Chapter 2
Chapter Two
T he following morning, Makayla Jensen leaned back in the porch rocker and opened bleary eyes to take another sip of coffee so she didn’t wind up wearing it.
After the police had left last night, she’d had a long talk with Emi as she’d bathed her and put her to bed.
Emi had been tearful and withdrawn, barely speaking, but she’d nodded when asked if she understood that she wasn’t to run off alone and even said she was sorry.
But those moments when Emi was gone? When she didn’t know where she was? Thought the worst had happened?
She’d barely slept thanks to the nightmares of Emi, which had then morphed into past scenes with her ex. Reality had lumped into fear and resulted in her tossing and turning until she’d been drawn to the coffee machine.
Just the thought of those dreams, of that fear, left Mak trembling and sick to her stomach all over again. She’d thought the worst. Thought she’d lost Emi. Thought maybe her ex was right, and she’d never make it on her own. Or be able to be the mother Emi needed.
“You look like something Max chewed on and spit out,” Sam said before the screen door squeaked open and he joined her on the porch.
He carried his own mug of coffee, and she watched as he slowly lowered himself into the rocking chair beside her with a pained expression. She had no doubt traipsing through the woods after Emi had cost her uncle physically. “I feel like it, too.”
“I know Emi got you all worked up going off like that, but she’s fine. I’d say she’s learned her lesson.”
Maybe. Maybe not. “She’s four. And hardheaded.”
“Wonder where she gets that from?” Sam asked with a grunt.
“I know where she gets it from—you,” Mak shot back, the word softened with a tired smile. “She’s gotten way more adventurous just in the week we’ve been here.” Last night was proof of that.
“It’s good for kids to explore. It’s how things are supposed to be. Did she ever tell you where she went?”
Mak shook her head and downed another swallow of her rapidly cooling coffee. “No, just that she followed Max because she was afraid Max would run away.”
Sam lifted an arthritic hand and scratched at his balding head. “Well, Max does like to wander, but he never goes too far. If I had to bet, I’d say Max headed over there to visit his friend.”
“His friend?” Mak asked, sliding a glance at the dog in question. Max lazed on the porch floor in a strip of early morning sunlight, eyes closed and snoozing as though the adventure had exhausted him as well.
Sam waved a hand toward the woods where Finn Blackwell had disappeared last night after being released by the police. “She’s on the Blackwell farm over there. A little Highland.”
She blinked at Sam. “A Highland? As in a cow?”
Sam chuckled at her surprise. “Now, don’t judge. Ever since Finn brought Harriet onto the farm, Max’s gone visiting.”
Visiting?
Sam’s deeply lined face broke into a wide grin at whatever expression she wore.
“Max climbs right up on Harriet’s back to go for rides. Finn’s shown me a few pictures over the months. It’s cute.”
She laughed at the mental image and then frowned at the reminder of the man who’d ran over last night only to be handcuffed and questioned. “Speaking of your neighbor, I still feel so bad about what happened. You should’ve let me go after Emi. If you’d been here, you’d have been able to tell the police who he was.”
“Ah, well. Can’t be undone now. A lot of the cops know Finn because of the farm and market but obviously not all of ‘em. Just bad luck they were the ones who showed up last night.”
Her heart tugged with empathy. Embarrassment had rolled off Finn Blackwell in waves, and she’d hated the way he’d avoided her gaze. Like her presence witnessing the act had made it so much worse. “I understand why the police did what they did, I do, but I still feel bad about it.”
“I know how you can make it up to him,” Sam said. “Make him some of those brownies and cupcakes like you made last week. That’ll do the trick for sure.”
She slid her uncle a look, lips curling at the obvious tactic. “I think you’re the one who wants more of them.”
“Well, I do,” he admitted. “But you could make extra for Finn and take them over to be neighborly. Would probably go over good for an apology.”
Mak looked at Sam and nodded even as her breath hitched in her chest. She’d make Sam as many of the sweets and meals as he wanted, especially when it was the least she could do after he’d taken them in.
