the morning. He had bowed out of the chili once he saw Edna was with me and claimed work problems. I could see that he had been crying by the red rim of his eyes and the red splotches on his face. Those were signs, I knew all too well. He had a world of problems on him right now, and I really did not need to add to them.

We were to go to the city office first for the deed information to the house, then off to the lawyer. I was not ready to walk away from this place, but if it wasn't mine, I wasn't going to stay either.

Mike looked as exhausted as I felt. We made small talk on the way to town about Edna helping me and my first night of work coming up. I was to stop in and see Barley, if I got a chance today or tomorrow. He was hiring me on Edna's choice alone, and that spoke volumes to the woman's respect in town.

I thanked Mike for the kitchen table and told him how I was so nervous I painted it white last night. We laughed lightly, but I could tell he was mentally somewhere else. I joked how the five-gallon bucket of paint he bought was almost empty.

By the time, we left the city office we had all the paperwork we needed for the lawyer. It looked like I, Sabrina in disguise as me, bought the place lock stock and barrel. Including the land behind the property, where ol' man Kunz supposedly had hidden gold that everyone teased me about at the office. I left there feeling somewhat triumphant.

The lawyer, on the other hand, had me scared. Only because he was the meanest looking man I had ever met. He could make a military sergeant cry. His thick bones and height with his beady black eyes and slick back black hair and permanent edged mean lines etched in his face, scared me.

Then he smiled after he looked up from my paperwork, and my heart ballooned. He had a poker face that could win the big bucks. I put him in his late forties, and he told me he was officially retired already. 'Made a lot of money on rich folks like Mathew and his family'. He quoted with pride.

He made a long story short saying he would work pro-bono, as he was sure, we would get half of the family fortune. I explained I did not want it, and he eyed me up and down. His look sent shivers through my body. Mike acted defensive and quickly explained it was too much stress to go to court.

We all sat in silence. Then Mr. Wargin scribbled his lawyer notes and slid them to me. It showed that when they won out of court, his winnings when they won, the donation to the rescue fund for the local fire department that was badly needed to fight fires and rescue hikers. He had a few other places and dollar signs to the paper for places like the animal shelter and victim's assistance. Then he had a dollar sign and a place for a signature next to it. It was five hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars. I laughed until I felt tears starting to emerge, than I took a deep breath and sighed.

"He owes you half. However, if you don't take it, me and the rest of the places that do need it around here will. You get that amount for your grievance, which isn't much in my book. However, I thought you might find the amount funny."

I reached for a pen and signed. "I don't want to be at court as much as possible."

"Honey you won't be at court at all. With everything I pulled together on Mathew and Sabrina, the deal should be closed in a month or two. I'll file an injunction due to the stress it would cause you and all you have to do is sign paperwork as it comes in and collect the cash."

"But I was counting on the thousand a month from Sabrina or Mathew or whoever was going to deposit it to my bank to get by with expenses." I looked to Mike for help.

"When is the next deposit?" Mr. Wargin asked.

"Not for almost a month." I twisted at my sweater and looked out at the cold rainy day that I would normally love and felt the cold gray blah outside, seep into my insides.

"Too long to wait. We're gonna do this, we do this now. Mike says you got a job at Barley's. Most waitresses there make decent tips on the weekends. I'll put a bug in Barley's ear to give you weekends."

"Please don't. I can handle this ok. I've got enough left for tires, and some food until I start getting some tips saved. Go ahead and do it. I'll look for another job. It'll all work out." I had a smile that faltered and then Mike patted my leg, and Mr. Wargin stood to shake my hand. I had to keep telling myself this was for the best. It really was.

On the way home, I asked Mike to stop at a hobby shop. I wanted to get some paint and brushes for doing the bathroom wall. When we got inside, I saw the prices were more than I wanted to spend and decided against it. When Mike asked me why I was empty handed when I came back I told him I changed my mind. We drove home in silence.

I felt like I was coming down with something and asked Mike not to come in. He said he had to make sure my wood-burning stove worked, and then he would leave.

I left him in the front room to work on the stove. By now, the rain was coming down so hard and fast that I couldn't decide if the pinging on the metal roof of my cottage was romantic or damning. I was in that kind of mood.

I slipped away into my bedroom and closed the doors. I had gotten all my clothes organized as best I could without a dresser. Anything I did not think I would wear anytime soon was stowed away in my luggage on to the floor of the small bedroom closet. I got out of my loose jeans, having left my rain boots by the back door, and slipped on some sweats. I got out of my sweater and put on another loose sweatshirt that had been in the donated clothes. I slipped on a warm pair of chenille socks with a Christmas theme on them and smiled down at my feet that looked like little Christmas trees with lights. I wanted to write several thank-you notes to everyone that gave me something through Edna. She would see that they got them.

I lay back on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. With the room with a fresh coat of white and Mike's furniture, it was very doable. I guess overall, I could not have asked for a cleaner break. And, if Mr. Wargin got everything, he said he thought I would, then all those places would get their well-deserved money. I would walk away with quite a bit of cash. Not as much if I had actually been through a real divorce but enough.

I got off the bed to see how Mike was faring. His silence on the way home had me scared. I think finding out more about my previous life bothered him. He heard all about my arranged marriage to Mathew and that Sabrina had a record a mile long, involving credit card theft, stolen identity and a huge list of minor infractions as a child. She was one screwed-up hombre, and I was lucky to have walked out of this alive. Question was, would I set her off so bad when Mr. Wargin filed suit that she might resort to hurting me, or worse, Mike? Knowing that would hurt me worse. If I went through with this, I would have to distance myself more.

I leaned against my doorframe to my bedroom and looked out at Mike; he was bent in front of the wood-burning stove tinkering with it. "Hey. How's the stove? Workable?"

"Won't be long and you might actually feel the heat over there. I'd leave your bedroom door open when you're using this thing. With this blower on it, you could very well heat the whole house." He never looked up at me and kept working looking straight ahead.

"Sounds good." I pushed off the doorframe. "Hungry or do you need to work?" I couldn't blame him for distancing himself from me. I am a nutcase right now with an attraction for weird folks.

He hesitated in answering so I answered before he could say anything. "I'm actually pretty tired. All the stress." I fidgeted with my new armoire and turned my back to him worried that tears might fall.

"Kate?" The next thing I knew he was behind me with his hands on my shoulders. "It's not you. This silent thing I'm doing. I've got a lot to digest. Listen. If you don't want to go through with this, I wouldn't blame you. I'm worried that Sabrina might..."

He did not have to finish the sentence I was worried too. However, as much as I wanted to flee and hide, a bigger part of me wanted to fight, with the chance when all this was done, Sabrina would end up behind bars. At least, that was what Mr. Wargin thought. If it did not happen, then she might spend a lifetime, making my life miserable. I turned and looked at Mike, square in the eye.

"I'm split. I'm going to sleep on it. Hey you go. You probably have a deadline or something." I smiled and ducked out from his reach before he could kiss me, or I kissed him.

He stood there for a minute while I went over to the wood-burning stove and looked at it. The heat was wonderful that was coming off of it.

"Kate?" He didn't say anything for another few seconds. "I'm worried for you. If you need anything at any time, you'll ask. Right?"

I turned and smiled. "Right. Can you show me how to work this before you leave?"

