Chapter Thirteen – Alison
Alison turned the page of her book, as an owl hooted somewhere in the distance, reminding her of the wild world around her. She glanced up at the half-open window, the sky had darkened to an inky blue and the heady sweet scent of jasmine drifted in.
Heavenly. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she turned her attention back to her book.
The heroine on the page was caught in a heated stare with the brooding hero. The silence between them charged with unspoken words and intense emotions.
Alison felt a pang of longing, an intense ache for something similar. Not the whirlwind drama, but the quiet promise of being seen, truly seen, by someone who cared for her. Who would hold her gaze with the same intensity, the same unspoken understanding
Did such a man exist? Or were they confined to the pages of a book?
Her eyes drifted from the page, her focus resting on the glass of wine on the coffee table. She reached for it and took a sip. As she swallowed the warmth seeped into her veins, a slow burn that did little to dispel the chill of loneliness she’d carried even before her divorce.
Yes, she’d learned that you didn’t need to be alone to feel alone.
A knock at the door made her jerk her head up and she nearly spilled the rest of the wine over her sweater. She set the glass down, her pulse quickening. Alison hardly knew anyone in Bear Creek, so to have an unexpected guest at such a late hour was…concerning.
For a moment, she froze, as the idea spawned in her mind that her visitor might not be from Bear Creek at all. Instead, it might be someone from her past life.
Ronald . Had he followed her here, had he come to persuade her she had made a mistake? Did he think he could arrive unexpectedly and knock her off balance, in the hope of wearing her down until she agreed to go back to him?
Well, he had another thing coming!
Alison placed her wine glass down on the coffee table and then stood, her legs momentarily weak. The thought of facing Ronald again made her stomach twist into tight, painful knots. But he was not going to win, he was not going to taint her new life here in Bear Creek. With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and walked toward the front door with confident steps.
She was not the same person he thought she was. She was strong. She was independent.
Above all, she was determined to carve out a life for herself that was her own.
As she reached for the door handle, she blew the air out of her cheeks and braced herself as she cracked open the door. The tall, broad-chested man on the porch was definitely not Ronald.
“Jay,” she said, unable to hide her surprise. Or the flicker of something else. Was it hope? Anticipation? Or desire? She couldn’t quite tell.
“Hey,” he said lightly as he looked past her into the house. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
Alison’s lips parted, but she was momentarily lost for words. Why was he here? Not that she minded, but it was so unexpected. “No, not at all,” she managed at last. “I wasn’t expecting…”
“Me?” He cocked a questioning eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips.
“Anyone.” She shrugged, hoping he didn’t notice the slight flush creeping up her neck. What could he want at this hour?
Oh no, her imagination was not going there !
“I brought you these.” He offered her a bouquet of wildflowers, and the touch of shyness in the gesture made her heart skip a beat.
“They’re beautiful.” She accepted them, her fingers brushing against his in a light, electric touch that sent a shiver up her spine. Her blush deepened. “Thank you.”
Jay shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his boots scuffing against the wooden boards of the porch. “I, uh, wasn’t sure if it was too late. I should have thought about...”
“No, please.” She quickly moved aside and opened the door wider, not wanting him to leave. “Come in.”
He hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. “If you’re sure.”
“Absolutely. Can I get you a glass of wine?” she offered, leading him to the living room. “Or I could make tea if you’d prefer.”
“Wine sounds good,” he said with a nod, though his eyes still held a trace of uncertainty.
“Make yourself at home,” she said, then went to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. The scent of jasmine from the open window mixed with the sweet fragrance of the wildflowers, created a heady, almost intoxicating blend.
Or maybe it was Jay that left her feeling giddy and lightheaded.
She leaned on the counter and took a breath. Time to compose herself.
After hastily arranging the flowers in a vase, she took a clean glass from the cupboard and poured him a generous measure of the dark red wine. Then she smoothed down her hair and headed for the living room to find him seated on the sofa.
“Here.” She offered him the wine. “I hope you like red.”
“We’ll soon find out. Thank you.” He accepted the glass, his eyes fixed on her as she set the vase of flowers down on the coffee table and then sat in the chair opposite him, curling her feet beneath her.
“The flowers are really lovely. You didn’t have to.” Were they an excuse for him to drop by? Her mind filled with countless questions, but she forced herself to look serene and relaxed. Nonchalant even.
“I wanted to.” He took a sip of wine, his expression growing thoughtful. “I like red wine.”
She gave a short laugh. “I’m glad.” Damn, he was irresistible. But she had to resist.
