Page 38 of Shelter from the Storm

“Do you want anything else to eat? There are at least a half dozen stands we haven’t hit.” He was trying to return them to the fun they’d been having before, even though his stomach hoped she said no. He spun around as he asked the question, his arms spread wide, gesturing at the booths surrounding them.

He must have moved too quickly and spooked her, because Gretchen flinched as if she was expecting a hit.

His jaw clenched.

Gretchen tried to cover her reaction, shaking her head quickly and groaning. “God, no. That cotton candy was a mistake.”

“Yeah. It was.” As if to prove it, Theo tossed what was left in the garbage. “Do you want to do anything else, or should we call it a day on the fair?”

“I think I’d like to relax some before tonight’s Harvest Dance. It’s already been a full day and if I don’t sit down for a little while, I’ll never make it,” she said.

“We can’t have that. The dance is the best part of the festival.”

“I can’t imagine that. Everything has already been super fun.”

Reaching out, Theo clasped hands with her, feeling her slight tremble and catching the flash of surprise on her face. For three weeks, he’d toed the line, keeping things light and friendly and painfully platonic because he wanted her to feel at ease and comfortable around him.

However, the story about her beloved stuffed cat bothered him, made him realize how scared and lonely she must have been. He couldn’t imagine being cast out of his home at thirteen and thrust into a cold institutional place surrounded by strangers.

Then he considered her move to Gracemont. Once again, she’d come to a new place, all on her own, starting over in a town where she knew no one. While Marci had been a heartless bitch, Theo was determined to make sure she understood she wasn’t alone here.

He half expected Gretchen to pull her hand away, so he was delighted when her hand tightened around his instead. He swung their linked hands between them, enjoying the soft laughter his silliness provoked.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll walk you back to Edith’s.”

“You don’t have to do that.” She started to drop his hand.

He clung to it, not letting go. “I’m parked a couple blocks beyond her house, so it’s on my way.”

They walked together in silence, though they stopped to chat as they passed a couple of his brothers on their way out. If Maverick or Grayson had an opinion about him holding their new event coordinator’s hand, neither of them let on. Of course, Theo didn’t fool himself into thinking they wouldn’t have more than a few questions about it when he got home. Thus far, he’d kept his feelings for Gretchen to himself, but he wouldn’t be able to do that for much longer. His brothers weren’t just family; they were his best friends, and he valued their opinions. Right now, he was in bad need of advice on how to proceed with Gretchen.

Like Levi, he didn’t have the patience to take things slow or pretend his feelings weren’t there. However, that was problematic, given the fact he was Gretchen’s boss, and she’d uprooted her whole life to move here. It was unlikely she would be willing to risk her job and new home, despite the fact he was certain this thing between them was the real deal.

Then he was forced to acknowledge that most people didn’t approach love the same way the Storm men did, blowing in like a hurricane, taking out every obstacle between them and their woman. And while he was trying to be cognizant of that, it wasn’t helping. Not really.

When they reached Edith’s, Theo climbed the stairs to the front porch. “Want to sit out here for a minute or two? It’s a nice day.”

“Sure.”

Gretchen let him lead her to the large swing and they sat together, gently swaying back and forth. Fall had finally arrived, the sweltering Indian summer of September giving way to cooler temperatures. Soon, the fall foliage would emerge, painting their mountain in bright oranges, reds, and purples. It was Theo’s favorite time of year, and he couldn’t wait for Gretchen to see how incredible the view was.

“It’s so peaceful here,” Gretchen mused.

“Here at Edith’s or Gracemont?” he asked.

“Both. Sometimes I feel like I’ve stepped back in time. The days move slower here.”

“Is that a good thing?” Theo wanted Gretchen to love his hometown as much as he did. The more time he spent with her, the more invested he became in the idea of love at first touch. Gretchen had sparked something inside him. Something strong, powerful, wonderful.

“It’s a very good thing,” she replied. “Which is weird because there were a lot of times at my last job when the days moved slowly, and it felt like torture.”

Theo considered that. “I suspect there are plenty of people who feel that way about work. It makes a difference when you love your job.”

“Absolutely. While I loved my boss, Brenda, at my previous job, the work was… Well, I swear it would have been more fun watching paint dry.”

“I hope that’s not the case on Stormy Weather Farm.”

She grinned. “Not at all. I love working there. Every day holds something new, and it’s always cool and fun and everyone there is so nice.”

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