"Sure. But I can stay if you want." He might want to stay, and I knew I would rather he stay but I was physically ill after everything I had heard and I had spent way too much of this man's time already. I had to do some things on my own.

"Go. I'm gonna take a nap and then do some reading and when the rain stops I'm going to head into town to get tires."

"Rain should stop tomorrow morning." He said it very matter of fact.

We both knew that, for the most part, I was set up rather nicely with the donations from him, and Edna and friends. I was feeling like the cottage was a home. Sure, there was a list a mile long of repairs but for the most part, I could make do. There was a laundry mat in town. I was to start work in two days, and I had a few phone calls to return I had been ignoring.

Chapter Fifteen

It was official. Mathew's friends and their wives disowned me. Not so much over the tabloids or so they said, but over the whole mess that all of this was. I did not care so much, but I had realized I had no one left to turn to but myself. Well maybe I should be thankful. Those people were so uptight and pretentious anyway that I could never really be myself. In the end, they weren't truly my friends.

I finally called Haus back and left him a message that it would be best for him not to call. I did not know where he was at in all this. He could be spying on me for information. I just told him I was staying at an old friend's house.

The sun was starting to peek through the gray clouds and I had one first focus, tires. As soon as the road dried some, I needed to head into town and find the local tire shop. In the meantime, I wanted to take a quick walk around the area to see what land I owned. It did not take me long to get myself disorientated. I got scared and found myself sitting on a log for a good ten minutes. I took that time to ask myself if I wanted to go through with it. I found some pebbles and picked them up. Instead of pulling the leaves off a flower I decided I would make my decision by tossing the hand full of pebbles one at a time, out over the hillside.

The first one I tossed was a do it. The next pebble tossed, was a not do it. I threw a few more times, and my last pebble was a not do it to throw. Instead of throwing it, I put it in my pocket of my zip up sweatshirt and decided that I came up hill to get here. Walking down was the only way home.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to a message vibration and looked at it in shock. Mathew had canceled my phone number. My service was no longer in order. Well, that made me want to chuck the dang phone. Instead, I slipped it back into my pocket and figured I might be able to afford my own service now.

After about ten minutes, I was back to a place that looked familiar. I kept thinking I heard someone call my name over and over. When I turned round a bend, which would head me right back on the path to the house, I heard it louder. It was Mike's voice. "I'm up here!" I shouted.

I heard some grumbling and stomping of feet. We almost ran into each other in the path.

"Jesus woman you scared me. Don't you know how to answer your phone? I have been calling you for the last half hour. You got mace on you?" His face was stern with lines of disappointment.

"No. Why?" I stood my ground with him. I was a big girl.

"Because this is bear country and even though most of them are heading to their dens for the winter it only takes one stupid bear to decide you're his last tasty snack until spring."

"Oh." That was stupid of me. City girl gone country, mulled by grizzly bear, is not how I wanted all this to end.

"Sorry." I smiled sweetly, and his mean demeanor dissolved a little. However, he looked hung over and as if he had not slept.

"I'm going to drive your car to town for the tires. You follow me down in my Range Rover, and then I have a few places I have to go. I won't be back until the week is over. Can you manage?"

I guess I could. I mean he wasn't my babysitter. We talked about tires. I decided to pry yet be sweet as pie.

"Where ya going?"

"My parent's place, in Frisco, for a few days. Listen can you stay here by yourself and feel safe?"

I started to walk down the hill ahead of him. I talked over my shoulder. "I'll be fine. I won't walk in the woods again without pepper spray." And a compass and GPS to get home. However, I was not going to tell him that. "Everything alright, at home with your parents?" I couldn't help myself.

"Fine. So you don't think Sabrina will..." He did not finish. I stopped and turned looking at him uphill.

"I'm not gonna do it. Sue Mathew that is. I think I will stop by Mr. Wargin's office this afternoon and have him help me file restraining orders on them and charges. However, I don't want their money." I turned and walked on down the hill.

I did not hear Mike's footsteps for a bit. Then I felt his hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure? That's a lot of money and besides after what they did to you and all the money that could benefit the shelters and rescue squad." I thought it over for a second more than I felt the pebble in my pocket.

"Yup. I'm sure as the pebble in my pocket." I grinned, and Mike did not respond either way. He was a blank slate.

Shortly after us exchanging cars and watching him drive away, I wanted to crumble up into a wad of paper and throw myself away. I was sick at the fact that we left each other with nothing more than a short good-bye. I think the tire shop employees could see my pain. The guys and one gal at the tire shop were sweet as could be. They talked about job possibilities in town that were part-time and places to hang out. Barley's being one of them. They promised to come bug me on my shift once I started.

The way Mike left, there was a lot more going on then he would let me know. He only told me that the Sheriff promised to drive by occasionally to check on me. Furthermore, Edna and her friends wanted to swing by to check up on me. He did not want me hiking out on my own and did not want me alone.

I assured him I was capable of taking care of myself. Then he sucker punched me with "Are you sure?" That statement said it all. I depended entirely too much on him.

"Take my extra cell phone." He demanded and practically shoved it into my hand. I looked down at it and almost threw it, but then I would have owed him a phone. I just took it as maybe something bad happened with his family, and he didn't want to burden me.

It was going to be a long week. Or so I thought.

I loved working at Barleys. He was cantankerous at times, but all the other staff was a blast. We would do dances to certain songs to rev up the crowd, and everybody came from all walks of life. My first shift was a breeze, and I woke the next morning feeling independent at the fifty bucks in tips I walked out of there for only working four hours on a weeknight.

Edna got her first yoga lesson from me and by the next day she had five friends over at her place, that were willing to pay five a piece for an hour stretching and breathing class. I told them I was not a certified instructor, just a yoga lover myself, and they didn't seem to care.

By the third day, I had not heard from Mr. Wargin after stopping by on Monday to tell him of my decision. He told me he had some things to look into and would get back to me. That as soon as Mathew and Sabrina got back in the country, they would be met at the airport with restraining orders. I had not heard from him again so I drove by his office. His secretary told me he was in meetings all day and reassured me. He did not do anything with my case yet. He would call me by Friday, which was tomorrow.

I decided to waste the few hours before my shift at Barleys by applying at a few small stores around town and then off to Edna's for a canning lesson with peaches and pickles. It sounded fun.

My spirits were high but my thoughts never strayed from Mike. I had a hard time not thinking about him, so I let myself remember all the fun we had in the few days we knew each other. I let the memory of our kisses keep me warm at night and help me to fall asleep.

The local sheriff was a very nice young attractive man, closer to my age. He had a wedding band on his finger and a proper manner about himself. He would always ask if he could look around inside and out, to make sure no one had come in. Since nothing had been filed yet, and I was sure that Sabrina and Mathew had not gotten back from their trip, I felt I was safe for now.

What bothered me the most was that Mike never called to check in, at least not with me. Edna said she talked to him several times a day. She told me he had a hard head on his shoulders and was always working or taking care of his family up in Frisco when Mattie wasn't around.

The name Mattie reminded me that she would be back soon, if her schedule held true. I guess this was his way of keeping his distance, and I knew it was best for both.

I just wanted to check in with him, so I decided to call his other cell number. When he didn't answer, I left a quick message about everything that was going on and how wonderful things had been. I hung up without telling him how much I missed him, so I redialed, and he answered. He sounded rested and well.

