Chapter 15

Wh-what are you doing here?” The woman’s pasty-white complexion caused a lump to form in Daniel’s throat.

Daniel pasted on a smile. “Miss Burke, it’s good to see you again so soon. I’m just making a delivery. You rushed off so quickly this afternoon, you didn’t pick up your prescription.” He gestured toward the door. “I thought your father might be in need of it.”

Ray Burke stood watching, framed in the doorway.

“You can go now.” She pushed through the gate and held it for him.

Laurie”—her father stepped out onto the porch—“what are you being so rude for? Mr. Shepherd drove all this way to deliver my medicine and threw in something extra for you, too.”

“Something extra?” Her eyes locked on Daniel. “I thought I said . . . ” She glanced up at her father, her words faltering. She looked back at Daniel. “I apologize, Mr. Shepherd. It’s been a long day. I must have left my manners back at the switchboard office.” She cleared her throat. “Thank you for the delivery, unnecessary though it was. I planned on returning in the morning.”

Daniel felt his temperature rising. Was there no way to impress this woman? He stepped past her through the gate. Turning, he lowered his voice for her ears. “Well, if you do decide to still come to town in the morning, you’ll be pleased to know that I have the day off. I’m going to do a little fishing.”

She raised a brow. “Is that what they call it now?”

Ray Burke left the porch and came toward them. “Laurie was just gonna warm up some stew for supper. There’s plenty, if you’d like to join us, Mr. Shepherd.”

Laurie gasped, her hand fluttering to her chest. “Dad, I’m sure Mr. Shepherd has better things to do.”

Her father turned toward him. “Do you?”

Laurie’s blue eyes rounded, her lips drawing back from even, white teeth.

For a moment he considered walking away, just to ease her apprehension. He steeled himself. “No, I really don’t have anything else to do. Thank you, Mr. Burke. I’d be honored.”

No, no, no, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. Laurie followed her father and Daniel Shepherd through the front door into their dilapidated house. She hadn’t even invited Amelia over in the past four years, always finding some excuse to meet her elsewhere. She didn’t want anyone in her house—or close to her father.

And Daniel Shepherd, of all people?

She glanced around their bare walls, seeing cobwebs she’d left undisturbed and the afghan lying crumpled on the floor next to her father’s chair. A stack of papers, including her sketchbook, cluttered the kitchen table and the breakfast dishes still soaked in the sink. Her stomach churned.

She pushed past the two men and retrieved the blanket from the floor, shaking it gently and draping it across the back of the sofa. “Please, sit down, Mr. Shepherd.”

“Only if you call me Daniel.” He smiled, a dimple showing in his left cheek.

For a brief moment, she was back on that windswept bluff. That smile could make a girl forget the man was a rumrunner.

She nodded. “Laurie. You can call me Laurie.”

Her father sank into his chair with a grunt. “I’m Ray. As I said before, I never liked being called ‘Mister’ anything. Never took much to those kinds of manners. We’re plain, simple folk, Daniel. That’s how the Good Lord made us and that’s how we’re going to stay.”

Laurie’s gaze swept across the untidy kitchen. Simple is right. That’s exactly how we must look, too.

The springs of the sofa squeaked as Daniel sat down. He and Dad chatted while she gathered her sketchbook and the other papers from the table and moved them to a nearby footstool. After setting the stew to bubbling on the stove, Laurie snatched up a dishcloth and made quick work of the tabletop and counter.

She retrieved the bread from the breadbox and popped it into the oven to warm. Opening the cupboard, Laurie frowned at the odd collection of mismatched plates and bowls. She located three that almost matched and arranged them on the table. Pulling open the bottom drawer, she considered their stash of stained napkins, digging to the back for the ones her mother had reserved for special occasions. They hadn’t strayed from the drawer for years—not since Laurie last used them as tablecloths for her dolls.

Laurie’s attention kept darting back to her father, bitterness simmering in her stomach like the stew on the stovetop. He appeared comfortable and relaxed, chuckling at something their guest said. She ran a hand over the waves in her hair, wishing she had time to go to her room and check them.

Instead, she turned back to the pot. The stew bubbled merrily, filling the small kitchen with a rich fragrance. She wetted a second dishcloth and discreetly pressed it against her face and neck to calm her frazzled nerves.

By the time she finally called the men to dinner, she had filled the table with good food. Besides the stew and bread, she had butter and some of Mrs. White’s homemade jam and applesauce, candied carrots, and salad greens from the garden. She silently thanked Amelia for sending home half of the strawberry pie from her failed picnic with Johnny.

As Daniel walked toward the table, he stopped and stared at the footstool where her sketchbook still lay open to the drawing of the bluff over Crescent Beach. He glanced at Laurie with questions in his eyes.

Dad noticed his interest. “Laurie’s quite an artist, isn’t she? She must have picked that up from her mother. She certainly didn’t get it from me.” He pulled out his chair and waited as Daniel joined them.

The two men set down while Laurie added the last dishes to the table. She slipped into her seat just as her father bowed his head.

“For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen.”

“Amen,” Laurie and Daniel echoed softly, in unison.

She looked up at Daniel, his smile warming her heart for a brief moment before she pulled her eyes away.

Laurie ladled the stew into bowls and passed them around the table.

