He took her hand, letting his eyes rove blatantly up and down her body. “Laura Bailey. As I live and breathe. ”
She tugged her hand away. “Easy, sailor. I’m not that cheap. ”
He barked a laugh. “You haven’t changed one bit. ” He leaned in to buss her on the cheek. “Seriously, it’s awesome to see you. I’m so happy we could make this work out. ”
“You’re happy? I couldn’t believe when I saw your name. ” After planning had begun in earnest, she’d been shocked when, cc’ed on an e-mail message, one of the names had popped from the rest. “How’s life in Smell-Ay?”
“You Northern California types are such snobs. ” He shook his head in mock dismay. “Watch it, or I won’t share any of my celebrity gossip. ”
“You’ve got gossip?” She motioned zipping her lips. “I will not be denied. ”
Bear appeared, walking from the lodge to the tavern. “You going to make the man sleep out here?”
She and Dan shared an amused look. “Meet my dear father. ”
Her dad simply grunted and continued his way into the tavern.
Sweeping an arm toward the porch, she added in a mockingly formal tone, “Mister Daniel Harper, would you like to come in?”
“As long as I don’t have to sit down. ” He rubbed his lower back. “The drive was fine till I hit the mountains. Thirty miles an hour of this. ” His hand snaked through the air, gesturing the twists and turns. “Good thing I don’t get carsick. ” When a woman emerged from the passenger van, looking rumpled and slightly green, he added, “Unlike Kat, here. ”
She gave the woman a sympathetic look. “The drive is pretty, but it can be winding. ”
“Can be?” Kat raked a hand through her spiky black hair and croaked, “Is there a place I can lie down?”
Sorrow had been watching from the porch and, seeing she was needed, jogged down the stairs. “I’ll show her a room. ”
“Can’t Hope show her?” Laura did a quick scan through the tavern windows for their new employee. “I thought she was going to be waiting tables for you. Isn’t that why tonight’s special is lasagna—anyone can serve it up?”
Hope might’ve proved knowledgeable about environmental issues, but when it came to actual helpfulness, so far she was pulling a goose egg.
Sorrow hedged. “Well…I told her…”
“And you were headed out tonight. You can’t take two hours off?” Laura gave her a stare down. She couldn’t take time off, but at least her sister could. Sorrow had been working so hard, as if she’d sensed just how important this all was to Laura, and she wanted to reward her sister with some downtime. “I thought you had plans with Billy. ”
“We did. We do. But Hope was nervous about going it alone, especially with all the new guests. Speaking of which…” They both glanced at Kat, looking green and wobbly.
“You go,” Laura said. “Get the woman a bed and some ginger ale. ”
Dan put a casual arm around her shoulders. “I’m hoping you have something a little stronger for the rest of us. ”
“Right this way. ”
“Wait a sec. ” He stopped and, with a concerned glance back at the locked van, asked, “Will our gear be okay out here?”
“What?” It took her a moment to get what he was saying. “Ohh. Danny, this is Sierra Falls. The only thing that’ll break into your van is a raccoon, or a bear maybe. ”
Worry flashed across his face, and Laura had to laugh. She’d always thought he was cute—they’d even had a couple of dates back in the day—but in his funky black-framed glasses and pretend-vintage concert T-shirt, he was more metrosexual than manly-sexual. She’d become so accustomed to the brawny mountain men that the cool LA club vibe just looked helpless. Almost comically out of place. Dan had a sharp wit, but she doubted he’d know what to do if faced with anything baring sharp teeth.
Oddly, it gave her a stab of affection for him…for all of them. It made her realize that she’d made the right decision coming home, but also just how much she’d missed her city friends. She leaned in for another hug. “It’s so great to see you. ”
Gravel crunched as another vehicle pulled into the drive—a red pickup. Even through the windshield, she could discern the grim set to the driver’s jaw.
Eddie and his impeccable timing.
Just like his timing with that stupid tree. He’d thought he could seduce her by showing her a couple of stupid birds’ nests. And damn the man, he almost had. He’d taken her hand, and she’d felt his touch like a pulse of electricity. She’d been too shocked to pull away, too curious to see if the feeling faded, if it’d just been surprise—not attraction—that’d surged through her. But that warmth had intensified. The sweep of his hands down her arms had left her weak, hot and shivery both. No, it’d definitely, unfortunately, been attraction she’d felt.
And now he was showing up, here. Just when she was hitting her stride. He pulled in right next to where they were standing. Total Neanderthal move.