"I just left you a message. Checking in."

"Everything alright?"

"Yup. I just wanted to let you know what's been going on. I left you the message. I gotta run. I have a job interview at a store. Miss you bunches."

I waited a second, and he did not say anything back.

"Good bye Mike." I said it rudely.

"Take care Kate." Which sounded sad to my ears, as it had some kind of finality to his voice.

After we hung up, I had to find a way to keep from crying. I knew that falling for a man too soon was wrong, and worse, my neighbor. I knew that all the romantic illusions I had were just a mental way for me to escape all that had happened.

I drove off to Edna's for my canning session with her friends. I wanted to take my mind off Mike and focus on everything else.

Chapter Sixteen

Sitting in Mr. Wargin's office Friday at noon had my tummy in twitches. I could not eat breakfast, and I did not feel up to lunch. Sitting and watching the clock seconds tick by on the wall was killing me. His secretary only worked part-time and wasn't there today. There was a note on the door to wait until he came out of his office. Minutes felt like hours, and I felt the churn of acid pushing up in my throat.

The door finally opened and he motioned for me to come in and sit down. We sat there for a few seconds as I watched him pull out my file and make a few notes then look up at me very stern. His black beady eyes softened a bit, and then he spoke.

"Kate. How are ya? Mike called me. Said he's in Frisco with his parents. I got your restraining order filed, and I found out they will be landing next week. Wednesday I believe. Let me check." He flipped through his notes in my file. "Nope Thursday morning. So breathe freely until then. How's Barley's working out for ya?" He was all light and casual, and I was a moth-eaten piece of cloth, a shift of sand through someone's fingertips, I was an oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico; I was a freaking mess without Mike.

"Adjusting ok, I guess. I miss Mike, but I guess he had to go?" I said it in a question as to hoping maybe Mr. Wargin had some inkling that I was clueless as to why he went.

"Guess so. I wanted to give you a second chance to decide on the lawsuit. Hell. You could change your mind next year, and I would do it just for the sheer tenacity of tacking that family's ass to a plague and hanging it over my fireplace. Sorry for the vision. However, I've dealt with the Rhinholts before. Long ago. Won by a mile. They're a strange breed. Count your blessings that you got out when you did."

"I do. But no. I don't want to sue. I just want them out of my new life. A restraining order should do it?" I said it in a questioning fashion.

"It might. However, as crazy as this Sabrina is, I have sent all my information ahead to the state. They're pressing charges, plenty of charges, to keep her away for a long time. I sent in an affidavit requesting that you not testify, but I can't guarantee."

I fidgeted with the throwing pebble in my pocket that I had kept around with me. I twisted it in my fingers and agonized over the fact that I might have to go to court. Dozens of times a day I thought about dying my hair red, cutting it off and running away to another state. Changing my name and hiding from Sabrina and Mathew the rest of my life. However, I could not do that to Mike. I missed him so badly. I was not sure if he would miss me. He certainly would not miss all the drama I was supplying him. No wonder the man ran off for a week to get away from all of this.

"Mr. Wargin?" I hesitated then rolled the pebble around my fingers. "I don't want to sue now or ever. In fact, I have already decided that I do not need anything from Mathew, even all my belongings. I don't want to testify in court against Sabrina because I am terrified that she will retaliate somehow. If not personally, she would be the type to hire someone. I do, however, want all the information, and facts made available to Mathew's family lawyer, to be presented to him. I want my side of the story known to him. Sabrina hoodwinked him and I just hate that the man I use to love thinks that I did all those awful things."

I pulled the pebble out of my pocket and for the first time I noticed the gold shiny speck peeking through some dirt.

"I can take care of that. No charge. Mike said he would square me away. That man is a good man. I wouldn't let him slide away."

"Thanks. Yeah, he's great. However, I think Mattie's got him." I looked down at the rock and played with the mud on the shiny gold part.

"Don't be too sure about that situation. That relationship was a sinker from the beginning. Mike just hates to lose or fail. I keep telling that boy that walking away now is not a failure but a success. That woman might appear happy on TV but she sure walks around with a stick up her ass in person. Again. Sorry for the visuals. I've been out of practice too long. All this back country company has got me talking like a bar room brawl. Gotta love a straight-forward person though."

I laughed. There seemed to be more honest straightforward people in town then I had ever met in one place. Very tell it like it is people.

"One last question Mr. Wargin. Can you tell me what this pebble is?"

He grabbed the dirty pebble and examined it closely. I watched his face go from very serious to a kid excited on Christmas day. I left his office so fast and went to the first person I knew would want to know.

"Gold! Edna. It's a gold nugget! I found a whole bunch of them covered in mud after that rainstorm when I went for a hike on my property. I threw them down the hill. I kept this one in my pocket for days. Mr. Wargin said, with the price of gold as high as it is, I've got some nice extra cash. The thing is, there's more up there. I know it. It's like ol' man Kunz decided I was alright to find his gold."

Edna laughed at me. "Slow down girl. I'm sure if Mr. Kunz is smiling down at you. He will make sure you find the rest of that gold. And, there is gold up there. He's given me a few nice nuggets over the years. I cash them in, as I need them. A girl needs spending money for her hobbies, ya know what I mean. I knew Mr. Kunz better than anyone did, and he wouldn't lie about having gold in the hills. He told me once his mine was impossible to find. However, I have a feeling; he marked it, so I could find it."

My ears tingled from her words. I owned that land. So therefore, I owned that gold. I could be rich. Even without Mathew's money.

"Listen up. Don't go off in search of more gold on your own. I talked to Mike, and he should be home on Sunday. He's got some great news. We could all go hiking up there and see if we could find where you threw those other nuggets."

My mental balloon, that was floating high in the sky, just got shot down with Mike's good news statement. Why he was calling her and not me? Why didn't he want to see me? I mentally watched my hot-air balloon with a gold nugget on its side crash and burn. I was crushed. What if, Mike and Mattie had worked it all out, and they were going to announce a wedding date. Alternatively, that she was pregnant and wanted to live here and start a family. I would have to watch all that from across the street.

"Quit looking like the wind got snagged out from beneath your wings, missy. I think you'll be happy to hear what Mike's got to say. Have some faith would ya?"

"I guess. I'm gonna be late for work. See you Monday around one for some more yoga?"

"I've got six girls coming by. We keep this up, I'm gonna have to turn that barn of mine into a yoga studio."

I gave her a quick hug and blazed off to work. My mind was going a million miles a minute about Mike and the gold.

Thank God, Friday night was packed with tourists. We were so busy my head was spinning. Barley had me stay three extra hours even though my original shift was only four hours. I raked in over two hundred in tips after paying off the bartender. I had no time to think about Mike or the gold, until I was driving home.

I pulled up into my driveway to see a strange car in Mike's driveway. I was petrified. So, I quickly dialed the sheriff. He informed me, he was on his way and to stay tight. I did not know if I felt safe in my house or in the car. I thumbed my fingers on the steering wheel for a minute and saw no movement at Mike's house. I finally decided to drive to Edna's. I called the sheriff back on my way to Edna's, and he said he would call when he had an all clear.

