Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
TIMBER
I’m in the kitchen, prepping for the potluck and making a batch of my special potato salad with capers and bacon. Hailey is upstairs gathering her toys, giving us a rare moment together alone. The kitchen is a whirlwind of activity, but in our little corner, time seems to slow down. Kane expertly chops the cooked potatoes while I cook the bacon, our movements synchronized in a comfortable rhythm.
“So, capers in potato salad, huh?” he asks, leaning in a little closer, his voice low and sexy.
Who thought cooking could be so damn hot, but that voice and his nearness is absolute foreplay.
“It’s a game-changer,” I say. The truth is, he’s the game-changer. I never thought I’d have these feelings about anyone again. Hell, I don’t even think I felt this strongly about my ex. What’s harder is knowing he’s feeling the same way and not being able to act on anything because we are almost never alone except for late in the night when we’re too exhausted to do anything about it.
We continue working, the air between us thick and simmering with sexual tension. Every brush of our hands, every shared glance, builds a quiet, growing need to be together—alone. When Kane laughs, it’s a sound that cuts through the noise, making my pulse race.
“Alright, taste test,” I say, holding out a spoonful, my fingers grazing his.
He takes a bite, his eyes widening. “Okay, you were right. This is amazing.”
“I told you.”
Hailey bounds down the stairs, her arms full of toys. “I’m ready!” she announces. It’s been so long since their community gathered, and they have so much to celebrate. Kane’s dad and his brother-in-law Matt are home, and little Cody is the newest resident to welcome.
We race around the kitchen gathering everything we need and head out. The drive is short, but the anticipation makes it seem so much longer.
As we arrive, I see Kane’s father and brothers have taken charge of the makeshift barbecue—a rustic contraption fashioned from a halved metal barrel and a grate. The air is thick with the aroma of sizzling hot dogs and burgers, a scent that speaks to a feast.
Inside, the residents have outdone themselves, the tables groaning under the weight of heaping bowls of potato salad, baked beans, and plates piled high with fresh berry tarts and other sweets. Why they haven’t gathered in years baffles me. It’s obvious they enjoy each other’s company. It just shows me that people can make time for anything they want if it’s important enough, and community is important. But now, as I observe the day unfolding before me, I experience a sense of accomplishment. All this took was an idea, a few handmade flyers, and May’s enticement of free hotdogs and hamburgers. This event brings everyone together, which not only helps strengthen the community, but also helps me.
I weave through the crowd, scanning each face for a hint of familiarity. Today, I'm more than just a potluck participant. I'm searching for a connection to my past. Looking for features like mine. Blonde hair, blue eyes—anything that might lead me to my father.
I move closer to a group of elderly townspeople standing in a circle, their faces etched with deep lines and wise eyes, each wrinkle carrying the town's history. Gathering a surge of courage, I clear my throat and step into their collective gaze. "Excuse me," I say, then introduce myself. "I'm Timber." My voice carries a certainty I lack inside. "I'm looking for someone who might have passed through here. Has anyone ever come across a woman named Aspen Moore?
Just then, Kane walks over, his presence momentarily drawing my attention. Our eyes meet, and a spark ignites between us. He leans in, his lips brushing against my cheek in a familiar, comforting way. “I’m going to join my father and brothers outside,” he says.
As he pulls away, the sensation of his touch lingers, and I wish he was kissing my lips instead of my cheek. Turning back to the group, one of the elderly men steps forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looks at me. “Aspen Moore, you say? That name doesn’t sound like it belongs to anyone from around here,” he says with a shake of his head. “What’s your relationship to her?”
“She was my mother.” A stir of emotions wells in me as I speak her name out loud. “She passed away, and I realized I know very little about where she came from.”
The man’s expression changes, his earlier curiosity shifting to sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that, young lady. Everyone should know their family history. It’s tough not knowing, isn’t it?” He looks around at his companions, hoping perhaps for a spark of recognition, but there’s none. He points to a lady across the room. “Ask Rose Whitaker over yonder.”
With a nod, I thank the group for their time and continue on my journey. My path takes me through a maze of festively adorned tables toward a woman meticulously placing the final touches on a spread of desserts arrayed on a side table. On the way, I almost bump into Theresa, Tommy’s mom.
“Oh, Timber!” Theresa exclaims with a warm smile. “I was just about to look for you. I wanted to let you know that Tommy won’t be here all next week. We’re visiting family in Oregon.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for letting me know,” I reply, trying to keep my disappointment at not having him in class for a whole week hidden. “I hope you have a great trip.” She waves down a friend from across the room and I continue on my quest .
“Mrs. Whitaker?” I interrupt, and she turns, her face lighting up.
