Page 63 of In Hiding

Relief lit the Dane’s eyes as he leaned closer. “How is she? Really?”

“She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Erik.” The truth felt amazing. “And her son is pretty damn resilient, too.”

Erik eyed him warily. “You sound like you’re falling for her.”

The accusation caught Jake off guard. Speechless, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. There was no point denying it. Erik would see right through him. But owning up to it sounded almost as impossible.

The big man chuckled and water dripped from his hair to the bald sides of his scalp and over his ears. He seemed entirely immune to the cold. A skill Jake envied. “Well, you know what I did to the last guy who hurt her. Consider yourself forewarned.”

~

Standing in the laundry, she listened to the sound of falling rain through the open window. The blizzard had given way to a hybrid of sleet, snow and rain that drowned the landscape. Dark gray clouds hung low over the mountain, hugging the cliff. Their mists floated through the treetops in an eerie sign of worse to come. It looked more like dusk than midday.

Removing clothing from the dryer, she folded it into three piles: William’s, hers, and Jake’s. He’d protested her doing his laundry but while the guest house had almost everything he needed, it didn’t have a washing machine. If anything, the added items bulked up the loads to fill the machine properly.

She fell into a comforting rhythm, the movements oddly hypnotic and calming. Coupled with the easing pitter patter of rain drifting in through the open window, Sarah felt herself entering an almost trance-like state and the serenity was delightful. Even if every now and then a thump from upstairs gave her a small jolt. That was the problem with these old, wooden houses. There really was no escaping the sounds her son made.

The thumps of his footsteps descending the stairs attracted her attention moments before he appeared in the doorway, his large duffel bag resting by his feet. He smiled and leaned idly against the doorjamb, looking entirely unaware of anything other than his impending trip.

“Can I help?”

Sarah shook her head. “The Newmans will be here soon. Are you all packed?”

Doubt briefly crossed his face. “Are you sure it’s okay I go?”

“Absolutely.” The thought of stopping him from his school holiday trip to the Newman’s beach house on the Victorian surf coast didn’t enter her mind. Even if it was the middle of winter. “In fact, I insist. You need a break.”

“I chopped extra wood and stacked it in the lockers.”

“Did you remember to do some for the guest house?”

He pulled a face. “Jake can chop his own wood, Mama.”

Her thoughts drifted to the man in question and the kiss they’d shared. If she closed her eyes, she could conjure the memory of their bodies pressed together in a vivid flash. The gentle way he caressed her skin had stayed with her for days. Even now, his scent tickled her nose and reminded her of his maleness.

“Mama?”

Sarah blinked, her vision zeroing in on her son. “I’ll be fine, William. Promise me you’ll enjoy yourself.”

He entered the large laundry space and kissed her cheek. “I promise. Sam’s dad said he’d take us mountain biking and kayaking, if the ocean wasn’t too cold.”

Setting down the garment in her hand, she pulled William into a hug and held tight. “Be safe but have fun. I’ll miss you.”

He chuckled at her ear. “It’s two weeks, Mama. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Was the boy trying to convince her he wouldn’t be away for long, or himself? Pulling back, she held him by the arms and smiled. Outside, a horn blared. “That’ll be them.”

She followed him through the wide corridor to the front door, where a big red SUV sat in the drive. Metal snow chains adorned the front wheels while in the front passenger seat, Rachel Newman wound down her window. Her big, toothy smile held joy as she beckoned William down to them.

“Hey, honey. Put your bag in the back and jump in,” she said, watching the teen head to the rear of the car. “Don’t worry,” she reassured Sarah, “we’ll take good care of him.”

In the back seat, Rachel’s teenage son Sam looked up briefly from his phone. In the center of the seat, his sister, Rhianna, was busy reading a book. William joined the others in the back, fastening his seatbelt before waving at Sarah.

“We’ll be back the Saturday before term three starts. You have our numbers, right?”

Sarah nodded.

“Good. We have yours. Relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. It’ll be gone before you can blink.”