I pulled up to Edna's, and the house was dark. It was late, and I wondered if she was in bed. I decided maybe I should wait in town at the twenty-four-hour grocery store or just sit here with my car off.

My cell phone ringing jolted me out of my seat. It was the Sherriff. He told me it was all right to come home. It was only Mattie getting a few things at Mikes. I did not know if I should be relieved or upset that Mattie was finally here. Any other time or place I would have been thrilled to meet her in person. However, not when I knew, deep down, in my heart, I was in love with her man.

As I started up my car, a rap at my window with a loud knock about sent me through the roof. I screamed and looked over to see Edna in hair rollers and a house robe. She had an unlit cigarette dangling in her mouth. I rolled down my car window by hand, as it did not have an electric window. "Geez lou wheez Edna. You bout scared the poopers out of me. And give me that cigarette right now. You best not be smoking again."

A subtle laughter came out from Edna as she handed over the cigarette. "I'm not smoking, just like to stick one in my mouth from time to time. Old habits die hard ya know. Hey missy, what cha doing sitting at the end of my driveway. I was half-asleep when the Sheriff called to see how ya was doing. Told me you should already be here. Hell, next time come to my door and wake me up. Sheriff told me Mattie was at Mikes. She must have beaten him home. Hey, you want to come in. You still look like you've seen a ghost?"

I shook my head no. It was not the scare of Edna at my car window, but the fact that Mattie was home, and on Sunday Mike would be home as well, and I had no control over my feelings for the man. He was all I could think about. Every kiss we ever had and how incredible it felt. The way he made me laugh or cry. The way he took charge in a situation when I really did need someone's help. He made me feel so not alone and now that Mattie was here; I was going to dread living in my new house. Even the thought of gold on my property could not take away the chill and dread I felt over seeing Mattie and Mike around town, holding hands, laughing or more.

"I gotta run Edna. I'm exhausted from work. Bang up night. Barley says to expect another killer one tomorrow. So I best be getting home and to bed." My voice sounded pathetic, and the tilt of Edna's head told me she didn't believe me.

"Whatever Missy. You know where to find me. I ain't gonna drag the cat out of the cellar."

I was shocked. "Edna I didn't know you had a cat."

"Oh baby girl you are too funny. It's my way of telling you I ain't gonna drag out what's bugging ya. You know where to find me, and ya all know I'll listen. Don't be so hard on yourself."

I smiled. She was right. I was the one telling everyone I needed to stand on my own two feet. I was the one that pushed Mike away from choosing me over Mattie when they separated. I guess I wanted him to push harder and convince me better that it was over with Mattie. However, I could not get him to talk about their relationship enough to suffice that I felt it was over.

"I'm good. I'll see ya come Monday for some yoga around one?"

"One it is darling. However, make sure you've got an ice scraper. Snow's coming. Late Saturday they say, but in these here parts, they're never too accurate. You best get your winter stuff ready."

I was a little unsure of what I might need in the higher elevation. I always had a scraper or used a credit card when it snowed. Or better, in the last three years with Mathew, Haus just drove me around in Mathew's Hummer. That thing had tires so big I needed help just getting in.

"I'll get a scraper tomorrow." I spoke with reassurance to my winterization preparation.

"You're gonna need more than a scraper. More like, chains for that road you live on, deicer for your car locks and locks on the house and Christ. I'll make ya a list. Swing by tomorrow an hour before you gotta work, and I'll help you get it squared away. Now scoot. I got an early poker tournament with the gals in the morning. Seeing as half the ladies my age are up at the crack of dawn. Spend half my life wishing I could sleep in and when I finally can, I can't. Crackers."

"Crackers." I laughed hardily as I rolled my window back up. I watched Edna walk back up her driveway and head inside. I backed my car out of her long dirt driveway and headed for home. I had a million things on my mind and spending more money on winter prep items was not something I had planned. I guess I could be thankful that tonight's tips were so good and tomorrows looked to be as good or better. Then I remembered my gold and thought with a smile how things always did have a way of working themselves out for the better.

I needed sleep and to push all thoughts of Mike out of my head. Problem was - he was all I thought about.

Chapter Seventeen

I woke late on Saturday morning to a pounding sound. It took me several minutes to adjust to the fact that it was not pounding like construction pounding I was used to at my old house. Mathew was always having a remodeling job done to the house. Our home was never good enough.

What made me jump out of bed next was the voice, a female's voice, which was practically screaming. "Is anybody in there?" Then I heard more pounding of a fist on the front door.

I felt my heart beat faster and faster. I had a hard time breathing, and I was totally scared that Sabrina, or some woman she hired, was at the door to torture me.

"Hello. Is anyone home?" That wasn't Sabrina's voice. I threw on my jeans and a sweatshirt and headed to the front door. I pushed the curtain aside. It was Mattie.

I closed the curtain and felt a lump in my throat. I tried to swallow it down but nothing doing.

"Alright. If you think I didn't see you, then you must be nuts." She sounded pissed, and I was not up for a confrontation. What if Mike told her about me out of guilt and confessed, and now I had a crazy powerful woman on my front porch.

I unlocked the door and opened it. I did not invite her in, as I was still scared at what she might do. A very meek and soft 'Can I help you?' came out.

"You most certainly can. Can I come in?" She had her hand on her hip. She looked perfectly polished with her hair done perfect, her nails, her jeans, designer jacket and boots all screamed money.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you? You just woke me up." I knew her, but I did not want her to know I knew her. Ignorance can be bliss. Playing a dumb blonde got me farther in life then I was able to admit.

The squint of her eyes told me she knew more than I care to have her know. "Alright we can play this game out here on your front porch. Mike tells me..." She stopped, and I must have looked like a deer in headlights. I felt my eyes bugging out. He told her. Shit. How dare he? I thought what we had was between us, and I had set the boundaries. It was him that kept overstepping them. I was the innocent party here. If you did not count the kissing back, or the flirting, or the constant need to depend on him.

"Mike? Oh my neighbor. Yes. He has been a great help. There was a mess up in my stuff coming, and well, you know." I laughed lightly and played coy.

She was good. She didn't go for it.

With both hands on her hips now and her head leaning in and her feet pointed towards me; she let me have it. In a very polished controlled manner. I got an earful. "Listen. I know for a fact, that something is going on here. Mike has never agreed to a separation without a fight." A crackling laughter came out of her perfectly plumped lips.

She eyed me up and down. "You're a bit rough around the edges for his type, but I see exactly what's going on here and to think I was in a foreign country risking my life to report the news while some floozy is seducing my man. How typical."

I fiddled with my hair that was probably a wreck and tried to straighten my back. I wasn't a floozy. I wasn't seducing her man. He was seducing me. However, I did not have an energetic bone in my body to fight with America's most loved war journalist. I wanted to scream that maybe, Mike and she were not a good match, and we were. Perhaps in the week that I have known him, I have fallen in love with him. That maybe she needed to compromise to keep him, instead of being in control all the time and making all the rules. Love just did not work that way. I was sure Mike had fallen out of love with Mattie at some point. Only, I was not sure if I was the reason, and if I was only temporary.

"Excuse me?" My voice was soft but sure.

I saw a nasty side of that woman that I do not think anyone but me will ever see. Miss little composed and polished, who reports in war-torn countries, let me have it.

