the silence loomed like a chasm between them. Something she wasn’t sure either of them could cross. “I broke the hook-lock. I’ll stop by the hardware store after work and pick up everything I need to fix it.”
“I’ll leave money on the table.”
“Nonsense. I broke it. I’ll take responsibility.”
“You’re being ridiculous. What you did saved me and my house.” She stopped making the sandwiches and pivoted, looking at him for the first time. She’d been right to avoid him. Every aspect of him was strong and made her oh so weak. “Thank you.”
“Anyone in my shoes would have done the same.”
She could tell he meant the words he said, but knew from experience that true heroism was in short supply in this world. Few men put the welfare of others before their own. “Seems you’ve been saying that a lot lately, Mr. Welch.”
“I thought we had this all sorted out and you were going to stop with this mister nonsense.”
“We have,” she said, returning to the meal preparations. Calling him by her husband’s given name was just too painful, even if no one had called him anything but Harry for years. It was more than just the name, though. When Bess looked in Erich’s eyes, she had to struggle against that unexplainable pull, drawing her away from the life and love she knew before.
Bess swayed, her vision blurring to white. She gripped the counter again. A few moments alone, without his masculine scent and imposing presence clouding her senses would make a world of difference; give her time to clear her head. “Did you want to take a shower before you eat?”
“I’m fine, Bess. Are you?”
She couldn’t stop the laugh, not because what he said was funny but ironic. Up until eleven months ago, she’d been a caregiver to most, but in the time since Harry’s death every bit of her reality became twisted and mangled. Just when she thought she was moving forward, her reality shifted again. Fate, or whatever ruled the universe, dropped things like her uncanny attraction to Erich and the way she’d passed out cold in the living room on her. “It’s just what my life’s become.”
“Chasing Harry’s ghost?”
She almost missed the whispered, tender words, but they pricked at her flesh. “That seems a little absurd now. Doesn’t it?”
“I don’t think so.” He took two steps closer to her, but then stopped.
Did he feel it too, this big void between them, pushing them apart? Absurd! She imagined the cavity same as the magnetic pull. How could both forces be working between them, let alone either one? How could she feel such desire, yet need the distance? “Honoring someone you’ve loved for most of your life—”
“Is fine, but that’s not what you’re doing.” Erich pushed his fingers through his hair and exhaled a haggard breath. “You’re so stuck in what was that you can’t even imagine a tomorrow.”
The force of his accusation pushed her back a step. What was he trying to say? That she wasted her time being true to Harry? “Are you insinuating I should just forget my husband?”
“No! I’m sure that’s impossible, but it is time to move forward.”
Her brows rutted together and her jaw set. “I didn’t invite you into my home to preach to me—”
Erich bit his lip, tried to find tactful words to say and then spoke them with a weight and purpose. “I’m not the kind of man who’s going to hold my tongue if I think I can help.”
“When it comes to honoring my husband’s memory, I’ll ask you kindly to do just that. I know better than anyone what Harry would want me to do.”
Stumbling toward the chair, Bess reached out to grab the back. Erich leapt forward and wrapped one arm around her shoulders while taking her elbow with the other. “Are you okay?”
“Just so woozy,” she mumbled, her words running together and her voice soft.
“I think you need to lie down. No doubt your head is swimming from the brandy.” Erich’s strong arms wrapped
“I’ll leave money on the table.”
“Nonsense. I broke it. I’ll take responsibility.”
“You’re being ridiculous. What you did saved me and my house.” She stopped making the sandwiches and pivoted, looking at him for the first time. She’d been right to avoid him. Every aspect of him was strong and made her oh so weak. “Thank you.”
“Anyone in my shoes would have done the same.”
She could tell he meant the words he said, but knew from experience that true heroism was in short supply in this world. Few men put the welfare of others before their own. “Seems you’ve been saying that a lot lately, Mr. Welch.”
“I thought we had this all sorted out and you were going to stop with this mister nonsense.”
“We have,” she said, returning to the meal preparations. Calling him by her husband’s given name was just too painful, even if no one had called him anything but Harry for years. It was more than just the name, though. When Bess looked in Erich’s eyes, she had to struggle against that unexplainable pull, drawing her away from the life and love she knew before.
Bess swayed, her vision blurring to white. She gripped the counter again. A few moments alone, without his masculine scent and imposing presence clouding her senses would make a world of difference; give her time to clear her head. “Did you want to take a shower before you eat?”
“I’m fine, Bess. Are you?”
She couldn’t stop the laugh, not because what he said was funny but ironic. Up until eleven months ago, she’d been a caregiver to most, but in the time since Harry’s death every bit of her reality became twisted and mangled. Just when she thought she was moving forward, her reality shifted again. Fate, or whatever ruled the universe, dropped things like her uncanny attraction to Erich and the way she’d passed out cold in the living room on her. “It’s just what my life’s become.”
“Chasing Harry’s ghost?”
She almost missed the whispered, tender words, but they pricked at her flesh. “That seems a little absurd now. Doesn’t it?”
“I don’t think so.” He took two steps closer to her, but then stopped.
Did he feel it too, this big void between them, pushing them apart? Absurd! She imagined the cavity same as the magnetic pull. How could both forces be working between them, let alone either one? How could she feel such desire, yet need the distance? “Honoring someone you’ve loved for most of your life—”
“Is fine, but that’s not what you’re doing.” Erich pushed his fingers through his hair and exhaled a haggard breath. “You’re so stuck in what was that you can’t even imagine a tomorrow.”
The force of his accusation pushed her back a step. What was he trying to say? That she wasted her time being true to Harry? “Are you insinuating I should just forget my husband?”
“No! I’m sure that’s impossible, but it is time to move forward.”
Her brows rutted together and her jaw set. “I didn’t invite you into my home to preach to me—”
Erich bit his lip, tried to find tactful words to say and then spoke them with a weight and purpose. “I’m not the kind of man who’s going to hold my tongue if I think I can help.”
“When it comes to honoring my husband’s memory, I’ll ask you kindly to do just that. I know better than anyone what Harry would want me to do.”
Stumbling toward the chair, Bess reached out to grab the back. Erich leapt forward and wrapped one arm around her shoulders while taking her elbow with the other. “Are you okay?”
“Just so woozy,” she mumbled, her words running together and her voice soft.
“I think you need to lie down. No doubt your head is swimming from the brandy.” Erich’s strong arms wrapped
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