He stared into his wine glass for a moment and then said, “I was out…walking with Henry earlier. He mentioned there’s a cabin on the edge of the ranch that needs some work. But it’s a place I might be able to call home…” He gave her a meaningful look. Unfortunately, the meaning was lost on her. “Anyway, when I saw the flowers, I thought of you.”
“Oh.” She wanted to ask why since she’d never thought of herself as either wild or a flower. But her tongue suddenly felt too big for her mouth, and instead, she reached for her wine glass and took a long sip.
Jay mirrored her actions, looking more at ease. Had he any idea how unsettling she found him? In a good way, of course, but unsettling, nonetheless.
When she’d recovered her composure, she asked, “Does this mean you are staying at the ranch, then?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “My parents offered, and I think… I think that’s what I need. To be around family. To find my footing again. And maybe my memories.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” A very good idea. “I know Mary and Waylan are thrilled to have you back.”
A shadow flickered across his face but then it was gone. “I hope so.”
“They love you.” She leaned forward slightly, hoping to bridge the emotional distance she felt growing between them. “And they want to help you. They want to be there for you.”
He nodded, staring into his wine as if the answers to his problems might be swirling in the liquid. “I know.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, the kind where neither felt the need to fill it with empty words. Alison let it linger, sensing he had more to say and needing to give him the space to find his way there.
“Anyway, I’m going to fix up the old cabin,” he said finally. “It’ll give me something to do. Something to focus on.”
Her face brightened. “A distraction.”
“Yeah.” His lips curved into a small smile. “It needs a lot of work, but I think that’s part of why I want to do it. It feels…symbolic, I guess.”
“Starting fresh?”
“Exactly.” He met her eye but didn’t say more, as if he were holding back the deeper truths he wasn’t ready to share yet.
Alison hesitated, then said, “If you need help, Tessa and I would love to pitch in. She’s excellent at painting, although I cannot guarantee the paint will wind up where you want it.”
Jay’s smile widened, and his eyes lit up. “I’d like that.”
“You might not say that when you see the results,” Alison joked, feeling a lightness in her chest she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“I think I’ll take my chances,” he replied. “Tessa’s enthusiasm might be just what the old place needs. Not to mention me. It’s a daunting prospect.”
“I bet,” Alison said. She took another sip of wine, savoring the moment. “I’m glad you’re staying.”
His expression shifted, something vulnerable threading through his features. “Me, too,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the silence heavy with unspoken thoughts and burgeoning emotions. Then, as if breaking a delicate spell, Jay set his glass down and stood, his movements slow and reluctant.
“I should let you get some sleep,” he said, though it sounded more like a question. As if he were seeking her permission to leave—or to stay.
Alison rose to her feet, her body feeling light, almost floaty from the wine and the unexpected intimacy of Jay’s visit. “Thank you for coming by,” she said, walking with him toward the door. She didn’t want him to go, not yet, but she also didn’t know what more to say, what more to do.
“I’ll see you soon?” Jay asked, pausing with his hand on the door handle. There was a hopeful note in his voice that made her breath catch in her throat.
“Yes,” she said without hesitation as the thought of seeing him again finally chased away the lingering chill of her earlier loneliness.
He moved to open the door, then hesitated, turning back to her. Time seemed to stretch as he leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. She didn’t. The brush of his lips on her cheek was feather-light, a tender caress that sent a shiver down her spine. “Goodnight, Alison,” he said, his breath soft and warm against her ear.
She stood in the doorway, her fingers brushing the spot where he’d kissed her, the cool night air folding in around her as he disappeared into the shadows. “Goodnight, Jay,” she called after him, though he was already out of earshot.
She closed the door slowly, her heart drumming in her chest, and leaned against it, her eyes drifting shut. It was as if he had planted a seed of hope in her fragile heart.
Walking back to the living room, she picked up her wine glass and swirled the remaining liquid, watching it create tiny whirlpools. Just as her thoughts circled around and around in her head. Jay, that kiss, the future she was trying to build for herself and Tessa.
Could she really let someone in again? The thought both excited and terrified her. But why should she be scared?
Jay was different. He was kind, thoughtful, and patient. But he also had his own struggles, his own past to reconcile. If he ever remembered what that past was.
She took a sip of wine and thought about the man in her book—the brooding hero who had just kissed the heroine with all the pent-up passion of a thousand unspoken words. She wasn’t sure if real life could ever be like that but tonight had come closer than she’d ever expected.