For the Love of His Life (7 page)

“I know you don’t think I can handle it, but I’m not as decrepit as you seem to think I am. I can hold my own…” The inadvertent double-meaning of his words did nothing to lessen his embarrassment.

Veronica eyed him speculatively, “You think so? I’m usually done with the pies by ten, if not sooner. Then I change and head out. If you want to go with me you’ll have to be up by eight, or at least by nine, to have time to eat and let your food digest enough for you to run.”

Raul met her gaze defiantly, “Then that’s what I’ll do. I think it’ll be better than trying to run along the road, breathing car exhaust and risking running into a bear or a moose.”

Veronica grinned. “They’re not out during the daylight hours. They might be out at dawn, but they sleep until dusk usually.” She looked closer at him. “Who’s been telling you big critters like that run along the road?”

“Jake was telling me last night about it,” he defended himself.

She nodded. “But like I said, they’re not out now…only at night.”

She changed the subject by waving towards the plates on the table. “Looks like you had a good breakfast. You’ll need to eat more and drink less if you want to get into the kind of shape you’ll need to be in to pass yourself off as a mountain man.”

“Yeah, I figured that,” he said as he pulled out a cigarette and began to search for his lighter.

“Gram-Marie will have a shit-fit if you smoke on her deck. You’ll have to go out into the parking lot for that.”

Raul sighed loudly. “Is there anything the old woman doesn’t have rules about?”

A small smile played on Veronica’s lips and he forgot to be annoyed while he admired their shape.

“She does like things to be done just her way,” she began. “But she’s been running this place alone since Grampa died two years ago. And she’s been doing a damn good job too.”

“She’s not alone here,” Raul corrected her. “You do the pies and help out. Then there’s the cooks and the waitresses, right?”

“Yeah, I also do the books for her. I got my degree in accounting. I do the books for Dad’s business and for some of the other places in town, and along the Gunflint Trail.”

“But you don’t live here, right?”

She shook her head, “No. I have a cabin up the road a piece, near Sugar Lake. It’s not much but it’s mine. I bought it from the owner of one of the lodges. I do his books too.”

“Doesn’t seem like enough work to keep a smart woman like you busy all the time.” Raul wasn’t sure what he was trying to say, but the words spilled out anyway.

Veronica’s tone was sharp, “No? So…what? Now you’re suggesting I’m…what? Lazy?”

He shook his head in contrition, “No! Of course not! It’s just you seem so…so well-balanced and so…on top of things.” He was scrambling because his thoughts weren’t coming fast enough for him to make things right.

And that’s because all I can think of is how much I want to be on top of you! Or have you on top of me! What the fuck is wrong with me?

Veronica stared at him for a few minutes and he tried not to look as guilty as he felt. Finally a slow smile crept across her lips again.

“You know, now I think about it, I do believe you’ve actually paid me a compliment. You think I’m too smart to be
just
making pies and doing the books for some small businesses. That’s what you were trying to say, right?”

He took a deep breath in relief, “Yes! That’s it!”

She leaned closer and spoke quietly. “If I tell you a secret do you promise not to tell?”

He nodded solemnly.

She looked both directions then leaned closer to whisper, “I’m secretly a government agent!”

She’s making fun of me! Great going, dufus! Way to romance a woman, studly!

When he just stared at her, she ruefully shook her head. “Don’t believe me, huh?”

“No.”

She sighed. “Okay…truth is I’ve always loved reading spy books. Anything about international intrigue, spies, espionage, you know, that sort of thing. So I’ve been trying to write some stuff like that myself. I’ve got a few things going and one short novel I sent out to publishers.”

“No word from anyone yet?”

“No, just an acknowledgement they got it and it’s
under consideration
, whatever that means. So I haven’t told anyone else about it. Old Ivan up the road knows, but he’s entertained me for years with stories about what life was like back in the USSR when he lived there. To hear him talk he was almost single-handedly running the KGB! I never know if what he’s telling me is the truth or if he’s bullshitting me, but he’s always interesting, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter.”

“Can I read your manuscript sometime?”

Veronica’s eyebrows rose. “You’d want to? It’s probably not any good, compared to what you’re used to reading.”

He grinned. “Don’t be so sure. Like you said, I’ve been in a lot of crappy movies…but believe me, I’ve tried to pick the best of what I’ve been offered. There are a lot of really awful movie scripts out there. If all you are known for is taking off your shirt a lot, people send you the garbage because they figure you don’t care anyway and your name attached to it will make them a pile of money.”

Veronica looked into his eyes and he met her gaze steadily.

“So you don’t have any illusions about yourself? You don’t think you’re the best thing since sliced bread?”

He smiled. “My mom used to say things like that. No, I’m well aware of who and what I am. But it’s been an interesting ride up to now. My agent has worked hard to keep me in the public’s eye and I’ve played my part by doing the hard partying required to dominate the tabloids with my name and face.”

“When does it become not just an act?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you say you are just doing it as part of your publicity. But if you really have developed a drinking or drug problem, is it worth it?”

They gazed into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

Raul shrugged slowly and elaborately, “
Pues…no sé
.”

Veronica smiled. “I took
español
in high school and college. That means you don’t know, right?”

He nodded. “In this case, it also means I plead the fifth. I’m not about to incriminate myself since I don’t really know the answer.”

Veronica got up and walked over to the railing to lean against it, looking out at the lake. She turned quickly and Raul had to look up as quickly so she didn’t notice him staring at the curves under her butt cheeks he could see beneath the jogging shorts she’d put back on.

