Authors: Sandra Sookoo
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Alice slid her arms into a raincoat while keeping an eye out the front window. It hadn't stopped raining since late last night, but if she didn't go dig up the bulbs today, she wouldn't have time since Easter orders would keep her extremely busy for the next two weeks.
“You're going out in this weather?” Her dad bustled into the room with a mug of steaming coffee in hand.
“Yup. A little rain never hurt anyone.” She even had boots on that matched the red slicker. At least they'd keep the worst of the mud off. “Besides, Mark's coming along to help, so the job will be done in half the time.”
“Mark, huh?”
“Yeah.” She glanced at her dad. Even wearing worn jeans and a blue Indianapolis Colts sweatshirt, he didn't look like he'd aged since she was a senior in high school. The only thing giving away his age was the salt-and-pepper hair and the few wrinkles lining his mouth and forehead. “Why?”
“No reason.” He took a long sip of coffee then hunkered down into his worn tweed recliner. “Seems like you really like this guy. I hope you know what you're doing jumping into things feet first.”
“Jumping?” She snorted. “I'm hardly doing that.”
“I hope you're being smarter than you were with Frank.”
“I am.” She returned her attention to the window, hoping Mark would make an appearance soon. “And, in case you're wondering, I'm not going down the same route with Mark that I did with Frank. I'm not getting intimate until I know a whole lot more about him.”
Not that I'd mind.
Every time she and Mark managed to be alone, something happened to interrupt them. Heat crept into her cheeks.
Why am I talking about this with Dad?
“Good girl. That whole thing with Frank was a disaster, and you deserve way better.” He scrabbled through the stack of newspapers on the coffee table then grabbed the remote control. “Mark's a real upstanding guy, I think. He's from good people. Just go slow, and do whatever it takes to make sure you're comfortable. If it's right, a relationship should be easy. That's how it was with your mom and me.”
A wash of tears filled Alice's eyes. Not wanting to make her dad uncomfortable, she blinked them away. “Are you doing okay, Dad? I mean, it's gotta be boring living here with me.” She turned to face him. “I'm trying my best.”
“I'm doing fine. Never better.” He paused on a channel and sent the volume soaring. “I think I'm driving you a little nuts though.”
“Kinda.” She smiled. Why lie about it? “I'm worried about you. Ever since Mom died, you've stuck around home instead of getting out and doing things like you used to.”
“Everything I enjoy is right here.” He frowned. New age-lines appeared around his eyes. “It'll be okay, kiddo. Go out with your guy and see what happens. You can't put your life on hold because of me. I shouldn't have depended on you for so long. It's just without your mom, I occasionally feel a little lost. Not enough to worry about.”
“I haven't minded, really.” When her dad lifted a shaggy eyebrow, she sighed. “Okay, you've been on my last nerve for a while. I need a break.”
“I'm not the easiest of men to live with. Got under your mom's skin more than a few times. I guess going out with Mark is just the ticket for you.” He craned his neck to see around her. “And there you go. He's here.”
A host of butterflies took flight in her stomach. “Okay, well I should be back in a few hours unless we stop for lunch.” She crossed to her dad's chair and gave him a hug. “See you later.” She practically ran to the door where she picked up a couple of plastic buckets.
“Stop by the store and bring me back some coffee filters.”
“Sure.” She put up the hood of her raincoat and couldn't help but think her days of living with her dad were numbered. Excitement rode her spine as she left the house and met Mark in the driveway. It was time to chase the next phase of her life. Then she met Mark's hazel gaze and couldn't help the tingles that raced through her insides. “Let's go.”
****
“Thanks for going with me. It doesn't look like the rain will let up any time soon.” She peered out the truck's windshield. A steady enough rain came down that Mark flipped on the wiper blades.
“No problem. Tuesdays are my day off anyway, and your invitation saved me from having to muck out the barn. Matt comes back tomorrow. I'll save that for his welcome home present.”
“Are you close to your brother?”
“Yeah. It used to be that Matt and I were a team, you know? Now he's married, I kinda doubt things will be the same.”
Conversation halted while Alice gave him directions east of town. “The old homestead is about a mile or so past the east fork of the creek.”
“What do you want the bulbs for?”
