Listen to Your Heart (21 page)
Read Listen to Your Heart Online
Authors: Mona Ingram
“You could sit out here in the evenings
if you like, but you’d probably get eaten alive.” Kathy tapped the screen.
“That’s why the porch is screened in. People around here love to tell stories
about the mosquitoes. My brother works at the airport in Williams Lake and he
says a mosquito landed on the runway when they were refuelling and they got ten
gallons into him before they realized he wasn’t a Cessna.”
Amanda laughed at the old joke. “Never
mind, I love it.” She turned to the woman who had quickly become a confidant.
“And now I’m going unpack before I head back to the kitchen. How do I lock up
the kitchen when I leave?”
“Don’t worry. Dave checks everything
before we turn in. Goodnight.”
Amanda stood in the doorway as the other
woman walked down the path and disappeared from sight. Why hadn’t she told her
about her own luxurious cottage just a few minutes away? Growing up she’d been
a happy child thanks to the love of her grandmother but it struck her now how
much she’d changed in the past few years. Since meeting Vince, her life had
closed in on itself. Instead of helping her to expand her circle of friends,
he’d insulated her. Theirs was an almost secretive existence. Why had she never
thought about that before?
Vince had assured her that she would
soon find friends among the neighbourhood women when they’d first moved into
the posh neighbourhood on the North Shore of Vancouver. She’d made several
attempts, but doors remained closed to her. At social functions she got the
impression that they were talking about her when she approached. Vince had
dismissed her comments as nonsense, but looking back, he’d had that cold,
predatory gleam in his eye. He’d been isolating her even then. Why hadn’t she
recognized what he was doing? More importantly, what was she going to do about
it now?
* * *
It was dark by the time the kitchen was
usable. Amanda made a mental note of several things she’d continue working on
during the week, but she was satisfied that it would pass inspection if they
should happen to get a surprise visit from the Health Inspector. She stepped
outside and blinked, adjusting slowly to the darkness. A few sodium vapour
lights on poles stood at strategic spots on the property, but didn’t light the
entire area.
“Should have looked for a flashlight”
she muttered to herself, feeling her way along cautiously. The trees around
here were massive and sent roots in every direction; she didn’t want to trip
and break a leg.
“You
are
a sucker for
punishment.” The hair on the back of her neck came erect at the sound of his
voice. “When you say you’re going to do something, you’re not kidding, are you.”
It was more of a statement than a question.
He came from the direction of the
boathouse, preceded by the glow from his flashlight.
“Hi Jackson,” she said breathlessly.
“I’m glad to see you.” He was close enough to touch.
“Should I be flattered?”
Was he teasing her? She couldn’t see his
eyes properly in the muted light. “That depends.” She looked toward her cabin.
“Can you tell me where I can find a flashlight? My cottage is right at the
end.”
“I know.” He waved the flashlight and
beams of light bounced off trees and disappeared into the darkness. “I’ve come
to walk you home.”
Her pulse raced. “You don’t have to do
that. I can find my way if I have a flashlight.”
He lifted his shoulders. “Sorry, can’t
help you.” He didn’t look sorry. “Come on, I don’t bite.” He started walking
and she scurried to catch up.
He slowed and waited for her. She had
the most outrageous inclination to reach out and touch his face. What did that
beard feel like? Was it hard and scratchy, or soft to the touch? She tore her
eyes away and forced herself to concentrate on the road.
“How did you make out?” His voice cut
into her fantasy. “In the kitchen?”
“Oh, fine. We’ll be ready for
breakfast.”
“That will be nice.” She caught the
irony in his tone and raised her eyebrows.
“Don’t get me wrong. Tran always showed
up on time, but he was not a breakfast cook by any stretch of the imagination.”
Amanda wanted to laugh. “I’ve never done
breakfast in a restaurant. You might not be much better off with me.”
He hesitated for a moment and something
glittered in his eyes. “I doubt that.”
Was he saying what she thought he was
saying? She’d better change the subject.
“Did you get something to eat tonight?
Kathy said Carlos did a great job with the barbeque. He stepped right up and
took over.”
“No. After I dropped Tran off I had
dinner with some friends in town.”
“Oh.” Of course he would have a
girlfriend. The idea was unsettling, but it had to be faced. With his looks and
physique, he was probably beating women off with a stick. A big stick.
“So will he be okay?”
“Who, Tran? He’ll be fine. His wife came
to pick him up from the hospital.”
“Did he seem upset that he lost his
job?”
“Not a bit.” Jackson played the light
over the ground, indicating the driveway leading to her cottage. “I got the
impression it wasn’t the first time he’d been let go.”
They walked in silence for a few
moments.
Amanda finally spoke. “I hope Kathy can
find someone to replace him.”
“I don’t.” They’d stopped by the rear
door to the cottage. Amanda had left the outdoor light on. It was enough to see
by without disturbing anyone in the neighbouring cottages. Insects drawn by the
light batted their wings against the fixture. Their frantic motion echoed the
beating of her heart.
“Why not?” She knew what he was going to
say but she had to ask.
“Because then we’ll lose you.” His face
was partly in shadows but she could feel the intensity in his gaze.
She couldn’t form a coherent thought.
“Yeah...well...”
“But in the meantime...” his words
trailed off. If he was waiting for her to say something, he was going to be
disappointed.
A faint smile lifted the corners of his
mouth. “Good night, Amanda.” He stepped forward and for a moment she thought he
was going to kiss her. Instead, he opened the screen door and held it for her.
She nodded, slipped the key into the lock and went inside without looking back.
It had to be that way; otherwise she would have thrown herself at him.
She leaned back against the door,
fighting to catch her breath. And then she remembered the small window in the
door. She whirled around, looked out and caught a glimpse of him at the end of
the trail. The light from the flashlight bobbed along and then disappeared as
he turned right, headed back toward the boathouse.
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