Chapter Five
Cilla tossed the dead rose head into the small pile she’d made, wishing she could rewind the entire day.
Impulsively kissing Alex earlier had ranked high on her life’s most embarrassing moments.
Having him witness her family squabble was right up there with it.
He seemed destined to witness her at her worst.
Richard might be the one in the two-thousand-dollar suit, but Alex was in command of the situation. It was the way he handled himself.
Who exactly was Alexiares Blackwell and why was he in Redemption? He’d mentioned his father had sent him here but not why. It was none of her business, but she was curious.
She absently noted her hands were shaking.
Needing to be alone, she headed for the one place no one would look for her.
The secret garden had been her favorite place as a child.
As a businesswoman, it was low on her list of priorities.
Like everything else at Ivy House, time had taken a toll on the once-pristine garden.
The path might be overgrown, but she knew the way. She ducked under branches and hurried through the underbrush. An explosion of pink, red, and white roses greeted her. Nature had run wild here, reclaiming most of the area and almost swallowing the gazebo.
She went up the steps of the structure and into the cool interior. A smile played at the corners of her lips. Some might say the gazebo bordered on derelict, but it could be brought back to life. Richard was out of his mind if he thought she would give up this place.
An ominous hissing sound froze her in place.
A copperhead snake slithered toward her.
Startled, she let out a scream and then prayed the sound didn’t provoke the creature to attack.
Moving stealthily, she eased the pruners out of her back pocket, hoping the snake would move on and leave her alone. A bead of sweat rolled down her back.
“Cilla!” She heard Alex calling her name, but her entire attention was on the snake. Then Alex was there. Faster than she believed possible, he grabbed the reptile behind the head and carried it out of the gazebo.
Heart pounding a mile a minute, Cilla took a deep breath and then another. She had no idea where Alex had come from, but he’d swooped in and grabbed the copperhead without hesitation. When he returned, it was without the snake.
“Did it bite you?” Expression grim, he started to reach for her but dropped his hands back down by his sides and ran his gaze over her from head to toe.
“No.” She tucked her makeshift weapon away and rubbed her hands over her arms. She was always careful in the overgrown section of the yard, but she’d been upset and not paying attention.
“It was likely as startled by me as I was by it. I’ve seen snakes before.
” Fine tremors rippled throughout her body.
“Just not that up close and personal.” Usually it was in an open area where she could give the creature enough space for it to leave of its own accord.
“Thank you for the rescue. I should have handled that better.”
“You did the right thing by freezing in place and not being aggressive.”
“And you’re being kind. I’ve never seen anyone move that fast.” He’d been fearless, moving swiftly and decisively. He’d done the same on the road earlier, keeping them from a direct head-on collision.
After everything today, she’d wanted to get back on a professional footing with Alex, not have him find her screaming like a banshee in an isolated, wild part of the property. Sighing, she tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “Why are you here? Did you need something?”
“After escorting Richard from the property, I was heading to the back porch to eat my supper when I heard you scream. What are you doing out here anyway?” Alex looked around the gazebo. “It looks like it hasn’t been touched in years.”
“It hasn’t been a priority, but it’s on my list.” Like a million other things. Pasting a smile on her face, she waved him toward the entrance. “I need to get back to the house, and you should enjoy your meal.”
Hands on his hips, he studied her before giving a curt nod. “You might want to wear boots next time you decide to tackle this area.”
Her shoulders stiffened at the mild criticism. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Why did the men in her life always feel the need to tell her what to do? Her brother and ex-husband excelled at it; her father had, too, when he’d been alive. To be fair to Alex, he did just dispose of a dangerous snake, so she’d cut him some slack.
He exited the gazebo and waited in the overgrown garden, looking right at home in the midst of the wildness. “I tossed the snake over there.” He motioned to the far end. “With any luck, it’ll get the message and find another place to curl up and sleep.”
She shuddered at the memory of the creature slithering out from beneath the overgrown ivy.
It wasn’t something she’d forget anytime soon.
“I hope you’re right.” She glanced at the ground.
He was right about one thing. She was definitely wearing boots next time.
