it new life.”
“It’s a dump. I just moved back in and haven’t had a chance—”
“Look at the size of the rooms. Compared to where we were living, it’s a palace.” She tilted her head. “And those ceilings…They’re so high.”
“I know you’re upset,” Jake began.
“Where’s the kitchen?”
He pointed to the right. “But it’s only for a short time.”
“You’ve got plenty of food supplies,” she said, checking the cupboards. “Rags?”
“Through that far door. In the mudroom.” He stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking around in distaste. “I can hire some people to come out and help clean up a little.”
“You even have a washer and dryer! I can’t believe it.” She practically danced across the kitchen floor. “And is that a fire-burning stove? I’ve never seen one before. How does it work?”
“Wood-burning,” he said, correcting her. “It’s a wood-burning stove and I’d rather you not fool with it. I’ll get a microwave in here and you can cook with that.”
“Oh, Jake. This is wonderful. A little soap and elbow grease and you won’t recognize the place.”
“I didn’t marry you because I wanted a maid,” he said more sharply than he’d intended.
Her smile didn’t dim. “I know why you married me.” She threw her arms around his neck. “A clean house will be my way of saying thank-you. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect home.”
He muttered something beneath his breath and wrestled free of her stranglehold. Grasping her hands in his, he held her at a safe distance. “You don’t need to put on an act for me. I know what this place looks like. It’s a wonder you haven’t turned tail and run.” His mouth tightened. “But then, where would you go?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t a clue. But fortunately that’s not a problem.” She gazed up at him with eyes as clear and vivid as spring grass, and a face as open and innocent as a newborn. “You couldn’t have given me anything nicer than this.”
Feeling like a total heel, he released her and stepped back. “I’m going out,” he informed her gruffly.
“Okay. When will you return?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well…While you’re gone I’ll just run into town for supplies.”
“No!” His hands balled into fists as he fought for control. “I mean, you can get supplies at the supermarket in Two Forks. When you get to the end of the driveway, turn left.”
“Right.”
“No, left. Got it? Left.”
She grinned. “Gotcha.”
He thrust a hand through his hair. “I’ll hire some people to clean the house. And I’ll pick up dinner at the local takeout. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
It was the least he could do, considering his duplicity. A tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach. Why was he doing this? Why drop her in a house that should have been condemned years ago when he could put her up in a place worthy of a queen? He knew why. If he tookher anywhere else, it would give her false hope. It would suggest a permanence he could never allow. Didn’t she understand? He wasn’t the marrying kind. Eventually he’d let her down. He’d shatter every hope and dream she’d ever possessed. And he couldn’t bear to look into those huge, limpid eyes of hers when he destroyed that final illusion. No. Once she’d been mired in this hellhole for a while, she’d be desperate to leave.
And maybe one or two of those dreams would remain intact when she did.
“Why don’t you look the place over and make a list of what you need?” His voice grated like steel wool on rust. “If you hit a snag, Dusty can help out. He should be around here someplace.”
“Dusty?”
“My foreman. Big hat, little guy. Spits a lot. You can’t miss him.”
She grinned. “He sounds like quite a character.”
“Yeah. He’s a character, all right.” Unable to help himself, he swept her into his arms and kissed her with unmistakable desperation. “You shouldn’t have married
“It’s a dump. I just moved back in and haven’t had a chance—”
“Look at the size of the rooms. Compared to where we were living, it’s a palace.” She tilted her head. “And those ceilings…They’re so high.”
“I know you’re upset,” Jake began.
“Where’s the kitchen?”
He pointed to the right. “But it’s only for a short time.”
“You’ve got plenty of food supplies,” she said, checking the cupboards. “Rags?”
“Through that far door. In the mudroom.” He stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking around in distaste. “I can hire some people to come out and help clean up a little.”
“You even have a washer and dryer! I can’t believe it.” She practically danced across the kitchen floor. “And is that a fire-burning stove? I’ve never seen one before. How does it work?”
“Wood-burning,” he said, correcting her. “It’s a wood-burning stove and I’d rather you not fool with it. I’ll get a microwave in here and you can cook with that.”
“Oh, Jake. This is wonderful. A little soap and elbow grease and you won’t recognize the place.”
“I didn’t marry you because I wanted a maid,” he said more sharply than he’d intended.
Her smile didn’t dim. “I know why you married me.” She threw her arms around his neck. “A clean house will be my way of saying thank-you. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect home.”
He muttered something beneath his breath and wrestled free of her stranglehold. Grasping her hands in his, he held her at a safe distance. “You don’t need to put on an act for me. I know what this place looks like. It’s a wonder you haven’t turned tail and run.” His mouth tightened. “But then, where would you go?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t a clue. But fortunately that’s not a problem.” She gazed up at him with eyes as clear and vivid as spring grass, and a face as open and innocent as a newborn. “You couldn’t have given me anything nicer than this.”
Feeling like a total heel, he released her and stepped back. “I’m going out,” he informed her gruffly.
“Okay. When will you return?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well…While you’re gone I’ll just run into town for supplies.”
“No!” His hands balled into fists as he fought for control. “I mean, you can get supplies at the supermarket in Two Forks. When you get to the end of the driveway, turn left.”
“Right.”
“No, left. Got it? Left.”
She grinned. “Gotcha.”
He thrust a hand through his hair. “I’ll hire some people to clean the house. And I’ll pick up dinner at the local takeout. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
It was the least he could do, considering his duplicity. A tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach. Why was he doing this? Why drop her in a house that should have been condemned years ago when he could put her up in a place worthy of a queen? He knew why. If he tookher anywhere else, it would give her false hope. It would suggest a permanence he could never allow. Didn’t she understand? He wasn’t the marrying kind. Eventually he’d let her down. He’d shatter every hope and dream she’d ever possessed. And he couldn’t bear to look into those huge, limpid eyes of hers when he destroyed that final illusion. No. Once she’d been mired in this hellhole for a while, she’d be desperate to leave.
And maybe one or two of those dreams would remain intact when she did.
“Why don’t you look the place over and make a list of what you need?” His voice grated like steel wool on rust. “If you hit a snag, Dusty can help out. He should be around here someplace.”
“Dusty?”
“My foreman. Big hat, little guy. Spits a lot. You can’t miss him.”
She grinned. “He sounds like quite a character.”
“Yeah. He’s a character, all right.” Unable to help himself, he swept her into his arms and kissed her with unmistakable desperation. “You shouldn’t have married
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