From The Ashes by Scarlett Andrews

Author:Scarlett Andrews [Andrews, Scarlett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947750050
Publisher: Clover Creatives
Published: 2018-02-11T18:30:00+00:00

18

The sky was already dark by mid-afternoon, and Jack sat in the reading chair in his bedroom study, trying to focus on Murder on the Mountain, Clyde Harrison’s most recent mystery novel. As always, Clyde’s stories were gripping, but all he could think about was Elizabeth and how she was so near.

So near and yet so far.

He’d slept restlessly the night before, imagining Elizabeth a stone’s throw away, sleeping in the cabin he’d built, in a bed he’d bought, snuggled beneath a quilt he’d chosen. He was used to people sleeping in his cabins, of course—during the busy tourist season, all five were rented out almost every night. But that was nowhere near the same thing as having Elizabeth staying there.

In the end, Jack had poured himself a generous glass of brandy and turned the furnace up a couple degrees, the alcohol and warmth producing a somnolent effect.

Since morning, he’d kept a loose eye on her movements. Happened to notice when she went over for her first caregiving shift with Charlene. Happened to notice when she came back and let out Rugby, her funny little dog, who ran back and forth in the snow for no good reason. Happened to notice when her cabin lights went on. It had been a day of noticing and trying not to. He’d kept himself busy during the day by going to the Crossfit gym for a two-hour-long workout and then grabbing dinner with Doc Bauer, but now he was home, trying valiantly not to think of her.

After reading the same paragraph three times, he told himself he’d just peek out his window and check to see if her lights were off yet, and then he’d close the curtains and get back to his book.

He looked out his bedroom window, which faced her one-room cabin. The cabin had two windows that faced his house and into which he had a good view from his bedroom, which was precisely why he’d made sure to put heavy curtains on both the cabin’s windows and his own.

But Elizabeth had her curtains open. He caught a glimpse of her sitting at the little kitchenette table writing in a notebook, twirling her hair around her index finger absentmindedly. He watched her for just a moment, his heart pounding. What was she thinking about? Writing about? Was she sad? Something about her seemed so, and that made him long to go to her and make her laugh. It didn’t take much to make her smile.

But if he went to her, he’d be tempted to touch her and kiss her and do all the things to her that he wanted to do.

Just friends, on the other hand, could call each other.

I’d better call her, he thought. Make sure she’s settled in all right and doesn’t need anything at the cabin. Make sure the faucet isn’t leaking or anything.

He grabbed his phone and scrolled through the contacts. Kristy Barrow had texted him Elizabeth’s number since she was staying in one of the cabins and it was policy to take all guests’ information.

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