“You must be Timber.”
“I am. It’s nice meeting you.”
“This is a good thing you did.”
I look around and see everyone enjoying themselves.
“It’s wonderful so many people showed up.”
She looks around. “Practically the entire town.”
I hesitate, then plunge forward. "I was wondering if you've ever heard of someone named Aspen Moore. She was my mother and recently passed. I'm trying to learn more about her past and think she may have spent some time here."
Mrs. Whitaker pauses, her eyes narrowing as she searches her memory. “Aspen Moore ... The name doesn’t ring a bell, I’m afraid. Did she grow up here?”
“I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure,” I admit. “There’s so much I don’t know.” That was the truth. My mother didn’t share much, and she didn’t dwell on things. I remember once getting an F on a test. She told me that the F didn’t have to move forward with me. It was yesterday’s F, and it wouldn’t matter to tomorrow’s A. I could leave it behind and never mention it again.
Mrs. Whitaker gives my hand a comforting squeeze. “Have a chat with May,” she suggests. “She’s the one who greets everyone at the café. If anyone knows anything, it’ll be her.”
I depart from her, experiencing a tightness that constricts my chest. The memory of May’s previous words comes back to me. Despite her intricate knowledge of everyone’s comings and goings, she too had no recollection of my mother. I’ve once again hit a dead end.
Drawn almost magnetically, my steps guide me toward Kane, seeking comfort in his familiar presence.
As I approach, he’s flipping burgers and laughing with his father. It’s wonderful to see. Just watching him, the steady calm of his movements, lifts the heaviness inside me. It’s strange how his presence can do that. How he can give me a sense of stability when everything else seems to slip away.
Maybe Mom was onto something with her live-in-the-present philosophy. As much as I crave answers about her past, perhaps it’s time to focus on the here and now. For a moment, I let go of the questions and uncertainties, allowing myself to be present, just as she would have wanted.
I rest against the trunk of a nearby tree. A quiet realization dawns on me, sparking a thought—perhaps my journey here wasn’t for the reasons I imagined. Could it be the universe guided me to this place not to find my father, but to cross paths with Kane? This thought, both surprising and sweet, makes me smile.
Kane looks up, his eyes finding mine. “Hey,” he says, as he reaches out to draw me closer. “Did you talk to Lucas’s parents?”
“No, what’s up?”
“He won’t be in class next week. They’re taking him on the boat.”
“Weird, because Tommy is gone too. ”
“Really?” He smiles. “That means it’s just you, me, and Hailey.”
“Yes, that’s awesome.”
He winks. “A week without early mornings. You know that means we might have more energy at night.”
I know exactly what he’s thinking and a sliver of anticipation threads through me and lands heavy and aching in my core.
Seconds later, Hailey runs past me and says, "You're it." Kane and I get caught up in a game of tag that takes us down the path and into the woods. Hailey's joyful giggles blend with the rustling leaves and distant bird calls, creating a moment of pure, carefree joy.
After three “you’re its,” the game winds down. Hailey clings to my leg, her small face flushed with the exertion. “You’re fast, Timber!” she says, a grin spreading across her face.
“Not as fast as you,” I say, ruffling her hair. She beams up at me before dashing off toward the community center.
Alone, Kane pulls me into the trees and kisses me. It’s not the type of kiss you share in public. This is a bedroom kiss. The kind that happens before clothes fall to the floor. It’s nothing like the brief, chaste pecks we’ve shared this week in between impromptu family visits that lasted way into the night. It’s deep and consuming, a searing connection that sends a shockwave of heat through my entire body. His lips move against mine with a passion that whips up a storm of emotions inside me.
His taste is intoxicating—a sweet trace of soda lingering from his last drink, mingled with the essence of barbecue smoke—distinctly Kane, hauntingly familiar, and utterly appealing.
My skin tingles where his fingertips brush against it, tracing small, electric paths down the side of my arm and back up to cradle my face. I lean into his touch, my own hands finding the solid muscle of his shoulders, gripping them for support as my knees weaken with the intensity of our embrace.
The world narrows down to the space where our bodies meet. The soft rustle of leaves above us and the distant sounds of the community center fade away, leaving only the sound of our synchronized breathing. Time seems to stretch and condense all at once, every second elongated and filled with the awareness of his presence.
As our lips part, I gasp for air, my chest knocking against my ribs as if it’s fighting for escape. Kane presses his forehead against mine, his breathing ragged, his voice husky. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he says.
The grin that spreads across my face seems as wide as the sky above. “Me too,” I whisper back, my voice steady despite the thundering of my pulse.