The next year or so was going to be the most difficult of her life, but she didn’t see how anyone with a heart could refuse. “I’ll go get started on them before Emi wakes up. You want more coffee?”
“You spoil me,” Sam said, holding out his cup.
Mak swallowed back the lump in her throat and stood. She took his empty mug from him with an averted gaze to hide the sheen of tears threatening to turn into a torrent.
She walked inside to refill their mugs and then slowly carried Sam’s back to him, using the time in between to stitch together her shredded emotions.
Losing track of Emi last night… Knowing Sam’s time was short.
Both were things that just happened in life—could happen to anyone, at any time—but they were hard things that sucked the joy from a person’s days.
He’d always just been Uncle Sam, who visited on holidays and doted on her whenever they were together. He sent birthday cards for her and Emi and checked on them several times a year.
Sam had increased contact after her mom had died of pneumonia and her father had remarried shortly thereafter. And since she and Emi had arrived, Mak and Sam had grown closer than ever.
Maybe Sam had always been the sweet man he appeared to be or maybe that came as a result of him knowing the end was so near. Either way, he’d been the best thing to happen to her and Emi. A safe, soft spot to land in the chaos when she’d needed one most.
Once Sam had his refill, she pushed her dark thoughts aside and gathered all the ingredients and equipment needed to make Sam’s favorite treats.
She loved losing herself in baking and took special care to make her creations into tiny works of art. From the baked goods to the frostings to the details, she lost herself to the process.
Baking was her escape from reality. One that came second only to reading the romance novels that depicted healthy, loving relationships so unlike the one she’d experienced in her marriage to Brad.
Hours later, Mak drove down Sam’s sand-and-gravel driveway to the highway. It was a quick on-and-off to get to the next turnoff for Blackwell Farm.
The large sign at the end of the road listed horseback riding on the beach, a small-animal petting zoo, photo ops to cuddle the various animals, and venue rental as available options.
Another car pulled off the road behind her, forcing her to crawl forward through the line of trees sheltering the farm from the noise of the busy road leading to the island.
It was a bit odd to think of a farm so close to the beach, but once she moved through the trees, she saw several large barns and buildings on opposite sides of a parking area.
One structure looked newer and fancier in that rustic yet modern way with all the pretty elements brides or party-organizers might require. The opposite barns looked to be older but extremely well-kept, with an assortment of adorable animals roaming the fenced areas.
Not far from those was a home, one on the smaller side like Sam’s and not the newer two- and three-story builds so popular in the ever-growing coastal area.
A large truck was parked between the home and the barn, and she took it to be Finn’s based on the logo-ed side. The large white truck suited Finn, as did the simple logo for Blackwell Farm.
Mak had left Emi at home since her four-year-old had woken up not long after she’d started her early morning baking only to fall back asleep this afternoon while watching a movie on the couch.
Emi had been sleeping and eating a bit more lately, and it made Mak wonder if she was in a growth spurt.
Since Mak knew she wouldn’t be gone long, she’d left Emi under Sam’s watchful eyes and came to make her apology.
Now that her nerves were kicking in, however, she wished she had her rambunctious four-year-old with her to pose as a distraction if nothing else.
Sam had described Finn’s speech issue as a stutter, matching what few words she’d heard from him last night in the chaos with the police.
Finn had been embarrassed, but she doubted the man wanted pity. He seemed proud, and based on his good looks alone, she had to think the problem dealt a big blow to his ego. It would to anyone’s, she supposed, because the stutter made life, which was already difficult on a good day, even more so.
As though conjured by her thoughts, Finn emerged on her left. He wore jeans and work boots, a dark gray T-shirt that pulled snug across his broad chest and bulging arms, and a linen-colored, well-worn cowboy hat that shaded his eyes and face.
He stopped to pet a miniature donkey that came running up to him at the fence, a gentle smile on his handsome face as he scratched the donkey’s ears and then under her chin. The donkey practically melted in bliss.
So did she.
