Page 23 of Shelter from the Storm

Theo didn’t have a clue what to make of that question, because why would she view flowers as harbingers of bad news?

The more time he spent with his new event coordinator, the more fascinated he became. Not that he was getting any of his questions answered. The woman was locked up tighter than a vault when it came to revealing details about herself.

Which left it to him to use other clues to decipher the puzzle that was Gretchen Banks, like now, when her expression was troubled, her posture stiff, her eyes not quite connecting with his. She looked like she was on the verge of running away.

“It’s a Welcome to Gracemont party,” he explained. “Didn’t feel right to come empty-handed.” Then he pulled his other hand from behind his back and revealed the second bouquet. “Brought some for our hostess, too.”

Gretchen flushed, her cheeks turning the most adorable shade of pink. “You didn’t have to do that. That was…sweet.” He was delighted when she gave him a real smile rather than one of those weak-hearted attempts he got at the brewery, even though she quickly hid it behind her hand.

What Theo was discovering about Gretchen was equal parts alluring and concerning. She was an intelligent woman with a sense of humor, though she struggled to express it. Her smiles always faded too quickly, or she covered them with her hand, as if letting someone see her happy was taboo. Not that she was miserable, not even close. It was more like she felt the need to guard her emotions. But why?

It had taken him the better part of Thursday afternoon to get to the point where he felt like she was starting to relax around him, but even then, he’d been very careful not to make any sudden movements or speak too loudly—because he didn’t like the way she’d flinched when he laughed and when he’d tried to swat the bee away from her face. She had reacted instinctually both times.

And her instinct was fear.

“Are you going to invite the poor fella in?” Edith stepped behind Gretchen, wearing an apron. Her eyes lit up when she spotted the flowers. “Those are beautiful, Theo.” She took her bouquet from him. “You thoughtful boy. Come on inside and I’ll grab us a couple of vases. Mine can serve as the centerpiece for our dinner, and you can take yours up to your room, Gretchen, to brighten the place. There’s nothing like flowers to bring cheer to a house.”

Theo and Gretchen followed Edith, who quickly put the roses in water.

“It’ll be another hour before dinner is ready,” she said, “so I thought we could sit together here in the kitchen. I’ve put together a charcuterie for an appetizer.”

“Because we won’t get enough cheese from your lasagna?” Theo teased.

Edith laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. “Exactly. I bought a bottle of that new red Maverick perfected from Lightning in a Bottle last week. Theo, do me a favor. Grab the corkscrew and open it for us.”

Theo rose, using the corkscrew Edith had already placed on the counter next to the wine, as the older woman pulled her charcuterie from the refrigerator, adding assorted crackers and bread to the large wooden cutting board.

“Manny will be over shortly,” she said.

Gretchen’s eyes widened when she saw the food Edith began laying out on her large oak clawfoot table. “Edith, you shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.”

“Hush,” Edith said with a wave of her hand. “Newcomers to Gracemont are too few and far between. I want to make sure you love it here so much, you never want to leave.”

Theo noticed the sheen in Gretchen’s eyes, saw how touched she was by Edith’s thoughtfulness.

He finished uncorking the bottle, pouring three glasses of wine after Edith pulled the crystal goblets from her corner hutch and set them on the counter in front of him. The Millholland House really could be an antique store, every piece of furniture passed down from one generation to the next.

Edith led them to the table, but Gretchen didn’t sit down. Instead, she picked up her bouquet of flowers, hugging the vase against her chest. “I’ll run these to my room,” she said, and this time, finally, Theo caught the delight in her eyes over his small gift. “They’re pretty flowers, Theo. Thank you.”

Gretchen left the kitchen, and Edith waited until her footsteps hit the top of the stairs before turning to him. “So, what do you think of her?”

Theo grinned. Edith had never married or had children of her own, so she had basically adopted the whole town. Which meant she’d guided countless people toward their future careers, matchmade no less than thirty marriages, and helped more folks find their forever homes than Julie Devereaux, Gracemont’s only real estate agent.

Edith was obviously viewing Gretchen as her next project, delighted to have a young woman to lead toward whatever came next. He wasn’t shocked by that, but he was surprised Gretchen had managed to win the older woman over so quickly. She’d only been here a few days.

“She’s very nice.” Theo was aware that response would never be enough to appease Edith. But he wasn’t sure how much more he could say without betraying the fact he was seriously attracted to his new employee. God, if he did that, he’d never get a moment’s peace as far as Edith was concerned.

He’d been caught in Edith’s matchmaking web more than a few times, though none of those earlier attempts had taken. For most of Theo’s life, he’d viewed his father’s love-at-first-sight story as a romantic tale and little else.

Then Levi had come home, head over ass in love with Kasi Mills, claiming he’d known from the moment she passed out in his arms that she was meant for him.

Again, Theo had laughed it off, but now…

Now, the story didn’t seem quite so farfetched. Because while it was far too early to call this love…there was something very powerful drawing him toward Gretchen. That gut instinct that had told him to hire her was now telling him she had the potential to be so much more to him.

But saying that aloud to Edith—or anyone else, for that matter—would make him sound crazy.

“She’s more than nice,” Edith huffed.

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