"You have got to be ashamed of yourself for trying, trying mind you, to steal another woman's man. That is absolutely, disgraceful. You and your fake boobs and dyed blonde hair, you probably walked around half-naked pouring yourself on him. Playing the innocent, helpless one. Feeding on his desire to be a hero and rescue you to make it all better. How pathetic. Well, you tried you two-bit floozy, and you failed. Not in my lifetime and not in yours. You need to keep your red fake claws to yourself and just pack up and ship out because Mike does not want you. In fact, there is not a decent man around these parts that will want you after I am through with you. Don't pout those lips and bat those fake lashes at me like you're shocked. You and Mike are done, and he wants nothing to do with your sorry ass."

I said nothing. I watched her turn and stomp off leaving a new broken step off the porch in her wake. She climbed into her black Dodge Avenger with the rental sticker in the window and drove down the road with a huge cloud of dust and rocks kicking up everywhere that I heard pings against the metal on my car and mailbox.

I looked out at Mikes and did not see his car in the driveway, but his garage was closed. I looked to the sky and saw the dark billowy clouds of a winter storm. I looked down at my grubby sweatshirt and my all too real boobs and smiled. "They're not fake. BITCH!" She was long gone and could not hear me, but I was going to say now, what I did not have the nerve to say to her face. "And my lush dark eyelashes are real too. So there. Bitch!" I yelled it down the road. Then I looked at my nails that were long gone as far as polish. I did not even have fake nails.

Then I stepped off my porch, not sure if Mike was home and shouted down the road. "I'm not a floozy!" I pumped my fist in the air as if I was triumphant after a game. I turned and started to walk towards my porch when a snowflake slowly landed on my nose. I looked cross-eyed at it and smiled. It was the biggest snowflake I had ever seen. Then another one fell and another. Before I knew it, they were falling in masses, and a full fledge snowstorm was falling down on me. I lifted my arms out to my sides and started twirling around in circles as the snow fell harder and faster. After a few seconds, I stopped and notice the ground was already covered, and it wasn't melting. My wool socks I had slept in to keep my feet warm at night, were now covered in snow, as well as my hair. I started laughing and twirling again. I had not let America's top newscaster knock me down. I was still alive and well.

As for Mike and the news flash from Mattie. I was torn. Why would she be here and leaving and Mike not leaving with her? Was he hiding out from me inside while Mattie ran to town? I doubted it. Mike was not a coward. Moreover, he was not a tattletale either. He might have mentioned me, but I was sure Mike did not tell Mattie any of this. In fact, I think Mattie was hoping I would divulge more than I did.

I ran inside, closed up my front door and locked it. I picked up the extra cell phone and tried to call on it, but the storm must be affecting the signal. I felt the chill of the air outside seeping in and figured that I needed to get a fire started first to warm up the house before turning on the expensive electric heat.

Ten minutes later, I had a nice fire stoked in the burner. I had washed my hair and shaved my legs. I put on the thick plush pink chenille robe with flowers on it, which was donated from the stash of clothes from Edna and friends. I slipped on my nice warm socks that I had laid in front of the fire before I showered. They were toasty.

I replayed the whole scene repeatedly in my mind about Mattie, while in the shower. Something was not right. I was still concerned that Mike had taken Mattie back. And worse, I would have to watch the man I loved, commit to a woman he said made him miserable from time to time. I did not think I could ever fall in love this fast with a man. However, in the few days we were together, it was something. Call it chemistry, call it love, but I felt like I had found a man that would be true to me.

I picked up my phone and had a signal. Faint. But a bar was a bar in cell phone land, so I dialed Mike's number. I got his voice mail right away and assumed his phone was off. I left a brief message. "Mike. It's Kate. Mattie just stopped by. There is a big misunderstanding. I think she's mad at me." Then the signal was lost. I tried for five minutes and could not get it back. I decided to give up.

I looked out the front window and saw how much snow had accumulated. I did not think I had the luxury of waiting around all day. Reading a book like the one I planned. Sleeping in as I had wanted to. Mattie made sure of that. I was wound up tight and full of nervous energy.

I went to my room and dressed super warm in layers. The bar was going to be busy, hot and stuffy. I decided to dress in layers. I had on my black tank top under a thermal long sleeve, a sweater and a coat. I wore pantyhose under my jeans to help keep my legs warm for when I left work to drive home in a cold car. I grabbed my cute ballet flats for working the floor and put on my winter boots over my wool socks.

I did not have an ice scraper yet, but I had a super long stick broom, and the snow was still at that big fluffy snowflake stage.

I grabbed my phone and slid it into my purse then grabbed my small luggage bag I packed with overnight items, just in case. Barley said the bar had a backroom available to employees who could not make it home in bad weather. Now, I could see why.

As I brushed the snow off with the broom on one side, I thought of the winters ahead. I had put my fire out in my house but coming home to a freezing house would suck. Living across from Mattie would suck more. I slid into my car and started it. The battery sounded weak, just one more thing for me to fix. I was starting to feel how I was being beat down one inch at a time. My happy-go-lucky outlook slowly started to tarnish, by all the daggers sent my way.

I got the rest of my car cleared of snow and went to put the long broom on the backseat. It did not fit unless I stuck it at an angle with the back window down two inches. I made it work. I would just take the broom into work. First, I needed to stop by Edna's for the list of winter supplies I was going to need, mostly ice scraper and tire chains.

I backed out slowly in my driveway and wondered when the snow got bad; did Mike and I have to pay someone to plow us out? I wondered what that would cost. Then I thought of Mattie and her nasty disposition as I put my car in gear to go forward, slowly down the road.

I knew there was no way I could keep living across from Mike when he married Mattie. I wondered if that was his good news. Good for whom? I thought to myself. I had finally felt free and independent the last few days, which was good, because I needed that. However, without Mike, I was lonely. Sure Edna and her friends were fast becoming my friends. The people at the bar and around town were so friendly that I did not doubt that I would fit right in.

But Mattie. She was so mean. I had to wonder what Mike told her. What did he say that set her off so bad? I kept questioning all that had happened between Mike and me, and I told myself I had created a disillusion for his feelings. That he was only trying to do the right thing. The thing I would have done for any other person, except the kissing. My mind kept wandering back to the kisses that Mike instigated, not me, and how he told me he was attracted to me. In fact, I remembered Mike being the one that was crossing the line, touching and kissing. Sure, I had a moment or two myself. It was as if we just could not get enough of each other.

In a flash of clarity, I looked down at my phone to see if Mike had called, or if I had a signal. I needed to talk to him now. As I looked back at the road, Mattie's rental was coming fast around the bend. I swerved out of reaction to her coming so fast and in the middle of the road. My car went out of control and the last thing I remembered was the sound of the horn vibrating loudly in my ears and the throbbing sensation in my head.

Seconds later, I heard voices, more than one. I heard Mike's voice, and I tried to open my eyes but something liquid was running over them, and it stung. I decided to keep them closed. I heard my own voice groaning softly. I did not realize I was doing it. I heard a shout. "Quick, grab the broom."

Nothing made sense. Why would they want my broom? Then I heard the sound of shattered glass, and somebody was undoing my seat belt. I felt a huge whirl of pain surrounding my body then I was out.

