“Yeah?” She watched him as he neared. He wasn’t as massive as she’d originally thought. Muscled, yes. Bulky, no. He appeared ultrahealthy, though, like the CrossFit junkies that lived in her apartment complex in Birmingham. And in spite of the thick beard, his skin was smooth, with a tanned complexion that showcased eyes that were the most intriguing color she’d ever seen. Sea-foam green.
She tried to picture him without the beard.
“No need to be scared of me.” He focused on her as he spoke, and she watched his eyes soften, as though he somehow knew how much she’d been through and how very much she wanted to help the child who’d wandered away again. He took a deep breath, let it out and added, “I know I look rough, but...”
“I’m not...scared of you.” The words were true. A guy ends up being attractive and having sensitive eyes, and she gives him the green light to walk up and start talking. Her brothers would have a serious problem with her measuring stick for safe guys she encountered in the jungle. Woods. Whatever. But that’d always been Elise’s problem, the desire to help those who were socially off centered. It’d been the reason for her choice of profession, the fact that her father didn’t fit in the world. And then it’d been the reason for her marriage.
She blinked, the reminder serving its purpose. The last thing she needed was another guy who had social issues. And this man, who willingly set up house in the middle of nowhere, definitely fell into that category.
He cleared his throat, nodded his head toward her as though making a decision. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you find your son.”
For a moment, she thought he’d gone crazy. But then she remembered he had no way of knowing the truth and that she needed to get back on track and find Cody instead of talking to an unsavory mountain man. “He isn’t my son. He’s my patient.”
Her phone buzzed before he could respond, and she slid the cell out of her jeans to glance at the text message from Savvy Evans.
Cody just got back. Seems fine.
Relief washed through her. “He’s back,” she said. “At Willow’s Haven. Cody is okay.”
“Willow’s Haven?”
How could he live this close to the place and not know of its existence? “The children’s home, about a half mile west of here.”
“He’s your patient?” Confusion etched through his words.
“I’m a licensed social worker specializing in autism spectrum disorders, and I’m currently working at Willow’s Haven. I’m here specifically for Cody.” Saying it stabbed her heart, because this was the first case where she had made absolutely no progress after two weeks of intense therapy.
But Elise knew Cody was at the right place. Willow’s Haven would give him more personalized attention than any of the state-funded homes. “I’m beginning to wonder if I’m the right person for the job.” She hadn’t divulged that to Brodie, Savvy or even her colleagues at the Birmingham Clinic for Autism. Maybe the fact that she was in the middle of nowhere, and that she’d probably never see this guy again, gave her freedom to give voice to her fear.
“What’s wrong with him?” His voice had taken on a different tone than before, still as deep, but compassionate too.
“I can’t tell you anything patient-specific, but since he is at the children’s home, it’s common knowledge that he lost his family.”
“How?” The word came out thick and raspy. “How did he lose his family?”
She needed to get back to Willow’s Haven, but the concern in his masculine tone caused her to answer. “A car crash. Cody was the sole survivor.”
A shadow passed over his face, a look of sadness, or longing. Merely a flicker of emotion, but Elise saw it.
He turned his attention to the tree branches shifting overhead, and the thick cords of his neck pulsed as he swallowed. “He lost his family.”
Her background gave her a keen sense at reading people. This man had been hard to interpret at a distance, but now that he stood so close, she could tell from the tiny twitch beneath his eye that he worked hard to keep his emotions in check.
She suddenly wanted to know more about this mysterious stranger who lived in the woods. Glancing at his left hand, she saw no ring. And then she mentally stopped that train of thought. She lived in Birmingham and had a great practice there. This was a special case that would have her staying at Willow’s Haven for a time, and then she’d leave. Moving away from Cody. And away from the big, sensitive mountain man undeniably similar to the last guy who’d captured her heart. Then shattered it.
“I’m Jack.”
She’d been so absorbed in the painful memory that she had missed part of his conversation. But now that he’d offered his first name, she waited to see if he’d give her the last one too.
He didn’t.
Elise sighed. She needed to get back to the issue at hand, taking care of Cody, and not the fact that the last guy she’d given her heart to made her a widow at twenty-eight. “Well, Jack, if Cody comes this way again, can you make sure he gets back to Willow’s Haven?” She pointed to the right fork of the trail ahead of her. “Down that way.” It wasn’t a clear path, but it was manageable, obviously, since Cody found his way through the woods and to Jack’s cabin.
“There wasn’t an orphanage there when I bought my place.”
Elise was used to the misconception about the home. “Willow’s Haven isn’t an orphanage, even though some of the children have been orphaned. A children’s home differs in that it provides a safe sanctuary for children who are without a family, for any reason.”
And then she focused on what else he’d said. “Willow’s Haven has been open for a year now. When did you buy your place?”
“Nearly two years ago.” Another look passed over his face, and she read it clearly. Sadness. More specifically, grief.
What—or who—had this man lost?
“You’ve been living here for two years?” Why would anyone choose to live like this? “By yourself?” she added and then wished she’d kept that query silenced.
“No, I bought it two years ago, but I only recently moved in. I had to—” he paused “—take care of a few things first.”
And that made her wonder what things had taken two years to take care of. And what kind of job allowed him to live out here in the middle of nowhere, where only one cellular company managed to provide service, and even that was spotty at best. “But you’re planning to live here, long-term?”
He nodded and offered no additional information. “Do you want me to call you if I see the lad again?”
Normally she’d have thought of that from the get-go, but being this close to the guy rattled her senses. “That’d be great.” She didn’t have a card on her, hadn’t anticipated running into anyone when she headed into the woods after Cody. But she needn’t have worried about having a card.
He slid long fingers into his jeans pocket to withdraw his cell, then asked, “What’s your number?”
Alarms blared through her head, all initiated from years of warnings from her three older brothers, but even so, she recited her number and watched him key it into his phone. Probably the easiest set of digits the man had ever received.
She felt weird surrendering her contact information like that. But she didn’t give out her number to just any guy who asked. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d suggested they go out to dinner together. Or that he ever would.
“I’ll