“I'll replant the daffodils around my house. I love the things and at least then everyone can see them and enjoy them. The tiger lilies I'll sell to a client. She loves color and is such a cheerful person those brilliant orange bulbs will be just the thing for her yard.”
“Gotcha.”
“If you want me to do up a quick bouquet to welcome your brother and sister-in-law home, I can.”
“Uh, sure. Send me a bill. I have no idea what sort of flowers go into a bouquet.”
“That's okay. I'll take care of it. And Mark?”
“Yeah?”
She chewed her bottom lip. “Your relationship with your brother will change, but he won't abandon you. Life's always changing, and it's never as bad as we think.”
“Getting ready to practice what you preach where your dad's concerned?”
“I don't know. I'm feeling restless though.” She shifted in her seat to look at him more fully. “It's as if I can sense something new coming, but don't know what it is.” No way would she assume it'd be a deeper relationship with Mark. Technically, they just met each other days ago, butâ
Well, she'd learned long ago not to count her blessings prematurely.
Mark moved his right hand to her knee and squeezed. Tingles and tickles both ran rampant up her limb. “Don't worry about it. My grandma says when a thing is meant for you, you'll feel at home in it like an old shoe or a worn sweater.”
“Yeah, maybe.” It mirrored what her dad had said so perfectly her stomach quivered.
It's so not the time to think about this.
She didn't say anything else for the remainder of the drive. Instead, she watched the raindrops on the windows, listened to the twang of the country music from the radio, and generally tried not to think about what would happen if whatever was between them hit the compost heap just like every other relationship.
By the time they pulled into the weed-choked ancient driveway, her nerves were on edge and her thoughts spun out of control with “what-ifs.” Alice tumbled out of the truck and her plastic buckets fell out after her. Grumbling about how clumsy she'd become, she grabbed them and started off in the direction of where she'd discovered the flowers. “The last time I saw the white daffodils, they were right near the river. I guess back in the day the house wasn't as close as the property is now. Erosion and things like that have changed the landscape.”
“Alice, hold up.”
“Come on. The rain's not getting any lighter. If we hurry, we can dig up the flowers and be back without being soaked.”
Mark caught her hand and tugged, slowing her pace. “It's not a race. Enjoy the moment.”
When he didn't release her, Alice sighed. “How are we supposed to enjoy the moment in the rain and the mud?” For emphasis, she lifted a boot and set it down. It squelched in the saturated ground.
“I can think of a couple of things.” His eyes smoldered. In the cloudy skies, they were browner than green, but the emotions bubbling in them started a fire in her. “Wanna enjoy the moment with me?”
Rain dripped off the bill of his ball cap. Every drop that fell on her raincoat hood echoed in her ears in time to the rapid beat of her heart, but she nodded and squeezed his hand. Finally, after days of being interrupted, she had a few seconds alone with him.
“We won't need these.” Gently, he tugged the bucket handles from her fingers and let the containers drop to the soggy ground. “But I will need exclusive access to your lips, Miss Attler.” Then he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.
Alice sagged into his embrace. She stood on tiptoe, wrapped a hand around his neck, and held him closer. His lean strength made her feel delicate and womanly; the strong bands of his arms around her safe and protected. With each insistent glide of his lips against hers, heat built inside. Finally, she felt needed for who she was, not for what she could do for someone else.
She pressed closer. Mark slid his hands to her hips and held her steady. Her hood fell onto her shoulders, and the rain dribbled into her hair, but she didn't care. Not when he drew a heated line of baby kisses down the column of her throat, not even when he came back up to nibble a sensitive spot beneath her jaw that made her stomach jump and sent joy bubbling into her chest. On a sigh, she parted her lips, inviting him in. Mark took full advantage of her signal. Slowly, almost reverently, he slipped his tongue inside, touching hers.
Butterfly wings brushed her insides. Heat filled every inch of her body. Her heart trembled as if on the edge of a high wall, almost falling. She wanted to feel like this all the time, but she couldn't rush it. Hopping into bed wasn't the answer. Being friends and spending quality time with a guy was the key to future happiness. It's what built a solid foundation for everything else and was what would be left long after the heat faded.
