Page 5 of Beauty and the Beard

Millie wraps a plate of leftovers and places it in the fridge with a pointed look in my direction.

“I know that look, Millie. Pete said he was excited about the cabin and seemed fine.”

My lodge cook and mother figure wags a finger at me.

“Leaf Albert Attwater.” Stepping closer, she cranes her neck back to peer up into my face. At six-foot-two, I tower over her diminutive five-foot even, but she’s the only person here that can intimidate me. “Don’t hide from him. I know your heart might still hurt, but that boy is broken. I can tell.”

“Mother’s intuition?”

She hums. “Something like that.”

“Is this you telling meheneeds someone or you telling meIneed someone?”

Her face softens, and she takes my hand.

“No one can ever fill the space Connor left, sweetie. I understand that. But I don’t want you to waste away here. There’s a whole world for you to see. More life in you to live.”

I know she’s right. I’ve been trying, but it feels like every time I consider possibilities, my heart cries to stay where it’s safe.

“I know, Millie. It’s just… I don’t know. Maybe that window closed. I’m forty-three years old and the dating scene isn’t the same as it was twenty years ago. I can’t just leave here.”

She returns to cleaning up the evening meal service and I glance at the clock. It’s after 7 P.M. and there’s still no sign of the pretty man with the haunted eyes. He’ll be hungry. Opening the fridge, I remove the plate Millie made for him and cradle it like a live grenade.

Millie pauses her duties when I still don’t move from the fridge.

“It’s okay, Leaf. Connor wouldn’t expect you to grieve for him forever. You’re just bringing a guest his dinner. Talk to him. Maybe you’ll be friends and maybe not.”

Her gentle voice soothes the guilt that comes up every time I think of meeting someone new.

“He’s probably hungry. I’ll bring this and go check on him.”

She squeezes my arm. “Wonderful idea. He shouldn’t miss my pan-fried pickerel, anyway. I bet he’ll appreciate the welcome. He’s very city, isn’t he?”

Laughing, I smile back at her. “You noticed, huh?”

“Well, it wasn’t hard. The matchingLouis Vuittonluggage kinda gave it away. Most people here have pack sacks and duffle bags when they arrive.” She chuckles again. “And they don’t show up in designer clothes unless it’sNorth FaceorColumbia. He’ll need some help, Leaf.”

She’s right. My initial reaction was to ask him what he was trying to prove, showing up clearly not dressed for anything at a mountain lodge. I thought maybe he was flaunting his wealthat first, but the way he avoided my gaze and seemed to squirm in my presence said that wasn’t it. Millie noticed the same thing I did. Something was not quite right with my out-of-place, yet very attractive guest.

The least I could do was bring him the dinner he missed.

“Okay, I’m on my way over. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Leaning down, I drop a kiss to the top of her head and head out to Cabin Three. It’s a gorgeous evening in June. The moon shines across the lake’s surface and throws an ethereal glow onto the path to the cabins.

This was always one of my favourite places to walk at night. It had the best view of the moon's glow across the water and it always felt like a spotlight was shining, waiting for some great story to unfold in the blanket of darkness.

When I reach Cabin Three, there are no lights on inside. What if he really is asleep and doesn’t want to be disturbed? But he has no food in there either. I can’t in good conscience have him out here without a morsel to eat. If Connor were here, he’d rip me a new one for not caring about a guest’s well-being.

With a deep breath, I knock lightly on the door. A few moments pass and I hear no movement. My heart races with fear and worse case scenarios, but I talk myself down. Not everything ends in disaster, Leaf. He’s likely just a heavy sleeper.

Knocking louder this time, I wait and there’s a crash inside.

“Sasha! Are you in there?”

What feels like forever passes until he opens the door a crack. Sleep creases from his pillow line his face, and his hair, once perfectly styled, is all smashed on one side.

“Leaf! Oh thank god! I thought you were a bear, and I didn’t know what to do.”

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