Mak bit her lip at the sweetness of the image and couldn’t blame the little donkey for the soft, groaning bray of pleasure.
Stop it. Stop ogling the man meat.
The last thing she needed right now was to be noticing a man, any man, especially considering the drama she still endured in regard to Emi’s father.
She took a deep breath and turned off her older model Toyota Camry before grabbing the bag from the passenger seat. It held several containers of goodies, all homemade and painstakingly beautiful. At least in her opinion.
And Sam’s. He’d oohed and aahed over them at the table as she’d packed them up to deliver and would probably still be there eating his favorites with another cup of coffee when she returned.
Ignoring her rapidly increasing heart rate, Mak shoved open the door and got out, forcing her feet to move in Finn’s direction.
He must have sensed her approach because Finn lifted his head and turned toward her, and she spotted the moment a wary expression tightened his handsome features and foresty green-brown eyes. Her heart tugged at the sight.
She bit her inner lip and kept walking, managing a smile that probably looked as awkward as it felt. “Hi,” she said once she was close enough to speak. “I… I hope you don’t mind me dropping in, but I just wanted to say how sorry I am about what happened last night. You know, with the police. You ran through the woods to try to help me and wound up handcuffed for it, and I am so, so sorry about that.” She held out the bag. “I made you these. I—I know they aren’t enough to…fix what happened, but it’s my way of apologizing. I hope you enjoy them. Sam thought you might. They’re his favorites and…here.”
She practically shoved the bag into his hands and left him no choice but to take it and then waited anxiously.
He peeked inside, eyebrows lifting when he spotted the baked goods in their clear containers.
“It’s a mix of things. I made Sam’s favorite brownie bites, and some German chocolate and strawberries-and-cream cupcakes. There’s also a few lemon drop cookies. You know, if you’re not a chocolate person. Sam said if you didn’t like them, you’d probably share with your employees or family. If you don’t like any of them, I can make other kinds. Just tell me your favorite flavor and—you know, I can make those instead,” she finished awkwardly. So, so awkwardly.
She hadn’t thought about how hard it would be to talk to someone who didn’t talk back. His body language gave her little to go by, too. He just stood there, holding her apology in his hands and watching her with a careful expression on his too handsome face.
Think about what you just said.
She bit back a groan. She’d just told a man with a speech issue to tell her his favorite flavors when he hadn’t been able to even speak last night when it mattered most. “You can tell Sam,” she hurried to add. “If you’d prefer something else.”
Finn was comfortable with Sam, and her uncle had said Finn was able to converse with him now that they’d known each other so many years.
Finn dipped his head in a silent nod but then shifted sideways to place the bag atop a nearby bin so he could pull out the first container.
She watched as he opened the top and carefully removed one of the German chocolate cake bites.
His hands looked ginormous compared to the bite-sized treat, and he was careful to hold the dessert by the paper-wrapped bottom before plopping the entire thing in his mouth and peeling the paper away.
His eyes widened slightly as he chewed, and watching the sight of his lean, lightly scruffed jaw working felt way more intimate and sexier than it should.
Since when was watching someone eat sexy? “They’re, um, good? You like it?”
He nodded again. And she hated that he didn’t feel comfortable enough to speak to her.
Still, that was okay. The last thing she wanted to do was pressure him after what he’d been through last night.
Actions spoke louder than words, and he’d already proven himself to be the guy who ran toward a screaming woman. “I’m glad. Like I said, I’m really sorry about last night. Sam says you’re a good neighbor and friend, and I guess I just hope you won’t hold what happened against us.”
“Yo, Finn, is Dash on the schedule for the market this weekend or Har— Oh, hello, you.”
Mak turned and found herself facing a man a few years younger than herself.
“You holding out on me, brother?”
Given the man’s gorgeous features and dark hair, she saw the resemblance.
“I’m Hudson,” the man said. “Who might you be?”
Mak felt her face flush a bit due to the younger man’s too-obvious gaze raking her up and down, but lifted her hand to shake the one he’d extended. “Mak— Makayla, actually, but everyone calls me Mak. I’m Sam’s niece.”
