Page 7 of Sheltered By the Surly Forester

"Water, wine or beer?" I ask.

The corner of his lips curl up slightly. "What are you drinking?"

"If you're having wine, I'll join you. Otherwise, water."

The corners of his eyes crinkle a bit more. "Not a beer gal?"

"Only if I'm having burgers on a patio. Not with dinner."

"Wine it is."

I open a bottle of red and pour, swirling it in the glasses as I set them on the table. Then I load up the bowls and set one in front of him, along with a side plate. "I had to make do with what I could find. But I whipped up a beef, potato and carrot herb stew, plus some garlic rosemary rolls and a spinach salad."

He looks down at his plate, eyes wide. "Emie, this table has never seen such a fine meal. Thank you."

I'm touched. Sitting beside him with my own bowl, I'm thrilled when his eyes roll back in his head after he digs in. "How the hell did you get the stew so rich?" he asks.

When I giggle, he actually grins and his gorgeous eyes light up, sending a megawatt blast to my heart. "Beerinthe dinner is different than drinking itwiththe dinner. I stole one of your dark beers from the basement fridge, hope that’s okay. I noticed you have a pool table – I bet you have some wild parties down there."

"Hardly wild. Just simple get-togethers." He takes a sip of wine, then smiles again. "If you can cook like this with barely anything to work with, what kind of party could I have if we hit the grocery store first?"

Nodding, I'm already brainstorming. "Dude food, like nachos and sliders? I could totally do that…"

His expression changes. "If you stick around for a bit, that is."

There's an implication that I can stay for some amount of time, but I'm going to have to read his energy day by day to see when time’s up. I've learned to catch the most subtle hints that tell me I've worn out my welcome, and then I always tell people I have to leave in a week or maybe less. It's easier for them to let me stay a few more days than for us to have an awkward conversation where they ask me to leave sooner.

I feel a bit like a housewife in training as I ask Josh how work went today. He explains that Old Hemlock Valley is trying to encourage more birdwatchers to the area. Apparently, there's a huge variety of birds and wildlife around here, and birders are the perfect tourists: they respect the forest, never litter, and tend to book their trips in advance, which is better for the local inn.

Finally, Josh launches into a real conversation instead of talking in his usual short, clipped sentences. I can tell that he truly loves the forest from the way he talks about regrowing sections that have been damaged by storms and planning for the future. Obviously, the forest on this part of the mountain is in very capable hands.

When the stew and salad are finished, I pull out some chocolate peanut butter dessert muffins with raspberry whipped cream. "I know, it's weird, but…again…making do."

He takes one bite, then fixes me with a stare. "Damn, girl. That's it. Tomorrow morning we're going to the grocery store to pick out whatever you want."

"Does that mean it's okay for me to stay at least three more days?" I ask cautiously. "Because there are a couple of projects that would take a bit more time. Like repainting the scuffed treads on your basement stairs, and doing a deep clean of the kitchen including all the appliances."

His hand lands on mine on top of the table. "Oryou could just chill out. Get your bearings. Take a break from hopping from place to place and rest for a solid week." He frowns slightly, staring into my eyes. "I don't like that you've been running around without a permanent home, Emie. Not just physically, but I don't feel that it's good for the mind."

I get a strange sensation, as if my heart is opening and blossoming in my chest. I flip my hand over so that our palms press together.

Josh smiles. "Thank you for an incredible meal. I'll load the dishwasher. Why don't you park yourself on the couch and pick a movie?"

The cleanup will take him twice as long as it would me, but I nod. "Sure. Thanks."

I haven't checked my phone in hours, so I grab it on my way to the couch. There's a text from Katie, a friend from college.

Katie: Heya! Are you still doing the interior design and organization thing? Jennifer and I are about to rent a live/work loft space in Colorado Springs for a new venture. We'd love it if you could drop in for a month or two and help us get our new business off the ground. Let me know? Talk soon!

Josh calls out from the kitchen, "Are you looking at kitten videos, or something? That's one heck of a smile."

"No – some girls I know from school are starting a business and might need me for a few months. I don't have the details yet or anything."

Josh's expression is carefully neutral as he nods. I search until I find a comedy action movie that has great reviews. When he joins me on the giant, comfy couch, he sits closer than I might have expected, which is nice.

Twenty minutes into the movie, the wind picks up outside, bringing with it a slight chill in the air. Without a word, Josh jumps up and pulls a blanket out of the hall closet. He tosses it over me lengthwise, then wraps the end twice around my feet. "If I've learned anything from my mom and cousins, it's that women always get cold if they sit still for a while."

Once again, I feel that sensation of my heart moving strangely in my chest. Being cared for like this is both stirring up and settling my emotions.

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