His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride (13 page)

“This has been brewing for a while,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered.

When she nestled her head against his chest, he prayed,
Please don’t let her shoot
me down
. “What about you?”

“Me?” Her sigh drifted upward. “I think I’ve been running away for a long time.”

“Why?” He tipped up her chin, struggling to read the emotions fluttering through her eyes.

“Love hurts, Jason. I’m not sure I’m ready to get involved again.”

“Meaning you were before? In love, I mean.”

“Yes. But he’s gone now. Almost three years.”

Gone—meaning he’d abandoned her? Or was it a mutual parting? Jason couldn’t quite interpret her meaning. But he heard the tiny yawn she struggled to smother.

“You’re tired. Come on, I’ll—” Noises from the dock interrupted him. He glanced out the window, saw his renters returning. “Bad timing,” he muttered. He brushed his lips across hers once more, then smiled. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go sign these guys in.”

“Go ahead. I’ll clean up.”

“No. I’ll do that later. I insist,” he said, holding up one hand when she would have protested.

“Okay.” She moved away from him, found her shoes and slipped them on. “Mind if I go down with you?”

“Not at all.” But he had no idea why she wanted to. Checking in rented boats filled with smelly fish wasn’t exactly thrilling.

She followed him downstairs, stood to one side while he spoke to the men. After his introduction, she greeted them but added nothing else. Her attention seemed to be on the group of women and families waiting for their men. After a few moments she moved toward them and began chatting.

Jason wasn’t stupid or naive. He could see the men’s interest in her. In a green patterned skirt with a red top she was a summer rose, beautiful yet fragile at the same time.

His thoughts startled him and he ordered himself to concentrate on business. When the last of his renters was gone, he glanced around. Piper was still standing on the end of the dock but this time her gaze rested on him. After a moment she walked back.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” Her eyes narrowed in the way they always did when she was mulling something over. He waited.

“Do you ever get requests for rides around the bay? I don’t mean fishermen, I mean regular people who just want some time on the water.”

“All the time. Some rent the boats just to sightsee, but my fishing boats aren’t the best for that sort of thing.”

“Why not?”

He glanced at his fleet.

“Too shallow and too small. They’re built to accommodate a guy trying to get his fish, not a lot of people. A tour boat is a different proposition. It can usually carry a bigger load—group outings, reunions, that kind of thing.” He paused, then decided to tell her part of his dream. “I hope that in a couple of years I can expand to reach that market.”

“What if I could guarantee you a full month of bookings if you had a boat that would sleep six?”

He smiled at her optimism.

“Piper, I appreciate the thought and it would be a great start, but it takes forever to get those boats. Peter has a waiting list a year long to supply three major outfits on the Great Lakes.”

She didn’t seem fazed by his comment. Instead she wrapped her hand in his arm and tugged him toward the door. “You do have a computer, don’t you? And you’re hooked up to the Internet?”

He nodded.

“Show me.”

He led her to his office, opened his laptop. Piper said nothing, merely accessed her e-mail account.

“I had a phone call today just as I was leaving.”

Where was this going?

“A gentleman from Pine Bluff has called several times, an older fellow. He’s lived in the area for sixty-odd years but he’s moving away now, going to live near his daughter on the West Coast. But he doesn’t want to leave.”

“Piper, what—”

“Mr. Higgins was wondering if I happened to know of anyone who’d be interested in purchasing his fleet.”

Jason perked up, scrutinized her face and waited for the kicker. Piper watched him, giving nothing away.

“His fleet?”

“He sent me this e-mail. Read.” She pointed to the screen.

“Two houseboats, a floater, two cruisers and three ski boats.” His heart did a nosedive. “I can’t afford all this, Piper.”

“I know.” She smiled, touched the corner of his mouth with her fingertip and pushed up. “Don’t look so sad. I haven’t quite finished.”

“Okay.” He straightened, slid his hands down her bare arms. “I’m interested. Hit me with the rest of it.”

“As we’ve been developing the Bay, I’ve received a number of requests. Everything from an ice-cream shop to a place to board pets. I keep them filed by subject so that if I ever need to contact someone I have the information handy.” She smiled slowly. “It so happens I have quite a large file on people seeking rentals on which they can overnight. In other words, a houseboat.”

