17. Elsa
Chapter Seventeen
Elsa
I tipped my head to the side, studying the barn doors.
Jude and Haven had propped the old sign against the side of the barn.
Years back, someone had carved it for their grandparents when they first built this place.
It was stunning to me how someone could take driftwood gathered from the shore and carve it into this beautiful image of a waterfall.
“Are you sure you want me to paint it?” I asked doubtfully.
When I glanced toward the brothers, Haven stood there casually with his thumb hooked in a belt loop.
And, damn, if that man wasn’t the definition of a rugged firefighter outdoorsman.
He wore a faded denim shirt open over a T-shirt.
A strip of his tanned skin was visible where the waistband of his battered pair of jeans tugged down a smidge from the pull on the belt loop.
I doubted the purpose of the T-shirt was meant to be sexy, but on him, it outlined his muscular chest, and his broad shoulders filled it out. The soft-worn fabric invited me to tease my fingers over it.
Jude cleared his throat, and I ripped my eyes away from Haven.
“How ya doing there, Elsa?” Jude teased, a sly glint in his eye.
“I’m fine.” My cheeks were burning up, but I was far enough away that I convinced myself Jude couldn’t tell.
“Of course, we want it painted,” Jude added. “The driftwood is beautiful, but you can’t really tell what it’s supposed to be.”
“It was painted before,” Haven added.
When I briefly flicked my gaze to his, the heat in his eyes practically crackled in the air between us.
I cleared my throat. “Okay, tell me what you want.”
“We trust your artistic judgment,” Jude said, his gaze sober enough that I was pretty sure he was serious.
“Um, okay then. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Dolly!” At the sound of the goat’s name, I glanced over to see Tommy chasing her in the pasture nearby.
A giggle slipped out, and Jude grinned. “All right, you do this. We gotta go help at the rescue program. You coming, Haven?” Jude asked as he began walking away.
Haven stayed in place for a few beats. He shook his head briefly, almost to himself, before tearing his eyes from mine. As they walked away, Haven glanced over his shoulder, and my belly flipped. I was smiling like a goofy, lovestruck girl as I appreciated the view while he walked away.
“Man, oh man,” I said to myself, waving a hand to cool my cheeks.
“They are handsome boys,” a voice said.
I yelped, my palm flying to my chest as I spun around to see Maggie approaching. My cheeks were on fire all over again. I pressed my lips together, trying to think of what to say, and Maggie stopped, her smile warm as she studied me.
“Oh, don’t worry. I know you’re only crushing on Haven, and he’s crushing on you, so I’m all for it. He’s in a better mood with you here.”
“He is?” My voice lilted up.
She nodded. “He is. How’s your mom, by the way?”
“I think she’s good. We talk every week. She knows how much I missed Alaska, but...” I paused, gathering my thoughts. “She says she doesn’t want to come back to stay.”
“Well, your mom did the off-the-grid lifestyle because of your dad. Alaska’s kind of a magnet for that, but it’s not too enjoyable if it’s hardcore.
” Maggie shook her head a little. “The sad part is, most people in Alaska are self-sufficient, but there’s a subset of people where it gets weird.
I imagine that taints your mom’s memories of this place. ”
I burst out laughing. “That’s one way to put it.” I shrugged. “I’m hoping I can persuade her to visit soon, but I don’t think she’ll ever want to live here, though.”
“I understand. You make sure she knows she’s always welcome at Heartfire Falls. We’re looking fancy these days. She might love it here.” Maggie’s smile was encouraging.
“She might.”
“Honey, I’m glad you’re here.” Maggie’s eyes shone with tears when she reached for my hands and squeezed them.
“I’m glad to be here too. Are you okay?”
She rolled her eyes as she released my hands.
“I’m fine, honey. You coming back is like a burst of sunlight in our world.
We needed this. I’ve been so caught up in”—she circled her hand in the air— “the wildfire that burned through here, the world, rebuilding, all this. It’s just nice to have somebody here with us who knows what we’ve been through, but it’s different. It’s fresh.”
“I’m really grateful to be here. Thank you for being so welcoming.”
She patted me on the shoulder. “Use your imagination when you’re painting that sign. That’s what they said.”
“You all have a lot of faith in me,” I said dryly.
She grinned. “We do.”
I spent the afternoon carefully painting the driftwood sign. When I was done, I cleaned up in the utility sink inside the barn before returning outside, hands on my hips as I studied the finished product.
“It looks amazing.” Haven’s voice came from behind me, its low rumble sending a shiver of heat through me and goose bumps rising on my skin.
I spun around to find him approaching. “You think?” I was nervous because I wasn’t an artist. I just liked to have fun with paint sometimes. All this to say, I was satisfied with the result. I just hoped the Silver family would love it.
“I know it looks amazing,” Haven said as he stopped in front of me. His presence this close was like a force field, his strength and heat vibrating around me.
For a split second, I thought he was going to kiss me. His blue eyes flashed and heat pooled in my belly. I swallowed as I stared up at him.
“Thank you for doing this,” he said.
My mind had gone blank, and I didn’t even know what he was thanking me for. The haze in my brain was cleared with another voice.
“Whoa!” Tommy exclaimed. “It’s a waterfall!”
Haven and I turned together to see Tommy approaching with two goats following.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
Tommy stopped, clasping his hands together in front of him, appearing quite serious. “Yes,” he announced with a nod. “You did that?”
“I did. It was kind of fun. I’m glad you like it.”
He grinned. “Wow, it feels like this is really happening.”
“What’s really happening?” Haven asked as he ruffled Tommy’s hair affectionately.
“We’re opening, right? Soon?” Tommy rubbed his hands together in excitement. “Do I get to lead some of the hikes?”
The love in Haven’s eyes as he looked down at Tommy turned my heart soft.
“You can come with us sometimes, but you’ll be at school most of the time,” Haven pointed out.
“What about summer?” Tommy threw his hands up.
“That’s when you can come with us,” Haven added.
Tommy looked a little let down at this. He scrunched his nose as he peered up at his father. “Didn’t you guys lead hikes when you were kids?”
“Our dad was always there, or our granddad, so that’s how you’ll do it.”
“So I can go in front?”
Haven’s lips curled in a soft smile. “Yes, you can go in front. When you’re not at school.”
Tommy beamed before lifting his gaze back up to the waterfall sign. I’d painted it blue mixed with shades of gold and a little orange—just how it looked when the sun struck the water as it fell. Hence its official name, Heartfire Falls Resort.
“Thanks, Elsa,” Tommy said.
I glanced down at him. “For what?”
He rolled his eyes, throwing his hands out toward the sign. “That. It’s pretty, and it’s fun for me.” Without another word, Tommy spun around. “I have to take the goats back.” With a wave, he was off.
“Be on time for dinner,” Haven called to his departing back.