Daniel leaned over his bowl and took a deep whiff. “This smells amazing. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Don’t wait, man. Dig in.” Her father buttered his bread and took a big mouthful.

Daniel lifted his spoon, taking a small sip of the stew, a smile spreading across his face. “Wonderful.”

Laurie’s heart quickened, her cheeks warming. Her stomach had been growling on the walk home, but now it took all her strength to manage a small sip of iced tea.

Her father dipped his bread into the stew, wiping it along the lip of the bowl before bringing it up to his mouth. “My girl’s a good cook, isn’t she?”

“Yes, sir. The stew is delicious.”

“So, you’re helping Miles with the store?”

Daniel nodded. “I used to work for him back in high school, but I left for the University and haven’t been back much since.”

Laurie spun the spoon around the bowl, watching the carrots pirouette in the dark broth. “What brings you back?”

“I hadn’t really planned on coming back. I was working at a pharmacy in Seattle. But when I got Granddad’s letter . . . ” A tiny crease formed between his brows. “I knew I couldn’t just tell him, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’ I owe him so much. My mother and I came to live with him and Gran after my father died. If it weren’t for them . . . ” Daniel shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure where I’d be now.”

Her father helped himself to a second slice of bread. “Families got to stick together. That’s what folks up here do. We look out for each other. Right, Laurie?”

Laurie choked down a mouthful of stew, her fingers wringing the napkin hidden in her lap.

“Even though I hadn’t planned on coming back to Port Angeles, I’m enjoying it more than I did as a boy.” His eyes met Laurie’s. “I didn’t appreciate its beauty back then.” Daniel’s words hung in the air like the steam drifting from the stewpot.

Her gaze lingered on his chin—clean-shaven, but still a hint of shadow along the jaw. Her fingers itched for a pencil. And the dimples. She hadn’t seen them since the night on the bluff.

“It is beautiful, that’s a certainty. Though I don’t get out to see it as much as I used to.” Dad rubbed his hand through his thinning hair. “I used to take the kids fishing and hunting, back when they were little tykes. But they’re too busy for that sort of stuff now, I suppose. It’s a shame really.”

Laurie pushed away the troubling sensation that she was listening to someone else’s father.

Daniel wiped his chin with the napkin. “I was thinking of heading out for Lake Sutherland tomorrow. I haven’t seen it in years.”

Laurie set her spoon back into her bowl. “Hasn’t it been a little cold the last few days for that? There could even be snow up there.”

Daniel’s eyes gleamed. “I was kind of hoping there would be. I thought it would be fun to see it all frosty and white.”

Her father bobbed his head. “It’s nice in the snow, but the road’ll be muddy. You shouldn’t go by yourself.”

Daniel’s eyebrows rose. “Maybe you two would like to join me?”

Laurie’s heart caught in her chest. “No, we couldn’t possibly. Dad works at the mill, tomorrow.”

Dad grunted. “Yeah, too bad.” He chewed his mouthful of bread and gave the napkin a sideways glance before mopping his face with it. “But, Laurie’s probably free.”

She struggled for breath, a flush climbing her neck. “Daddy—”

Daniel leaned forward. “I’d love it if you could come, Laurie.”

She clenched the napkin between her fingers. “No.”

His face fell. “Are you sure? It’s going to be a lovely day.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

Footsteps on the back porch brought the discussion to an abrupt end. Johnny burst through the door, “Laurie, why’s there a car . . . ” He came to a quick stop, his eyes widening.

“Daniel, what are you doing here?” He crossed the kitchen in a few strides, a rare smile lighting his face.

Laurie sat back in her chair. Why did this man receive such uncommon welcome in her house? First her father and now her brother.

Daniel stood and pumped Johnny’s hand. “I just dropped some prescriptions by, and your father invited me to supper.”

Johnny’s brows lifted. “He did?”

Laurie gathered another plate and bowl. Thankfully, she had only dished herself a half a bowl of the stew, leaving enough for all of the men. She could grab a snack later.

“You two know each other?” Dad cocked his head.

Johnny nodded as he sat down and picked up a spoon. “Daniel and I went to school together, Dad. I was glad to see him back in town. We went fishing together a few days ago.”

Laurie tucked her skirt under her as she sat. So, they do call it fishing.

“Well, that’s perfect,” Dad chuckled. “Daniel here was just looking for company for a trip out to Lake Sutherland tomorrow. Johnny’s got the day off tomorrow, too.”

Johnny reached for a chunk of bread. “Yep. First day off in a while, in fact. I’ve been pulling double shifts the last couple of weeks.”

Laurie set her spoon down, trying not to think about Johnny’s other activities.

Daniel smiled. “I was just trying to talk your sister into coming along. Maybe if you come, she’ll relent and join us.”

Johnny took a bite and chewed. “Sounds like fun. We’ll swing by and pick up Amelia, too. She’s been on me to take her somewhere.”

Laurie sat back in her chair. “Don’t I get a say in this?”

Johnny and her father turned and stared, as if they had just noticed her presence. The corner of Daniel’s mouth turned up in a bemused smile.

I thought Johnny wanted me to stay away from the rumrunners. Then again, she had pestered him to spend more time with Amelia. The dimple in Daniel’s cheek made her heart jump. It’s only one afternoon. What could it hurt?

She dropped her napkin into her lap with a resigned sigh. “Fine.”