turned at the tone of her
voice. It was tentative and shy. “Why is it complicated?”
He searched his mind, but had no idea
what she was talking about. “Why what is complicated?”
“When I asked you if you had a
girlfriend the other day, you hesitated. Then you said it’s complicated.”
The kettle whistled, startling him.
“You don’t owe me an explanation, but
I’d like to know,” she said softly.
He nodded. He wasn’t sure if he could
bare his soul to anyone, but if he did, it would be to Morgan. “Let me get you
that tea first,” he said. “And then we’ll see.”
Deep in thought, he dunked the teabag in
two mugs of hot water and poured milk into hers, the way he’d seen her fix it
at the restaurant. He wanted to tell her in the worst way, but was now the
right time? Tonight she’d gone through emotional trauma of her own. No, he
decided. He’d tell her eventually, but not tonight. He’d choose a time when
they were both seeing things more clearly. He tucked a bag of cookies under his
arm and went back into the bedroom with the two steaming cups.
Morgan had rolled over onto her side and
was snoring softly. So much for his big decision. He smiled to himself, placed
the cups and the cookies on the bedside table and pulled up an easy chair. He
didn’t want to take a chance that she would be sick again during the night.
Cradling the hot mug in his hands, he sat down to wait.
Chapter Thirteen
“So...you’re thinking you’d like to go
ahead and get some financial advice?” Dale and Chance had finished dinner and
were lingering over coffee. “It sounds like you’ve decided that you’d like to
take him up on his offer and buy the place.”
He reached across the table and took her
hand. “I would, yes. What do you think?”
She lowered her eyes to their joined
hands. “I think it’s an opportunity that might not come along again.” She
waited for panic to set in, for the urge to pull her hand away, but it didn’t
come. She lifted her head and met his gaze. “I say go for it.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but was
interrupted by the server.
“Anything else here, folks?”
“Not for me, thanks.” Dale resented the
intrusion, and was surprised to find that she wanted to know what Chance had
been about to say.
“I’m fine as well. Just the check,
please.” Chance offered his usual bright smile. “Then that settles it,” he
said, returning his attention to her. “The lease is coming up for renewal soon,
so the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
She thought back to earlier that
evening. “The whole complex must be on the same schedule. Adrian was saying
that the restaurant lease is up for renewal.”
Chance cocked his head. “How would he
know that?”
She hesitated. “Can you be discreet?”
He pulled back. “I’m offended.” His grin
belied his words. “I think so, yes.”
“Well, Adrian’s last name is Zimmerman.
His family owns the Zimmerli hotel chain.”
“Ah.” Chance nodded to himself. “You
know, I thought there was something different about him. He’s...oh, how can I
put it...he’s restrained and quiet, but there’s something confident about him.”
She thought for a moment. “I haven’t
seen all that much of him, but that’s a good description. He seemed concerned
about Morgan earlier. I think he was going to wait around to make sure she got
down all right.”
He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of
which, I’d better get us home. You work tomorrow, right?”
“Yes,” she said, rising from the table.
“I have a feeling you’re going to be pretty busy from here on.” He held her
coat and she slipped into it. “We’re never going to get out skiing at this
rate.”
He pulled on his jacket and they walked
out into the crisp night air. “We’ll find time, never fear.” He stopped in a
pool of light and touched her face with one large, gentle hand. “I think it’s
only fair to warn you, Dale Lewis. I’m falling for you in a big
voice. It was tentative and shy. “Why is it complicated?”
He searched his mind, but had no idea
what she was talking about. “Why what is complicated?”
“When I asked you if you had a
girlfriend the other day, you hesitated. Then you said it’s complicated.”
The kettle whistled, startling him.
“You don’t owe me an explanation, but
I’d like to know,” she said softly.
He nodded. He wasn’t sure if he could
bare his soul to anyone, but if he did, it would be to Morgan. “Let me get you
that tea first,” he said. “And then we’ll see.”
Deep in thought, he dunked the teabag in
two mugs of hot water and poured milk into hers, the way he’d seen her fix it
at the restaurant. He wanted to tell her in the worst way, but was now the
right time? Tonight she’d gone through emotional trauma of her own. No, he
decided. He’d tell her eventually, but not tonight. He’d choose a time when
they were both seeing things more clearly. He tucked a bag of cookies under his
arm and went back into the bedroom with the two steaming cups.
Morgan had rolled over onto her side and
was snoring softly. So much for his big decision. He smiled to himself, placed
the cups and the cookies on the bedside table and pulled up an easy chair. He
didn’t want to take a chance that she would be sick again during the night.
Cradling the hot mug in his hands, he sat down to wait.
Chapter Thirteen
“So...you’re thinking you’d like to go
ahead and get some financial advice?” Dale and Chance had finished dinner and
were lingering over coffee. “It sounds like you’ve decided that you’d like to
take him up on his offer and buy the place.”
He reached across the table and took her
hand. “I would, yes. What do you think?”
She lowered her eyes to their joined
hands. “I think it’s an opportunity that might not come along again.” She
waited for panic to set in, for the urge to pull her hand away, but it didn’t
come. She lifted her head and met his gaze. “I say go for it.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but was
interrupted by the server.
“Anything else here, folks?”
“Not for me, thanks.” Dale resented the
intrusion, and was surprised to find that she wanted to know what Chance had
been about to say.
“I’m fine as well. Just the check,
please.” Chance offered his usual bright smile. “Then that settles it,” he
said, returning his attention to her. “The lease is coming up for renewal soon,
so the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
She thought back to earlier that
evening. “The whole complex must be on the same schedule. Adrian was saying
that the restaurant lease is up for renewal.”
Chance cocked his head. “How would he
know that?”
She hesitated. “Can you be discreet?”
He pulled back. “I’m offended.” His grin
belied his words. “I think so, yes.”
“Well, Adrian’s last name is Zimmerman.
His family owns the Zimmerli hotel chain.”
“Ah.” Chance nodded to himself. “You
know, I thought there was something different about him. He’s...oh, how can I
put it...he’s restrained and quiet, but there’s something confident about him.”
She thought for a moment. “I haven’t
seen all that much of him, but that’s a good description. He seemed concerned
about Morgan earlier. I think he was going to wait around to make sure she got
down all right.”
He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of
which, I’d better get us home. You work tomorrow, right?”
“Yes,” she said, rising from the table.
“I have a feeling you’re going to be pretty busy from here on.” He held her
coat and she slipped into it. “We’re never going to get out skiing at this
rate.”
He pulled on his jacket and they walked
out into the crisp night air. “We’ll find time, never fear.” He stopped in a
pool of light and touched her face with one large, gentle hand. “I think it’s
only fair to warn you, Dale Lewis. I’m falling for you in a big
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