Chapter Eighteen

My head was pounding, and I could not quite open my eyes. I heard what sounded like voices, in the distance. Someone was questioning someone and there was some shouting. I thought I heard Mike's voice yelling and Mattie's yelling back. I heard a man's voice trying to calm everyone down and telling them to take it elsewhere.

I faded back out.

When I tried to come to, I realized I was in a bed, and the room was dark. The blinds were closed. I tried to focus on the vertical lines of the blinds. They reminded me of an office or a... hospital room. I heard a beeping of a machine and caught the faint shadow of a tube running out of my arm. I tried to raise my hand to my head, and it took concentration. I felt the gauze bandage on my face and the puffiness around my eyes and nose.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of what happened. I heard a voice in the hall. It sounded like Edna. "Slicker than snot out there. Gotta be at least two good feet by now. One hell of a storm we got here."

I faded back out as a smile creased my lips creating a dull pain in my face. I really loved Edna. She was the grandma I never had.

When I came to again, I could see slivers of light coming through the blinds. I opened and closed my eyes several times. Each time, it seemed more focused then before. I could still hear the beeping of the machine, and I was now well aware of the tube in my arm and the bandage on my head. I tried to clear my throat. It felt raw and dry. Then I felt a hand rub my arm.

"Kate. Baby you there?" I slowly turned my head to see Mike sitting on the edge of a chair with his hand on my arm and the look of utter despair and exhaustion in his face. I smiled. "Jesus. Thank God." He started to cry, as he stood over me and began kissing me wherever he probably thought was safe. At one point, I felt pain in my face, and I winced. He stopped and apologized.

I tried to reach for my water by rolling to my side. He grabbed it for me and helped my head up a bit to drink. The water felt divine on my throat, and I took several sips. Then Mike lowered my head back down. I smiled and closed my eyes. I wondered if it was a dream.

"Kate?" His voice was soft and sweet. "Kate? You're in the hospital."

So I was. However, was it a dream? I was starting to remember my conversation with Mattie, then the snow coming down, my shower, my call to Mike, after that scrapping off my car with my broom. I remembered Mattie's rental car swerving towards me, and the sound of my horn blaring.

I opened my eyes slowly. "So." My voice sounded pushed and hoarse. "This isn't a dream?" It was all I could do to get that out.

"God no. I wish it was. I wish it didn't happen. Kate. You wrecked your car. I was chasing after Mattie on our road to our house. I think I caused it as much as Mattie. We were fighting on the phone, and I wanted to..." His voice trailed off.

I smiled and closed my eyes. He said our house. Did he mean Mattie and his house? Or was he talking in generalization about where our houses were located?

"I tried to call you first, but then I saw Mattie coming down the road super-fast. So I tried to stop her, and she turned around and headed back to our house."

There it was again, the words, our house. So had Mattie and him worked it out, and they were getting married? My brain was trying to confuse me, or maybe it was the pain meds.

I opened my eyes and this time, I didn't smile. "Mike?"

He grabbed my hand again and tried to sit by me on the hospital bed. "Yeah Kate?"

"Is everyone alright?"

A slight laughter exited his lips as he looked to the ceiling. "Typical you, worried about everyone else. You are going to be fine. They just want to keep you here for observation one more night. You have a concussion on your forehead and some bruising from hitting the steering wheel. You were the only one that wrecked."

I looked away to the window. "Thank God." My voice was soft. I did not wish Mattie any harm. However, I was mad all the same. That woman had a crazy bone to her, and I was not thrilled that my reaction put me off the road. I turned back to him.

"My car?" I looked to Mike's eyes, and he looked to be hiding something.

Before he could answer, we were interrupted by a female nurse. "Somebody coming around. You got cha a knot in your knickers there missy. But you'll feel right as rain in a few days. The pain meds we gave you will make you groggy. I'm gonna lower the dose a bit here and by tomorrow we'll send you home with a pain medication plan. All righty then." I watched the older nurse scribble something on a chart and turn to Mike.

"Mr. Smith! Nice to see you. Not on these terms. Not since Harry's party is it? Fun night. She a friend of yours? I'm gonna need to release her to someone. That be you? I saw Mattie last night. She coming back or did you finally cut the cord?"

Geez, this woman was nosey and straight to the point. She talked as fast as Edna talked and shot out questions without waiting for an answer.

Mike patted my hand. "I'll be right back." I watched the two of them slip out of the room, and Mike closed the door behind him. I could not hear or see them. I wanted to know so badly if Mattie was back. Was he going to take care of me the next few days or maybe Edna could? Hell, for that matter, Barley would do it. He was like a big grizzly bear protecting his cubs to all his workers. I did not need Mike's pity.

I watched the door open, and I turned away and started to cry softly. I did not want him to see, but I just could not help myself.

Another nurse's voice caught my attention. "There are a few people here to see you. Mind if they come in?"

"No." I wanted the distraction from Mike.

In walked several people, my yoga ladies with Edna, Barley and two of the employees following behind. All of them were bearing flowers or chocolates. Barley had a big stuff bear with the bar's name on a tee shirt on it. I wondered where he got that, I smiled to myself. He had a display case of bar named stuff for sale that did not have much of a turn around. The thought was incredibly sweet.

"Hi." My voice was hoarse. I reached for my water, and Mike rushed to my side. He stood there next to me facing everyone and kept his hand on my shoulder. That had to say something, didn't it?

Edna talked the most. About how they all wanted me better and back to showing the yoga moves. She said that the storm had brought about two feet of snow and was still coming. She got on Mike about making sure the plow company got the road cleared before he tried to take me home.

Barley told me that everyone had a sympathy jar out for me last night, and all sales went to me to help in recovering from the loss of my car. I looked at him with a questioning look on my face. "Oh shit. You probably didn't even know you trashed your car. Damn woman. I'm sorry. Me and my big mouth." One of the gals I worked with patted him on the arm and said they needed to go. Bar was to open in a bit, and they wished me well.

Shortly after, Edna's friends slowly took a break outside and all that was left was Edna, and Mike, who had snuck back in, touching my shoulder and rubbing my arm.

"Well. Did you tell her?" Edna looked tersely at Mike as if she was scolding him the second he walked back in.

His voice answered back soft and low as he looked down at the floor. "No."

I did not want to hear it. I did not want to know that he was marrying Mattie. I just wanted to go back to the drug-induced sleep I was in earlier, not remembering a thing.

I felt a pat on my hand from Edna, and I looked at her. "Gotta run sweetie. Mikes got something he needs to talk to you about. Mike. Call me after you get her settled. I'll swing by to give you a break. Get that road plowed before you attempt to drive her home."

She was gone in a flash, and I felt Mike's eyes on me.

"Not now." I said it rather rudely and closed my eyes.

"I love you Kate." I was not sure if I heard him right. "God. Kate, I love you so much and when I came around that curve chasing Mattie, while yelling at her on the phone, I wanted to die when I watched your car try to go over the mountain." He paused, and I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"Kate. I love you. I knew the first minute I saw you, that there was an attraction. After I got to know you, I fell in love. If I lost you, I don't know what I would have done. There is one very tough pine tree off the road with your car's dent in it." He smiled down at me, and I smiled back.

I tried to sit up and was having a hard time. Mike found the bed remote to raise my head and then put a pillow behind me.