“But if I’m touring around in a houseboat, I won’t be here and it’s imperative that I be here. I can’t leave everything to Andy.”

“How old is Andy?” she asked, tracing his jaw with her fingertip.

“Eighteen.”

“Does he have his boater’s permit?”

He nodded, distracted by her touch against his skin.

“Couldn’t he be trained to take a group out?”

“I guess.”

“Mr. Higgins told me today that he’d consider some kind of partnership. He might even be persuaded to stay on for the summer. And of course, some houseboats are rented unaccompanied, meaning the renters drive themselves around the lake.”

He burst out laughing at her smug look.

“What do you think of me now, Mr. Mayor?”

“I think you’re a jewel beyond price.” He kissed her, then set her away. “How do you feel about taking a trip tomorrow?”

“To see Mr. Higgins? I’d love to. I’ll call him tonight, make sure it’s okay.”

“Good. After church we’ll have a picnic on the way to his place. You can help me negotiate.”

“You’re going to do it?” she breathed. “Really?”

“I’m going to try. A houseboat or two would give the place a boost and it’s about time I did a little expansion.” He brushed the tip of her nose with his fingers. “Thank you.”

“No problem. I don’t know why I didn’t put it together before. Of course, I haven’t seen his inventory, but tonight while I was talking to those families and they mentioned a houseboat vacation they’d taken in the Shuswaps, a lightbulb went on.”

“I like your lightbulbs,” he murmured. “And your dinners.”

“Does that mean you’re bringing the picnic tomorrow?” she asked archly.

“Of course. Do you like dill pickles and peanut butter?”

“No.”

“Too bad. I love them.”

Piper made a face and scooted upstairs to retrieve her jacket and purse. “I’d better get going.”

“It’s too dark to sail,” Jason said when they were outside. A slash of lightning jagged across the sky as if to emphasize his opinion. In fact, high waves splashed against the dock as if to warn them. “I’ll take you home in the truck.”

Piper cast one look at the whitecaps dotting the bay and agreed. Five minutes later they were on the switchback.

“I hope you make it inside before the rain starts,” he said, peering through the windshield. “You’ll ruin that suit.”

“Clothes aren’t important. People are. I don’t like that you’ll have to drive back in what could be a deluge.”

“I’ll think about you. Time will fly.”

They made it to Cathcart House as the first droplets began to splatter the screen.

“Come in and wait it out,” she invited. “There’s no point trying to negotiate the road when you can’t see.”

Because the black clouds looked ready to explode, and because he wanted a few more minutes with her, Jason nodded, climbed out of the truck and grabbed her hand. They raced across the yard with the wind whipping at their clothes and hair. Piper unlocked the door, stepped inside and flicked on the lights.

The heavens crackled, light blazed. A second later the power went out.

“Wouldn’t you know it?”

“Is this a ploy to get me alone?” he teased, bending to whisper against her neck.

“You wish.” Piper wiggled away from him. “Wait there. I’ve got some candles ready.”

Jason closed the door behind him, waited until the faint flicker of a candle turned into the glow of several.

“Come on in. You can light the fireplace, if you want. That’ll take the chill off things. I’m going to change.” She disappeared.

Jason knelt in front of the fireplace, chose a match from the brass container and lit the already-set tinder. It caught immediately and he fed it with bits and pieces of wood until it was safe to add a small log, then two. Satisfied that the fire would not go out, he put the fire screen in front.

“That’s better.” Piper emerged wearing a red, bulky sweater and jeans that emphasized the length of her legs. “Fortunately my stove is gas so I can make tea. Or would you rather—”

The sudden break in her voice sent Jason hurrying to the kitchen where he found her staring at something on the table, her fingers clenched around the kettle handle.

He turned to look, reached out a finger to touch the tiny hotel model.

“Where did this come from?”

She sank onto one of the stools.

“That was the package in my car after the Spring Fling. I don’t know where it came from or who put it there.” Her dark eyes held secrets. “I’m pretty sure my car was locked that day, Jason.”

