Come Home to Deep River by Jackie Ashenden

Author:Jackie Ashenden [Ashenden, Jackie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2020-04-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Hope came out of April’s carrying a couple of paper bags along with two coffees, making her way along the boardwalk beside the river to the bench where she’d sat with Silas the first morning he’d arrived.

He was sitting there waiting for her, his long legs outstretched, his hands behind his head, his attention on the water in front of him, and for a second she paused, staring at him. He sat very still, a big, powerful presence. But a peaceful, restful one. She’d often compared him to one of the mountains that surrounded the town, silent and monumental yet protective too. Some people found mountains oppressive, but she never had. They were a defense, a barrier between the town and the rest of the world, and she liked that feeling. It was comforting.

He was comforting. She’d found that when they’d been teenagers, his silent presence was like a beam holding her up, supporting her, and she realized, almost with a shock, that she felt the same way now.

That could be a problem.

But no, it wouldn’t be a problem. She wouldn’t let it be a problem. Sure, she felt relaxed with him in a way she hadn’t felt with anyone else in a long time, even going so far as to let her guard down, allowing herself to want and to be given what she wanted. Except only in bed. That’s as far as she’d go. Out of it was a whole different ball game.

He’d told her the previous night, before she’d drifted off to sleep in his arms, that he needed to discuss with her what he’d found out from talking to people. So that morning they’d decided to meet for lunch on the boardwalk beside the river.

She supposed it might make people gossip to see them sitting together, but they were already gossiping. Besides, having lunch together wasn’t unusual. They were old friends, after all.

Except her mother had given her a suspicious look as Hope had found her way into the kitchen that morning, though Angela didn’t say anything. And it was a good thing that Angela didn’t concern herself with the Moose because she might have had an observation to make about how Axel was behind the bar for the second night in a row.

Silas turned his head just then, and his green-gold eyes met hers and he smiled. And her heart fluttered in her chest like a wild bird, making her nearly spill the coffees she held.

Stupid. So he had a beautiful smile. So what?

She ignored the flutter, moving over to the bench and sitting down beside him. “Didn’t think you’d mind if I bought lunch.”

His smile deepened, lighting a flame in his eyes, making the fluttering even worse. “No. Especially not if it’s one of those pies again.”

“It is.” She handed over a bag and one of the coffees, trying her best not to brush her fingers with his, because she was pretty sure she’d get coffee everywhere if she did that. God, was

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