"But Mattie said..." I stopped myself. I knew that Mattie was lying. Problem was I was still very groggy and confused. I heard him tell me he loved me. However, was I just a passing from Mattie to what he really wanted out of life?

"Mattie and I met up in Frisco to break up. I never told her about you, but she asked around in town, and I guess someone said something. Believe me, it wasn't Edna. She's your biggest cheerleader."

"I'm a mess. I don't really care who told her but Mike..." I reached for my water, and he handed it to me and held it while I drank through a straw. My throat was still very dry and scratchy.

"Mattie said things. And I had to wonder all week when I didn't hear from you." I cleared my throat and took another sip holding the cup myself now.

He rubbed my arms and turned himself to lie next to me. It was a tight fit, but as I moved over just a tad, we fit. He slid an arm under me and turned sideways. I turned my head and smiled. He held me as tight as he could without hurting me. We held eye contact for a few seconds. "I'm in love with you Kate." However, I had to wonder since he had been in love with Mattie at one point.

"Then why?" My voice was soft and sleepy, and I turned into him and pressed the button for us to lay down flatter. "Why Mike?"

"I guess you're wondering why I left so abruptly. It's a long story. I got word that Mattie had been seen with another man, intimately. I had to find out for sure. When I confronted her with it, she told me it was all a lie and was flying in to see me. I told her I was out at my parents, for her to go there. I did not want her to see you, or she might make her own assumptions. As Edna has said, it is written all over my face when people see me with you. Edna was the one that talked me through this. God Kate. I've been confused for a long time. This has been a long engagement and with each passing year I am more miserable and Mattie keeps changing how it would work. Then you came along. I've never felt so alive. It's like you've woken a sleeping giant." He kissed the top of my head, and I looked up at him and then snuggled in deeper. I was still very tired and wanted to sleep soon. First, I wanted to just listen to the sound of Mike's voice.

"I'm thirty three Kate. I want to have kids and be married soon. I wanted it as soon as I was discharged. I met Mattie years ago and back then; we wanted the same things. However, she's changed and I haven't. Then, well, I know it's only been a week, and I haven't even been here for part of it. But I had time to think at my parents until Mattie got there."

I felt his hand touch my face and hair tenderly. He could tell I was drifting off. I opened my eyes and smiled. "I'm listening."

He smiled down at me and laughed quietly. "Ok. I thought about you constantly. I thought about us and could there be a future. I knew for sure I loved being your friend and helping you. I worried constantly when I was not there with you. I imagined who I would want to be with, imagined you, and I saw a happy man being himself. I thought of you and every time a picture of a beautiful independent woman that thrived in adversity. That saw the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the beauty in people not on looks alone. A woman who made me feel like a man with a single touch or a look, a single gesture of kindness. Damn woman, you massaged my dog to sleep."

I laughed lightly to let him know I was still listening even though my eyes started to close. I felt warm and secure in his arms. Most importantly, I felt loved, and I hadn't told him I loved him yet. He was already talking again. About us, a future, dating and taking it at whatever pace I wanted.

I interrupted him in mid-sentence. "Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too!"

I felt his mouth cover mine, and my body woke up with sensations that let me know that what I felt was something so much more than lust or a passing of friendships. With Mike, it was more and in his arms, I would be ok.

Somewhere in the next few minutes I drifted on and off out of sleep. At one point, I woke up to find the room empty and a huge bouquet of flowers in assorted colors and styles with a note taped to the front of the vase. It was placed right at my eye level. It read, 'I love you. I went home to shower. I'll be back in a bit. Sweet dreams'.

I raised my bed up and saw that it was night out again. I was starving. I hit the nurse button and waited for the nurse to come in.

"Yes missy." Why did everyone want to call me missy around this place? I smiled. I guess it was a form of endearment.

"I'm hungry."

"Well this isn't a full hospital just an emergency clinic in town. We don't have a cafeteria, but we do have some vending machines. You know, Edna and the gals brought you by a basket of goodies. Let's see what's in there."

I watched the friendly nurse set a huge basket that had been on the chair by my bed and put it on the foot of my bed. "There's some bread, jam, chocolate squares and some pieces of fresh fruit. Just about a whole gourmet spread."

I wanted the chocolate but not on an empty stomach. "Let me see the bread. If it's Edna's banana bread, then I could eat the whole thing. Do you have a knife?"

"Let me run into the employee lounge. Mind if I barter a piece for a pop?"

"Not at all. Take a piece of fruit and some chocolate, if you'd like. Hey, what time is it?" I tried to rub my head then I realized it was still too painful. I had a throbbing sensation that was starting to subside as the next round of pain meds was starting to kick in.

"It's four a.m. Mike left around eleven last night when you just seemed to want to sleep. Did you see his note on the flowers?"

"Yeah!" I sounded dreamy. I felt almost too surreal at the moment. I should be sad that I was in the hospital, but I was so excited about Mike and me, and the potential for us. It happened fast, but I didn't care. It felt right for a change.

When the nurse got back, I made an effort to notice her nametag. It was Maggie. "Maggie? Has the snow stopped?"

"Yup. At least two feet. It's been done for a while. Roads are being plowed. Suns supposed to be up today with a high of sixty by tomorrow. Everything should melt in a few days with the warm days coming. It's always nice to have the first winter storm come early. Gets ya ready for winter." I smiled and watched her cut me a few slices of bread and put them on a paper plate.

I thought back to how I was just heading into town to get ready for winter, and I missed the first storm. However, I had bigger things on my mind. Getting better was tops, but Sabrina and Mathew were out there. They'd be flying home tomorrow and be presented with the restraining order and last I heard the state wanted to press charges against her. That could be a long uphill battle, and it wasn't what I wanted to put Mike or me through.

"Well I just got buzzed." Maggie smiled and headed out the door with her apple, bread and a couple squares of chocolate.

I started eating Edna's banana bread and opened the pop the nurse left me. I took a few sips, and it felt good on my throat. I laid there in bed eating my bread and drinking my pop and was thankful for all the good things that happened out of this.

As soon as I was released, Mike was there. I turned to him in his Range Rover as we were heading up the hill. "Thanks for picking me up."

"Babe. I'm your nurse for the next few days until that bandage is off permanently, and the doc says so."

"Are you going to wear a cute little nurse's outfit for me?" I giggled from the vision.

"You're cute when you're on pain pills."

"I am a happy person right now. I didn't take the pain pills. I asked for just some ibuprofen. My head still throbs from time to time, but I feel really good today."

"You look really good. The swellings going down. The bruising is starting to fade. I was told, it was amazing you didn't break any bones. You must have a really good guardian angel."

"I'd say so. It brought me to you."

I turned and looked out the side window. The snow everywhere was beautiful and with the bright blue sky in the background, it was blinding as well. Looking out the dark tinted side window was easier on my eyes then straight ahead.

"Something bugging you? You keep looking the other way?"

"No. Just the sun's really bright."

Mike reached into his console and grabbed an extra set of sunglasses. "Here. Put these on. Put your seat back and rest if you want. I'm driving slow. There's precious cargo in here."

I turned and looked back in the backseat and did not see anything. "Where is it?"

"Babe. It's right here." He patted me on the knee, and I felt my heart balloon up ten times its size.

"Where's Jesse?"