And if they didn't quit, it'd be inevitable they'd use the truck cab to take their relationship to the new, rushed level and destroy everything.
“Mark,” she murmured against his lips. He was so warm and soft, and he felt so solid and wonderful in her arms that she didn't want to leave. When he didn't respond, she planted her palms on his chest and pushed. “Mark, I need to go after those bulbs.”
“Not without me.” When he stooped to retrieve the buckets, his eyes twinkled with mischief. “Shall we go?”
****
Dear God, please let everything work out.
Mark followed Alice over the soggy ground, skirting around clumps of weeds that choked what might have been vegetable gardens or flower beds. On a normal day, he would have been miserable, but any day with Alice was never normal. No, not even ordinary, and he couldn't be happier. In the rain, muck and general nastiness that was a spring day in Indiana, he'd gladly go wherever she led just to spend another minute or two in her company. “Good grief, I'm as daffy as she is.”
Alice glanced over her shoulder. “Are you talking to me, because if you are, I didn't understand your mumble?”
“Never mind.” The property sloped toward the river, but she headed parallel to the closest bank. “Where are the flowers you want?”
“The daffodils are at the back so I thought we'd go after the tiger lilies first.”
“Sounds good. Afterward, let's grab lunch somewhere. I ran late to the bait shop this morning and didn't have a chance to eat breakfast.” When she stumbled, he latched onto her elbow until she steadied.
“You always run late. Maybe it's time to train your body to wake up earlier.”
“I guess so.” He frowned. He'd never had cause to think about his daily habits before now. “Is that a problem for you?” Some people were anal about being on time.
“I'll admit it's not my favorite thing when people are late, but it hasn't grown into a pet peeve. Don't test me.” She shrugged. “Oh look, here they are.” Alice plowed into the midst of an unruly clump of green shoots and leaves. Apparently, she knew what they were, but to him it resembled a tangle of weeds.
“Here's what?”
“The tiger lilies. Looks like some of the greenery has come up but not the flower shoots yet. That's good.” She wiggled one hand. “Give me the trowel. If all goes well, I'll be able to locate the bulbs right away.”
Mark did as instructed then could do nothing else except watch as she crawled on the ground. Every once in a while she'd dig through the plant life and exclaim when she found a bulb. Those she chucked into one of the buckets he held. Through it all, he couldn't help but smile. She got so excited when she found a bulb. Some she'd hold up and inspect. Some she rejected, explaining those were dud bulbs or ones that simply wouldn't bloom. He didn't know how she knew this, but it fascinated him.
I'll have to ask her about it later.
The time passed in companionable silence after that. The rain didn't seem to bother her or dampen her spirits. Alice dug up bulbs as if she'd been born for that exact purpose while he held the bucket and just admired her for the person she was.
I'll do whatever it takes to keep her in my life.
He wanted to know so much more about her. What made her laugh hysterically? What trait in people did she absolutely hate? What was her favorite food, color, perfume?
Finally, when dirty clumps of bulbs filled the bucket, she proclaimed the job done. “I have enough tiger lilies to line my friend's back fence. That should do it. If I need more, I'll just come back out.” She wiped her muddy hands on her jeans and gave him a wry grin. “I forgot to bring my gardening gloves.”
He nodded. “Are we moving on to the daffodils now?” Even streaked with mud and half-soaked, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
“In a sec.” Her grin slid into something soft and sexy. It dazzled him. Not until that moment did he understand what the word befuddled meant. “Come over here for a minute.” She gestured with her head. “I always like looking at the creek before I head out. It's peaceful, and now, I can to share the scene with you, though it's hardly peaceful today â more like an angry old man trying on pants.”
“Sounds good.”
What a dumb thing to say.
His chest warmed. She wanted to include him in things that meant something to her? That was a good sign. He followed her to the edge of the property. The ground was steeper there with the rain-swollen creek mere inches away. The current lapped at the bank, rushing with more force than normal due to the elevated water. “Don't goof around over here, all right?”
“I'm not, silly.” She hopped onto a partially exposed boulder, covered with mud and moss.
“Please be careful.” He set the buckets on the ground.