In that secluded spot behind the trees, with Hailey’s joyful shouts just a whisper on the wind, I realize that no matter what I came here searching for, what I found is something far more profound. As we step back into the sunlight, our fingers intertwined, ready to face the world again, I know that this moment, this kiss, is just the beginning of something new and utterly exhilarating .
After another hour of talking and visiting and ogling over Cody, Kane and I gather the leftover food and pack up the unused supplies. The community center slowly empties, the atmosphere shifting to a quieter, more reflective mood.
Kane glances at me. “Did you have fun? Was it everything you expected?”
How was I supposed to explain that in many ways it was more than I could have imagined, and in some ways, it fell short of what I hoped. Kane is so suspicious of outsiders and their motives. While I didn’t come here to fall for him, I did. How will he feel when I tell him the truth? That it wasn’t just the job that brought me here. I stare at him for a moment and realize the easiest way to come clean is to tell him everything.
"You should know I didn’t come here just for the teaching job," I say. "When I was going through my mom’s things, I found a postcard. It wasn’t just any postcard—it was one from Port Promise. The exact one in your brother’s store, the one of the dock. There was a heartfelt inscription on it, written with such tenderness that I could only imagine it was from someone who loved her deeply." I pause, but Kane stays quiet, so I continue. "I hoped, maybe even believed, that it was from my father, whom I’ve never met. I would’ve come for the job anyway, but I was hoping to find some family too. After my mom passed, I had no one left. Imagine being the last of your family."
His jaw tightens, and his shoulders tense. “I can’t imagine,” he whispers .
"When researching the town, the job listing appeared, almost like a sign, as if a higher power was guiding me here." A small sigh escapes. "Asking everyone about Aspen Moore led to no answers. The hope was that someone who knew my mom might know my father. Not finding him is disappointing, but spending the day here with you and Hailey offered some much-needed perspective."
“And what’s that?”
“That the universe put me exactly where I need to be, even if I never find my father.”
Kane’s brows furrow, a shadow of hurt crossing his face. “All those nights we talked, and you never said a word.”
I swallow hard, a pang of guilt catching in my throat. “Those nights were about us, Kane. I refused to taint them with my unresolved past. Besides, I was caught up in your stories, and the way you painted this place with your words. I didn’t want to interrupt that.”
He shifts slightly. “I was just filling in the blanks, telling you about the town. You could have told me anything.”
“I wanted to,” I admit, my voice trembling. “But every time I tried, I felt this ... hesitation. Like if I started looking for answers, I’d lose the magic of what we were building. I didn’t want to risk that.”
Kane steps closer, his eyes searching mine. “Do you think finding your father will change anything between us?”
“I don’t think so,” I whisper. “I just know that after my mom passed, I felt lost. When I found that postcard, it gave me hope. Coming here, meeting you, it’s been more than I could have dreamed. But I also felt this void, this need to know where I come from.”
“We all have our voids to fill,” he says. “But you don’t have to do it alone. You should’ve trusted me.”
“I do trust you, Kane. More than anyone. That’s why I’m telling you now. I’m sorry I kept it from you.”
Kane reaches out, taking my hand in his. “Whatever reasons brought you here, I’m glad you came.”
His words, simple and sincere, give me a squeeze of emotion. I’m glad he knows because now there’s nothing coming between us. As we finish tidying up, certainty settles in my chest. Here, with new friends, potential family, and a community that’s slowly becoming my own, I’m learning that sometimes, the universe doesn’t just send us on a journey. It brings us to a place that could very well be home.
The hum of the ATV lulls Hailey into a deep sleep in the back seat. I glance at her before my eyes shift to Kane. “She's out cold,” I say.
He nods, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Yeah, she’s had a long day.”
Silence settles between us.
As we pull into the driveway, he cuts the engine, and the sudden stillness makes his next words seem even more significant. “Timber, we both know where this is leading if we ever catch a moment alone.”
My breath hitches, and I turn to face him, my eyes searching his. “Is this the right time to talk about it?”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “It needs to be said. If we continue to go forward, I’ll need to plan. All I’ve got is an old box of condoms and a huge amount of desire.”
A blush creeps up my cheeks, but I meet his gaze steadily. “Kane, I can’t get pregnant. And it’s been a long time for me too.”
He looks at me. “I don't want to mess this up because we didn’t think things through.”
Before I can respond, a small noise comes from the back seat. Hailey stirs, mumbling something in her sleep. The moment is lost, and we both turn to look at her.
Kane sighs, his shoulders relaxing. “Guess that’s our cue.”
We share a look, that says there are more conversations and moments to come. For now, we unbuckle Hailey and carry her inside.