“Jared has told me about what it’s like living out there in LA-LA land. From what he’s told me, it’s not something I ever want to experience. I like it up here, where people are honest, with each other and with themselves. Jared does too, you know…”

“He does? Is that why he doesn’t live in California?”

“Yeah. He initially bought that vineyard up in Oregon to give his wife a hobby. Instead they both work their butts off on it and like to produce the best wines they can. These days he’s even making some money doing it. And he still reads scripts and makes movies when he’s in the mood. From what he told me he got a writer he knows to take his notes and turn it into the script you’re going to use. When he was a little boy and used to spend summers up here because both of his parents were working, he used to hang on every word Grampa said about his memories of his great-grandfather.”

“That’s Hank Maynard, right? The man I’m going to be playing?”

“Yeah. You don’t really look much like him, but the fact Jared thinks you are right for the role must mean you are. He’s always wanted to make this movie. Now he’s famous and rich enough, he can afford to.”

“And what’s he got to lose casting me, huh? If I blow it, the movie will bomb and no one will blame him. They’ll say he chose the wrong actor…that I’m only good for action movies with explosions, or rom-coms where I can do half the movie naked.”

“But what if he’s right and you
are
perfect for the role? Wouldn’t that be cool?”

“Would you be proud of me?” He regretted the words the instant they left his lips.
I sound so insecure
.

Veronica walked back over to the table and sat on the chair across from him and nodded.

“Why yes…yes I would. Because it would mean you did justice to one of my family’s ancestors. And that you justified Jared’s belief in you. And that you are more than just a pretty face.” She grinned at the surprised look on his face. “And somehow I think you would be even more surprised than everyone else.”

He gave her a crooked smile in return. “Yeah, I guess.”

She glanced at her watch. “Shit! It’s later than I thought! I’ve got to run into town and meet with a prospective new client. I had no idea we’d been talking this long.”

“I’m sorry I’ve kept you,” he began then stopped when she gave him a shy smile that touched him down to his toes after first taking a quick detour via his groin.

“It’s okay. I’ve enjoyed talking to you.”

“Me too. And thanks.”

“See you later,” Veronica said as she quickly made her way over to the door leading into the kitchen. She popped her head through it to call, “Bye, Gram-Marie. See you tomorrow morning.”

Raul walked out right after her, to head for the parking lot for his postponed smoke. He watched her get into her pick-up truck and waved as she drove past him out to the road. He enjoyed the feel of the hot nicotine in his lungs and blew smoke rings thoughtfully.

Chapter Six

Veronica was already chopping up fruit when Marie walked into the kitchen at eight the next morning.

“I see you got your typical early start,” she said conversationally as she put the huge pot for the soup onto the stove and began to look for ingredients.

Veronica nodded. “Yeah. I’m making apple since we’ve still got some cinnamon ice cream left. I’m also making blueberry glacé, to use up the rest of the crate of blueberries. I noticed some whipped cream cans in the back of the fridge yesterday and that always goes great on glacé pies.”

Marie pulled out another large cutting board and started chopping up onions, with the celery and the parsley waiting its turn.

“So, are you aware our famous guest is already in the dining room eating cereal with a banana on top?”

Veronica looked up quickly in surprise and met the teasing grin on her grandmother’s fact with equanimity.

“Well, I’ll be! I never thought he’d be able to get up early enough. He said he wanted to start running with me in the mornings because he doesn’t want to run alone.”

“I’ll bet,” Marie said with a snicker.

Veronica shook her head. “Jake told him about the possibility of bears and moose running across the road, so he wants to do his running on the trails out back. As a city boy he’s afraid he’ll get lost if he heads out there himself.”

“And he’ll let you run ahead of him just to show him the way, right? Not so he can watch your butt in those tiny running shorts of yours?”

“Gram-Marie! He’s as much as told me I’m too fat, already. Why on earth would he want to watch my butt? It’s about two to three times as big as the ones on the bony babes he’s used to back in Hollywood.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Marie said as she turned to empty the cut veggies into the pot. “Still…” She winked at Veronica who stuck out her tongue at her.

They worked in companionable silence for a few minutes. Marie shot a glance over at Veronica who was smiling as she worked and she couldn’t resist adding, “He
did
seem really interested in whether or not you were in the kitchen yesterday when he walked in for breakfast.” Veronica’s eyebrows rose. “I’m just saying…”

“Gram-Marie! You just stop that line of thinking right now! I’m going to run with him to help him get into better shape. The way he looks now even an Oscar-winning actor wouldn’t be able to convince folks he’s a pioneer of the north woods.
He
certainly doesn’t have that kind of talent. Let’s just hope that if he works out for the next few weeks, Jared will have something to work with when he gets here.”

Marie shrugged. “Fine. Anything you say, Ronnie. I did notice that Jake’s car drove in about midnight last night. Our guest must have figured he needed to miss the
last call
if he was going to be getting an earlier start to his days.”

Veronica carried the apple pies over to the oven and slid them in after she pulled out the already-baked bottom crusts she would fill with the blueberry glacé.

“If he’s eating now, he’s going to have some time to kill while the apple pies bake and I fill these crusts. Maybe I’ll nip out there and let him know what time we’ll be running.”

Marie pretended not to notice when Veronica glanced quickly at herself in the mirror next to the door leading out of the kitchen before she pushed it open.

“Uh, hmm,” she said and hummed as she smiled, stirring the veggies into the broth.