“Don't worry. I've been out here tons of times.” The beat of the rain muffled her tinkling laughter. “For once I'm at eye level with you.” With a forefinger she beckoned him closer, her eyes alight with playful mischief and something stronger. “So, Mr. Kincaide, do you wanna try kissing me now?”
The playful mystery vibe she put out was like an invisible fishing line and he'd been completely hooked. “You don't have to ask me twice.” He sidled closer. Just as he reached out to embrace her, the boulder she stood on shifted. With a loud sucking sound, the ground gave way. Big chunks of brown earth crumbled around the boulder. As if in slow motion, Alice lost her balance. Her arms windmilled. A fearful expression lined her face and then she tumbled down the bank. She hit the water with a surprised squeal. She floundered, grabbing at exposed tree roots, branches or anything nearby, but the current plucked at her body as if she were a child's doll. Before Mark's horrified gaze, the creek pulled her away from the bank and yanked her beneath the churning, muddy water.
“Alice!” Time accelerated and left him standing in a haze of disbelief. Mark's gut clenched. He darted down the property line, running parallel with the creek. “Alice, can you hear me?” With his heart in his throat, he frantically scanned the water hoping to see a glimpse of her red raincoat. “Alice!”
I can't lose her. Not like this.
He vaulted a clump of weeds. Mud pulled at his boots, but he continued on with determination, his gaze glued to the creek. He prayed like a mad man that she'd surface. Never in his life had he been as scared as he was now. His insides were cold and shaking, his mouth dry. Finally, he caught a glimpse of her bright red coat. Her head bobbed above the water line, so close the whites of her eyes were visible. No longer did her blonde hair gleam like gold.
“Mark! Help me!”
The terror-filled cry spurred him into action. He scrambled down the bank. The water sloshed over his boots. “I'm coming.” With his heart pounding hard in his temples and his stomach full of knots, Mark dove into the angry current.
Cold water broke over his body, seeping into his clothes, tearing at him with chilly fingers, but he pushed toward the surface. Once he broke it, he swam in a diagonal line toward the spot where he'd last seen her. “Alice!” He spat murky water, blinking to help clear it from his eyes.
“Mark!” She wasn't far ahead of him, clinging to a dead tree protruding from the bank.
He trained his gaze on the red jacket and put every ounce of energy he had into swimming to her. The current worked against him, the cold sapped his strength, but the urge to save Alice was more powerful than both combined. Slowly, the distance between them closed. “I'm almost there.” Two strokes brought him to her location. He grabbed onto the tree with one hand and wrapped his other arm around Alice's waist. “I've got you.”
“Don't let go.” Her teeth chattered as she clung to him while her shivers transferred to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck with a strong grip. “Don't let go.”
“I won't. I promise.”
Not now, not ever.
He pressed a kiss to her wet temple. “We need to get out of the water.” He gauged the distance between the tree and both banks of Grady Creek. “I think we'll be okay, just bear with me and hang on.” The property where they'd gone into the water wasn't that far away. A few yards ahead, it looked like there was a stretch of shallows that would allow them to climb the banks and regain high ground. His body ached from exertion, his limbs as weak as rubber bands, and his lungs burned, but the need to make sure Alice was okay burned stronger than his fatigue. “Here we go.”
He pushed off from the tree and swam with awkward one-arm strokes diagonally through the current. When his shin bumped what would have been the natural creek bank had the waterway not been flooded, he whipped Alice around, hoping he'd have the strength to tread water. “Climb up until you're out of the current.” With a mighty shove, he pushed her toward the shallow and then scrambled behind her. His muscles protested each movement.
The water came to his knees and Alice's waist, but he urged her onward and scrambled behind. Once out of the angry creek, he pulled her up the mud-slick bank until they both reached higher ground. Then he sank to his knees in the soggy ground, his chest heaving, his heart racing. His mouth tasted like grime. Grit covered his tongue and teeth, but he and Alice were safe.
As he spat out the worst of the muck, he glanced at the woman he'd risked life and limb for, his heart squeezed
. I saved her.
He'd gotten what he'd wished for. He'd had the opportunity to play the hero.
Alice sucked in lungfuls of oxygen. She collapsed on the ground next to him. “I'm so sorry, Mark, but I don't think this is going to work out.”