her hands on a dishtowel then dropped it on the counter before disappearing from the room. “It’s not my fault my laptop keeps getting sick,” she hollered.
Lisa snickered, but remained standing. Her stomach growled and she rotated the plate around, analyzing the soft, warm treats in front of her.
“When you receive an email from Elvis, you don’t want to click on the attachment. News flash, Elvis is dead.” Her son’s baritone voice echoed off the room’s high ceilings.
“I’m not so sure.” Judy shuffled into the kitchen and Lisa stiffened then turned around.
Judy’s son towered over the older woman. The thick winter coat he wore couldn’t hide his broad shoulders or thin waist. “Hi,” he beamed at her. In another life, she would have been interested in those boyish dimples and bright smile, but not now.
“Lisa, this is my son, Eric. Eric, this is Lisa Mortan,” Judy said, gesturing between them.
“It’s a pleasure.” He gripped Lisa’s hand in a firm, yet gentle shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Judy nudged him forward. “Take her coat, Eric.”
Lisa stepped back and pulled her coat tight around her. “I’m still a little chilled, but thanks. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Sit. Both of you,” Judy insisted.
“Mmm, I see you made your famous scones and muffins for Ms. Mortan,” Eric said.
“Lisa,” she corrected.
Eric squeezed around the table and took the seat next to her. “Well, Lisa. I’m glad you’re here. Mom only makes these for people she wants to impress, and I’m only her son.” His smile drooped into a playful pout, which he turned on Judy.
“Stop, now. You know that’s not true,” Judy scolded.
She made muffins for me? No one had made any sort of baked goods for her since she was eight. Lisa swallowed down a soft cry that always tried to escape at the memory of her mother. Even today, her chest burned with longing to see her again. But she’d left without a word, so it didn’t matter.
If I decide to keep you, I’d never abandon you in the middle of the night. When she realized her hand was rubbing her belly, she quickly clasped her fingers together.
A small plate slid in front of her. “You have to try one of these. People all over Sweetwater County beg for the recipe, but Mom won’t part with it. Something about them being special.” Eric popped a piece into his mouth and moaned. “Wow, even better than I remember.” His silver-blue eyes glistened in the low light.
The smell conquered her will power and she moved a scone to the small plate in front of her. Breaking off a bite-sized piece, she tossed it into her mouth. A buttery, sweet explosion coated her tongue, and she closed her eyes, savoring every distinct ingredient.
Eric cleared his throat, startling her from the pleasant burst of flavor that had distracted her, and the memories it took her to. He stared at her, no, not at her. His eyes fixed on her wrist and the dark bruise that peeked out from under the cuff of her coat’s sleeve.
Chapter Two
Eric’s pulse raced at the black and blue mark, shaped like fingers, which Lisa attempted to cover. Clenching his teeth, he averted his gaze. Based on the size of the marks, a man had done it. Was she attacked? A boyfriend? Perhaps that was why she came to Sweetwater, to hide from an abusive husband. He reached out for a muffin, discreetly scanning her left hand. No wedding ring. Not even a tan line.
This was none of his business. Mom had decided to take on this venture, as insane as it was. Starting a business with a woman that she’d never met outside of cyberspace.
His mother had been right about one thing, though. Lisa Mortan was beautiful. Stuffing another muffin into his mouth, he concentrated on the warm, butter-nutty flavor and forced the thought of Lisa and her light floral fragrance from his mind.
“Thanks so much for helping unpack all of our merchandise,” Lisa said, her voice soft yet not wimpy or chirpy.
“My
Lisa snickered, but remained standing. Her stomach growled and she rotated the plate around, analyzing the soft, warm treats in front of her.
“When you receive an email from Elvis, you don’t want to click on the attachment. News flash, Elvis is dead.” Her son’s baritone voice echoed off the room’s high ceilings.
“I’m not so sure.” Judy shuffled into the kitchen and Lisa stiffened then turned around.
Judy’s son towered over the older woman. The thick winter coat he wore couldn’t hide his broad shoulders or thin waist. “Hi,” he beamed at her. In another life, she would have been interested in those boyish dimples and bright smile, but not now.
“Lisa, this is my son, Eric. Eric, this is Lisa Mortan,” Judy said, gesturing between them.
“It’s a pleasure.” He gripped Lisa’s hand in a firm, yet gentle shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Judy nudged him forward. “Take her coat, Eric.”
Lisa stepped back and pulled her coat tight around her. “I’m still a little chilled, but thanks. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Sit. Both of you,” Judy insisted.
“Mmm, I see you made your famous scones and muffins for Ms. Mortan,” Eric said.
“Lisa,” she corrected.
Eric squeezed around the table and took the seat next to her. “Well, Lisa. I’m glad you’re here. Mom only makes these for people she wants to impress, and I’m only her son.” His smile drooped into a playful pout, which he turned on Judy.
“Stop, now. You know that’s not true,” Judy scolded.
She made muffins for me? No one had made any sort of baked goods for her since she was eight. Lisa swallowed down a soft cry that always tried to escape at the memory of her mother. Even today, her chest burned with longing to see her again. But she’d left without a word, so it didn’t matter.
If I decide to keep you, I’d never abandon you in the middle of the night. When she realized her hand was rubbing her belly, she quickly clasped her fingers together.
A small plate slid in front of her. “You have to try one of these. People all over Sweetwater County beg for the recipe, but Mom won’t part with it. Something about them being special.” Eric popped a piece into his mouth and moaned. “Wow, even better than I remember.” His silver-blue eyes glistened in the low light.
The smell conquered her will power and she moved a scone to the small plate in front of her. Breaking off a bite-sized piece, she tossed it into her mouth. A buttery, sweet explosion coated her tongue, and she closed her eyes, savoring every distinct ingredient.
Eric cleared his throat, startling her from the pleasant burst of flavor that had distracted her, and the memories it took her to. He stared at her, no, not at her. His eyes fixed on her wrist and the dark bruise that peeked out from under the cuff of her coat’s sleeve.
Chapter Two
Eric’s pulse raced at the black and blue mark, shaped like fingers, which Lisa attempted to cover. Clenching his teeth, he averted his gaze. Based on the size of the marks, a man had done it. Was she attacked? A boyfriend? Perhaps that was why she came to Sweetwater, to hide from an abusive husband. He reached out for a muffin, discreetly scanning her left hand. No wedding ring. Not even a tan line.
This was none of his business. Mom had decided to take on this venture, as insane as it was. Starting a business with a woman that she’d never met outside of cyberspace.
His mother had been right about one thing, though. Lisa Mortan was beautiful. Stuffing another muffin into his mouth, he concentrated on the warm, butter-nutty flavor and forced the thought of Lisa and her light floral fragrance from his mind.
“Thanks so much for helping unpack all of our merchandise,” Lisa said, her voice soft yet not wimpy or chirpy.
“My
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