"I left him at my folks. With Mattie and the stress, they took Jesse to their place in Denver. In fact, they left with Jesse, as soon as I got there. Leaving me very lonely to think until Mattie could fly in. Listen, Kate. Mattie's really sorry. She was mad. She had just lost it after we broke up. However, she's already at her place in New York with her new boyfriend. Press release at five."

His voice sounded lighthearted, but I knew it had to hurt.

"You don't think that just because she had someone, and you were lonely and I got hurt that you wanted me?" It sounded weak and far-fetched.

"Kate. You know better. I told you before I left I was attracted to you. You told me to keep the distance. It was just too hard as each day passed. Then I decided I had to break it off with Mattie. She is so controlling, she thought we could stay engaged but separated while she worked through this 'fling' of hers as she called it. Sometimes I wonder."

I patted his leg this time. "Well don't. I am definitely not her. I'm glad things worked out the way they did. But do you still love her?"

He was very quick to respond. "No. I was in love with her but over the last year I constantly questioned my ability to stay in love with her. I was relieved of our recent break up. Then you showed up, and I knew. I knew that I did not love Mattie. You were all I thought about."

I smiled and grabbed his right hand to hold with my left. I squeezed his hand as he squeezed mine. I understood what he was saying. Up until that dreadful Thursday morning, I thought I loved Mathew and Sabrina. I had my doubts, more times than I cared to remember, until everything happened. Then somehow, I just knew. The things that happened in the past and hints of distrust I had pushed aside flooded back to me while Mike was gone, and I realized the only person I was missing was him.

We pulled up in front of his house. "I think it will be easier for now to keep you here."

"Ok." I got out of the Rover, and Mike ran around to me. I looked longingly over at my house. It was only two days ago about this time that I was leaving in the snowstorm. I missed my place already.

"We could stay at your place, but I just thought."

"Oh gosh, Mike. No. Your place makes the most sense. Take me inside. I would really love a bath."

"Sounds good. I'll join you."

I laughed. "I'm not exactly in any shape for..." As my voice trailed off, I looked down at my feet and back up with a slight bend to my head

"We'll take this slow." That sounded good to me.

Epilogue

"Well shoot. You kids sure know how to toss a surprise around all too often." Edna practically yelled over her shoulder as we hiked up the mountainside to the back of our property.

"Now don't laugh. Mr. Kunz and I had a thing, every once in a while. A fling. However, I didn't want to be tied down. After raising four kids and divorcing one nasty critter, I liked my single life. At my age, you don't need marriage, just fun friends. If you get what I mean. Any hoot. He marked a tree with my name in a heart. He took me here a couple of times. There's a huge boulder in front of the mining hole and a log with several gold nuggets just scattered around. Remnants he called them. Damn near didn't care about the little stuff. So that nugget you found...." She stopped at the log I remembered throwing the stones from. She caught her breath, and we stared at her in silence. Because she hadn't stopped talking all morning.

Spring had come late this year, and we all decided to let the snow melt before taking Edna up on her offer to find the gold. We watched her sit on the log and take a few more deep breaths.

"I ain't as young as I use to be. Hell, when I was your age, I climbed hills for fun. Shoot. Sucks to get old. But then, what cha gonna do? So how long before you gonna tell everyone about the baby? Three months and you're not evening showing a belly. You're too damn skinny woman."

I had to smile at that. After deciding to stay here and make a life with Mike, I was sure with the heavy winter I would gain weight. However, working part-time at Barley's and making love to Mike kept me in tiptop shape. Teaching the gals yoga three times a week didn't hurt either. Then again, the fact that Mike and I enjoyed doing outside activities together so much that I never had pegged myself as a mountain girl. I do now. Instead of fashion runway dress-up clothes, I shopped for the warmest and latest mountain gear.

"That wedding of yours was more of a surprise to the whole town. When you..." She pointed at Mike and took a deep breath, which always was a sure sign she was going to go on and on. It would be nightfall before we actually looked for the gold at this rate.

She laughed aloud and slapped her knee. "When you set up a New Year's Eve party at the lake with free skating and hot cocoa for the town. I was shocked. But then, the settlement Kate got here after her ex and his new wife died in that car wreck, you two promised to share it with the community. Shoot. You gave that fire rescue and shelters more money than they could ever have imagined."

I remembered fondly that day. Mike proposed to me on Christmas morning. It was so romantic. He had Jesse carry a small box around his neck and got him to lick my hand to wake me by putting a bit of peanut butter on my hand. I had been sleeping extremely hard from all our love making the night before.

Then we planned the whole wedding with the free ice-skating and the hot cocoa and small gifts from us. The donations were a given.

I did not need the five million that Mr. Wargin got me from Mathew's family when he and Sabrina were killed. I was sad that was how it ended, but court was getting ugly and some of Sabrina's past was getting dragged into the tabloids, and Mathew looked twenty years older after a month of court proceedings. Sabrina did a bang-up job of making me look bad, but not a soul in town said a word to me or behind my back that I could hear.

Thinking back to our wedding day last New Year's Eve, I wore the cutest white snow pants and jacket. Mike wore all black. The shock to the community when we asked them to stay after we made the donation announcements for a quick wedding ceremony was incredible. In the end, Mike surprised me with a fireworks display that beat most any I saw a small town do.

We had both wanted to start out the new year being just about us. We got that wish. Now I was pregnant with our first child and could not be happier. I rubbed my belly as Edna started up again.

"So I hear you got the Beck House Cottage rented all summer to a young couple that's coming up here to write a book. Sound's nice. Heard you got the fall filled up as well. Don't know why you're bothering seeing as you don't need the money. But then, having that place sit there empty sure can be sad. Maybe once you're done kicking out the kids we should make it a yogi studio."

I had to laugh. She was always switching up her words like yoga for yogi, and her idea wasn't half bad.

As usual, Mike tolerated Edna talking for hours on end, but he was like a kid in a candy store waiting to see where the gold was.

"Edna!" He interrupted her on another story. "Can we do the honors and move the rock?"

"Shoot. We did come up here for that now didn't we?"

"We did!" Both Mike and I said laughing.

What we saw inside, once Mike got the huge rock moved, was beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

THE END

The Author - CJ Hawk

Fiction - Adult Romance - Chick Lit. - Women's Fiction - Mystery

Ah, if only life were like frosted cupcakes. Gooey sweet frosting with satisfying cake, bite after bite, day after day. Life is meant to be magical or laughed at. Yes, life is a lesson, blah...blah... blah...but magical makes more mojo. Just look to a rainbow and search out your 'pot of gold' and things will start to look better.

Please visit my website for updates.

hhtp://www.cjhawk.com

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Legal mumbo jumbo: This is a fictional story with no reference to real people or places. Any similar names are strictly coincidental and have been created in the author's mind purely for fun or reference. Every character created is from the author's imagination; every place created or name to a place it to give the reader a mental image of where the story takes place. If the story lists an actual city or state, all information in the story is purely reference or to give the reader a mental idea about the location but does not in any way dictate the true nature of that area. Any reference in a story by this author that could be seen as prejudice is not a true semblance of the author's ideals, it is strictly to create a character in the story and allows the reader an idea of how that character might think or feel. Basically \- it's fiction folks so let's not get too serious.

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COMING SOON!!!

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