And there would be a next time. Ivy House was her home, her legacy. It fell to her to care for it.
Rather than go ahead, he waited by the overgrown trail and motioned her forward. Arguing would only prolong things and wouldn’t change his mind. Alex was proving to have a stubborn streak as wide as hers.
Ducking, she hurried forward. The brush of every branch felt like a snake. Barely resisting the urge to run, she breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the yard. It needed work but was in much better shape than the hidden gazebo. She’d toiled endlessly to make it that way.
Alex walked beside her, a silent guardian. The rose garden was making her fanciful. The last thing she needed was a guardian. She didn’t need a knight in shining armor, either, although his actions qualified. He’d swooped in twice today to save her.
Clouds rolled over the sun, momentarily casting long shadows in the yard. Shivering, she hurried toward the house. “Your food is getting cold,” she reminded him.
“Looking to get rid of me?”
Yes! “Not at all.” The words were stilted.
“Liar,” he whispered, so close that his breath tickled her ear.
Whirling around, she pointed her finger at him. “While I appreciate you escorting Richard out and handling the snake, contrary to what you might believe, I can manage my own life.”
Rather than put him off or anger him, the corners of his mouth twitched and settled into a warm smile. “I’m beginning to believe there’s nothing you can’t do.”
He really means it.
The genuine compliment melted some of the starch in her spine.
Her confidence had taken a beating during her marriage and directly after.
She’d clawed her way back to the person she used to be, working through the depression, the overwhelming sense of failure and guilt that had plagued her.
It had been a long road, but she was proud of the life she was building.
She was stronger now, forged from the fires of the difficulties she’d overcome.
When they reached the porch, she noted the bag with a familiar logo sitting on the table. “You can use the microwave if your food is cold.” It likely wasn’t too bad considering the heat.
He motioned to the other chair. “Why don’t you join me? Or do you have something else you need to be doing?”
“I need to check on the other guests.” It wasn’t a lie. She had four rooms with paying customers. Mostly she needed time alone to settle herself. She hated confrontation, even when it was necessary.
“Rosa said to let you know she left for the day.”
Cilla nodded. “Thanks for passing on her message. Enjoy your meal.” Her words were stiff, but who could blame her? She hurried inside and gave a sigh of relief when the screen door closed behind her.
After washing up, she checked the bulletin board in the kitchen for any messages Rosa might have left.
When she found none, she headed to the reception desk to check email.
The main entrance opened before she could settle in.
The group of friends who’d rented all four rooms strolled in, laughing and smiling.
“Hey, Cilla.” Rob MacKay was a stockbroker from Asheville. He and his former college buddies were all taking a break from work to enjoy a few days of recreation and relaxation.
“Hey, Rob. Gentlemen.” She smiled at the boisterous group. “Did you have a good day?”
“The best. Hiking this morning and white water rafting this afternoon.” The others gave her smiles and nods and started up the stairs. “Once we get cleaned up, we’re heading out for dinner before we hit up the local nightlife.”
“That would be Smokey’s Bar or Bottom’s Up. Smokey’s will have live music. Bottom’s Up is the place for drinking and pool. They’re at opposite ends of town.”
“We passed Smokey’s in our travels today. That sounds like the right place. If it’s not, we can always try the other.”
“Sounds like fun.” They’d stayed in last night, kicking back in the library and catching up with one another while enjoying local beer and snacking on the charcuterie board they put together from items they’d purchased from the local grocery store.
Some guests liked to spend quiet evenings enjoying conversation in the library or watching a movie in the casual lounge, while others preferred to go out. Most did a combination of both if they stayed more than a night or two.
“We won’t be late. We want to get on the road at a decent hour tomorrow.” With a salute, he headed up the stairs to his room.
Since her guests didn’t need her, she decided it was a good time to eat.
Rosa, bless her, had promised to leave a salad in Cilla’s refrigerator.
She retrieved it, a bottle of water and a fork, and started to take her customary seat at the counter.
She muttered an unladylike curse, one that would have made her grandmother grin before she issued a mild scolding, and headed outside.