“I like the deli idea.”
“Be warned, it’s not a real deli. Not like you’d find in Denver.”
Lucas smiled. “I grew up in a town similar to Blackfoot Falls.”
“How big?”
“Maybe three thousand people in the entire county.”
“Same here. A few people live in town, but mostly ranching families and hired hands make up the population. They’re spread out for miles.”
“Yep. I understand.”
“So you know what that means....”
He gave the matter a moment’s thought and then sighed. “Everyone who walks into the Food Mart will want to know who I am and what we’re talking about.”
“Some might even pull up a chair.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his jaw. “We’re not gonna do that.”
“No. Bad idea.”
“What about picking up food and eating outside? I bet you know a few good picnic spots.”
“Um, a picnic?” That didn’t sound at all businesslike. She grabbed her water and took a hearty sip.
“Okay. I see that was a miss. Guess it’s the diner.”
“No, no, it’s not a...” She sighed. “You know what.... A picnic sounds great, no interruptions,” she said, trying to recall what food she still had stashed in the old cabin. “We might not have to pick up anything from town.” She stood. “Take a walk with me.”
He quickly got to his feet and opened the door for her. “Where are we going?”
“Just over there,” she said, stepping outside and gesturing to the tiny hovel of a cabin. “The former director used to live there.”
Lucas frowned. “I’d be claustrophobic.”
“It has a loft that was used for a bedroom. But you’re right—I couldn’t have done it. Plus, it doubled as an office. That would’ve been okay, but not living there, too.” She nodded at the large cabin to the right of the gravel path. “The new place has three bedrooms and two baths. The electrician still has to come out, but it’s very nice. Now we just need a director.”
“Any bites?”
“Kathy and Levi were the front-runners. But their children moved south with their families. Kathy misses them. She and Levi will be making a move themselves eventually. And frankly, with Levi’s recent health problems, this place would be too much.”
“What about you?”
The question surprised her. She turned to look at him. He was awfully close. Close enough for her to see his pupils dilate. She took a quick breath. “Believe it or not, teaching keeps me quite busy.”
“It’s kind of a shame.... You seem like a good fit. But then, you’re also the kind of teacher these kids need.”
Melanie stopped outside the door of the old cabin and gave him a quizzical look. He didn’t know her....
“Your students explained how you got them involved here. Told me about the alternative agricultural methods you guys are exploring. Growing your own alfalfa to make Safe Haven more self-sustaining? Really impressive. So is getting them school credit to volunteer.”
Surprised, she blinked. “I see they were quite chatty. Anything else?”
He smiled. “Only that you couldn’t decide between being a teacher or a vet.”
“Gee, did they tell you what color underwear I prefer?”
“Uh, no,” he said, the skin at the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. “We didn’t get to that.”
She shook her head, laughing and groaning at the same time, and tried the doorknob. It had always stuck, but with the lack of frequent use, it was more stubborn than usual.
“Let me try.” Lucas took over, but he hadn’t left room for her to get out of the way.
He put his shoulder into the effort, and she stared at the rippling motion of his muscles flexing and releasing. His elbow grazed her right breast, and she tensed. He didn’t seem to notice or else purposely ignored the contact. Her nipples tightened, and she realized that in her hurry to squeeze in a shower, she’d forgotten to wear a T-shirt bra.
The door opened, startling her into taking a step backward on the uneven ground. Lucas steadied her with his large hand briefly on her arm. The frantic pace of her pulse really annoyed her. She wasn’t going down that road again. This was business and she really wasn’t that starved for a man’s attention. No, that was a lie. She’d been suffering a drought for a while now. Usually she was just better at ignoring it.
“Yep, it’s a tight space.”
She followed his gaze to the battered old recliner pushed against the wall and the small scarred table Annie had used as a desk and for everything else. The kitchen was nothing more than a sink and a counter with a microwave, a toaster oven and a coffeepot. Underneath was a mini fridge on its last legs.
“I don’t know how Annie managed,” Melanie said and moved inside. “The loft has a bed, a small dresser and that’s it. But the worst thing is the tiny shower. It’s almost criminal.”
Lucas ducked his head, spotted the door to the bathroom tucked under the stairs. “How long did she live here?”
“Two years.”
He let out a low whistle. “That’s dedication.”
“There isn’t a word for how hard Annie worked. Without her the sanctuary would’ve folded by now.”
He joined her at the counter, where she was looking through a plastic bin of dry goods. “Won’t be easy for anyone to follow in her footsteps.”
The cabin felt even smaller with him standing so close. “I wouldn’t even try. I’m not that selfless,” she said, grabbing a box of crackers. “Still, Shea and I are willing to go to any lengths not to let Annie down.”
“Understood,” he said, his faint smile indicating he’d taken her words as a warning.
She averted her gaze and returned to inventorying their picnic options.
“Peanut butter.” He picked up the jar she’d set beside the crackers, studying it as if he’d struck gold. “Man, I haven’t had this in years.”
“I wouldn’t last two weeks without peanut butter.”
“I ate it every day when I first bought the ranch. The old place needed so much work I was too exhausted to shop or cook.” He started to twist the cap. “You mind?”
“Go for it.” She smiled when he got the top off and took a big whiff. “Where’s your ranch?”
“Wyoming.”
That surprised her. She’d assumed he lived somewhere near Denver, where Prison Reform Now was headquartered. She brought out deli turkey and cheese and mayonnaise from the fridge. Two apples were left over from the other day, so she grabbed them, too. She straightened and saw him searching the counter. Assuming he wanted a knife, she handed him one.
He dipped it into the jar, scooped out a mound of peanut butter and offered it to her. She shook her head, and he used his finger to sweep the whole glob into his mouth.
Melanie grinned. “Okay, I might be going out on a limb here...but I’m thinking we can skip the trip to town.”
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