“You’re saying someone broke into your car?”

“And into this house.” She scanned the room, shivered.

“What do you mean?”

Her attention shifted to the windows, to the yawning darkness beyond.

“Piper?”

She turned her wide-eyed gaze on him. “Yes?”

“What do you mean someone broke in?” He took the kettle from her, set it on the stove. “Tell me.”

“I’d put the model in a cupboard,” she whispered. “It wasn’t on the table when I left this morning. I’m certain of that. Which means someone has been in my house when I wasn’t here. Maybe they’re still here.”
Oh, God, why is this happening?

Jason hugged her then reached for the phone to summon the police. He checked the main floor and upstairs. Nothing. He returned to the kitchen, found Piper hadn’t moved. Her face was pale, her eyes robbed of their usual sparkle.

He filled the kettle and turned it on. Then he located the hot chocolate and made a cup, which he insisted she drink. By the time Chief Neely came she’d regained her equilibrium. But he lost his as she described several other incidents, none of which she’d discussed with him.

“Well, I haven’t seen much evidence. It’s useless to look outside with all this rain. And in here you say there’s nothing out of place?”

“Not that I’ve noticed. Everything seems as I left it this morning. Except for that model.” She kept staring at it, as if she could get a hint if she watched long enough.

“Not much point in dusting for fingerprints then. We wouldn’t know where to look.” Chief Neely offered a sympathetic smile. “Most I can do is have regular patrols go past, check things are okay. It might help if you changed the locks, and maybe look in to getting a security system.”

“A security system?” She shook her head. “We never needed that before.”

“Well, there’s lots of folks coming and going these days. Could be someone on Lookout Point just snooping around, but I’d say it’s a little more personal than that. Maybe someone doesn’t like your ideas for the Bay.” He stuck his pencil in his notebook, thrust it back in his pocket. “Even with a security system, if you were working in town and they broke in, you wouldn’t get here in time to stop ’em, but at least you’d know when it happened. You’d feel safer coming home at night.”

“I’ll think about that,” she told him. “But I’ll definitely have the locks changed. I meant to do that a while ago.”

“Okay then. That’s the best I can do, ma’am.” He started toward the door, then paused. “Say, you wouldn’t know if someone’s been buying land up here, would you?”

Jason caught Piper’s start of surprise.

“Someone’s buying property up here?” he asked.

“I’m surprised that as mayor, you don’t know about it. Had a complaint about digging, reports of unusual traffic on the road. Thought maybe somebody was building a house.”

“We’ll look into it on Monday,” Jason promised. “Thanks for your help.”

“No problem.” Bud left a few minutes later, after promising to check on the house throughout the night.

When he’d left Jason crouched to look into Piper’s eyes. “Are you going to be okay? Would you feel better camping out at Ida’s?”

“No, don’t be silly. I’ll be fine. It’s just someone playing silly games.” She offered a nervous laugh that didn’t quite come off.

“You don’t know who it is, do you?”

“No, I don’t
know.
It just seems it has to be someone playing tricks. An ordinary thief would have taken something. Right?”

“Yes.” She didn’t sound sure of that.

“I guess.”

“I’ll be praying for you, Piper. Asking God to protect you. You can trust Him.”

He kissed her good-night and left shortly after that, scanning the ditch and every side road as he returned to his place. Once inside he phoned to tell her he was home, but also to check on her.

“I’m fine, Jason. Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you tomorrow at church.”

“You wouldn’t prefer me picking you up?”

“Don’t be silly. You’d come here and have to turn around and go back. I’ll be there.”

But after he’d hung up, he sat in the dark, watching out the big picture windows as the storm puttered out and the clouds scattered. A while later the stars emerged.

“Something’s not right, Lord. I can feel it.” He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to put his finger on the thing that had set his radar flashing. But he couldn’t put the pieces together.

Neither could he get the picture of that model hotel out of his mind. He hadn’t had much time to examine it, but at first glance it seemed to represent everything he’d been hoping for. Piper must have known that when she first unwrapped it. Yet she’d said nothing.

Trust.