“From next door? Yeah, I know Sam. Don’t remember him mentioning you. Are you in town for a visit, or do you live around here? Maybe we could get together sometime.”
Finn stretched out a long arm and not so subtly punched his brother in the shoulder, drawing a laugh from Mak because of their antics.
Hudson Blackwell definitely qualified as a professional flirt. Still, her mood sobered when the questions hung in the air between them, and she felt both men waiting for her response. “Actually, I just moved in with Sam. My daughter and I will be staying with him until… I mean, um, for a while,” she altered, not sure how much information Sam had told his neighbor about his health issues or what the future held. As to Hudson’s other question, that one she ignored.
Mak glanced at Finn and saw that he’d caught her blunder about Sam, though. His forest-green gaze assessed her in a way he hadn’t been before but she forced a smile for them both and shoved her hands into the back pockets of her shorts. “I should get back before Emi wakes up from her nap. I just wanted to drop those off and apologize.”
“Wait, don’t go yet,” Hudson said. “Apologize for what? Come on, you can’t leave me hanging. You have to tell me. Big brother here is as stoic as they come, and I need details.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes at the teasing and bit back a grimace at Finn’s disgruntled scowl. Reminded of his embarrassment last night, she’d leave the explaining to as much or little as Finn wanted to tell. To Hudson she said, “Have a good day, gentlemen.”
Mak walked away on shaky legs because she was not the type to be so talkative with men, especially two she didn’t know well—or at all. But she felt heartsick for Finn and his embarrassment, and it made her feel good to think that he could torture his younger brother by keeping his silence if he so chose.
She’d just made it to her car and was fumbling to find the fob in her pocket when a hand gently touched her upper arm.
She sucked in a breath and turned, stumbling over her own feet and into the side of her vehicle. Finn’s gaze narrowed at her clumsy response, but he quickly took a step back.
Mak released an uncomfortable laugh and lifted a hand to her neck as though it might slow her racing pulse. “Sorry. I— You’re very quiet. I didn’t hear you approach.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgement of her words, but his gaze didn’t lose the hint of suspicion at her physical response. Her unease and awkwardness didn’t help matters. She was sure of that. “Did you need something?”
His nostrils flared as he inhaled and parted his full lips.
“Th-thanks.”
She beamed at him, unable to stop the smile if her life depended on it. “It’s no problem. I know how siblings can be.” She had a brother stationed in Alaska. She hadn’t seen him for several years, but she totally remembered the way Seb teased her growing up.
Standing this close, Mak realized Finn towered over her. Barely squeaking by at five-two, she guessed him to be several inches over six feet. It strained her neck a bit to stare up at him, but she held his gaze and didn’t look away.
She figured enough people wouldn’t make eye contact because they were uncomfortable with his issue. She refused to be one of them. “Enjoy the treats. I should go in case Emi wakes up.”
Her fingers found the key fob, and she slid inside. Finn waited as she started the car and backed up, and she managed another smile and awkward wave as she left.
A glance in her rearview revealed him still standing there, watching as she drove away.
She exhaled with a whoosh and gripped the wheel tight as she forged through the line of trees toward the highway. The image of Finn burned into her brain as the oh-so-sexy cowboy from one of her favorite romance novels. She’d have to reread it as soon as possible, but only because she now had a face to put with the quiet cowboy depicted among the pages.
Finn’s speech issue isolated him. That much was obvious. And maybe she had things totally wrong, but she couldn’t help but think Finn surrounding himself with animals and doing what he did for a living was Finn’s way of coping.
After all, animals didn’t care if you spoke to them so long as you cared for them. And maybe he talked to them because they didn’t judge.
She paused at the end of the road to wait for a break in traffic and frowned, her thoughts running wild.
Finn had his animals. She had her baking. They used different strategies to cope with things that bothered them. But would either of those outlets ever be enough to move beyond the issues that plagued them?