Chapter 17

You went out last night? I thought I told you not to!” Laurie dragged her brother down the muddy trail on the pretense of retrieving her sweater, leaving Daniel and Amelia waiting on the lakeshore.

“And since when do I answer to you?” He leaned against Daniel’s Buick.

“You promised.” Her throat ached from swallowing so hard. She wanted nothing more than to dig her hands into Johnny’s shirtsleeves and shake some sense into the man.

“I did no such thing. I said I wouldn’t go to Crescent Beach.”

She stopped and caught her breath. “Then, how—”

He grinned. “We landed at Freshwater Bay. It’s a nicer cove there, really. It’s quiet and closer to town. We may switch permanently, in fact.”

“What about the Coast Guard?”

He tipped the tweed cap back on his head. “Never saw us. They were anchored further west. We just stayed out of their way and no one was the wiser.”

The air leaked from her chest. When she had told Johnny about Samuel’s plans, she assumed he’d see the folly of his ways, not use the information to his own advantage. She grabbed his sleeve. “You need to be straight with me, Johnny. Why are you doing this?”

She could see the emotions playing around the corners of his eyes. He opened his mouth for a brief moment but snapped it shut and turned away. “You don’t need to know, so stop asking. Just trust me.” He paced back toward the lake.

Laurie stood in the middle of the muddy trail, fighting the urge to stamp her feet and wave her fists like a toddler. With a sigh, she followed, walking on the weeds along the side of the trail to avoid the worst of the mud.

As she stepped out into the sunshine around the lakefront, she spotted Amelia’s blue cloth spread across a damp picnic table near the shore. Laurie hurried to her friend’s side and helped her lay out the food as the two men made appreciative comments.

“It’s Amelia’s doing, mostly. You didn’t give us much preparation time, so you get what you get.” Laurie unwrapped the cornbread.

Daniel grinned. “We’re bachelors, remember? This looks like a royal feast.”

His pleased expression sent an unexpected tingle through Laurie. She shrugged it off. There was nothing wrong with feeding the man—even if he was a common criminal. Gazing around the full table, she had to admit the meal had come together well. Amelia had brought along most of the leftover food from her failed picnic with Johnny the day before—cold fried chicken, potato salad flavored with mustard and crumbled bacon, homemade biscuits, and snickerdoodles. Laurie had stayed up late to prepare some buttery cornbread and her favorite peach apple crisp to add to her sweet pickles and candied carrots.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Daniel seated himself next to Johnny, directly across from her. The food-covered table provided a comfortable barrier between them.

As she and Amelia took their seats, pulling their coats under them to protect their skirts from the damp wood, Daniel reached his hand across the table to her. Her heart jumped until she noticed that he had also reached out to her brother.

“Shall I say grace?” A playful smile toyed at the corner of his lips, his open hand still extended.

She dried her palm against her skirt under the table before lifting it to touch his. His fingers curled around hers, sending shivers down her arm.

Amelia took her other hand and squeezed it. Laurie pressed back, thankful to have her best friend at her side in this awkward moment.

As Daniel bowed his head, Laurie stared at their entwined fingers. His fingers were long and his nails well trimmed—not at all like she pictured a bootlegger’s hands. He’s also a pharmacist—remember? His skin had a slight olive cast and it made his hand look very tan against her fair skin.

She swallowed hard and forced her eyes shut.

“Father, we thank you for the beauty of your creation.” He tightened his grip. “I thank you for good friends and for good food. Please bless both this meal and our time together. We are truly grateful for all your gifts. Amen.”

“Amen,” Laurie whispered.

Daniel held her hand a moment longer than necessary before releasing it. The warmth clung to her fingers as she drew them back to her lap.

Amelia gave her palm two quick squeezes and flashed Laurie a brief, but knowing, smile.

The foursome dug into the food, talking and laugh-ing together as they ate their fill. Laurie marveled at how comfortable it felt to have Daniel along, as if he had always been a part of their circle of friends.

Johnny groaned at the end of the meal. “What is it about eating outdoors that makes everything taste so good?”

Amelia giggled. “Everything always tastes good to you. I’ve never once heard you complain about food.”

“That’s just because you cook so well. I used to complain about Laurie’s cooking all the time.”

“That’s true,” Laurie nodded.

He clutched his midsection. “I think I’m going to have to roll back to the car after that meal.”

“It all tastes mighty fine to me.” Daniel lifted his plate. “I think I need another piece of that fruit crisp. It’s amazing.”

Laurie smiled and dished him up a generous helping. “It’s my Dad’s favorite. My mother used to make it every summer.”

Johnny took another bite. “I remember.”

Everyone fell silent, listening to the sounds of the water lapping against the shore and the birds twittering in the nearby trees. Laurie gazed at the lake, the beauty of the scenery filling her spirit. Lake Sutherland was nestled deep in the evergreens, like a jewel hidden away in a box and only brought out for special occasions. She glanced down at the ring on her finger—a silver ring with a tiny turquoise stone that she had discovered in her mother’s belonging. She should return it to the closet before her father noticed.

“The colors here are so brilliant. They’re almost too intense to believe.” She gestured toward the lake. “It’s like a hand-oiled photograph. Look how the lake reflects the sky. It’s perfect.”

Daniel swallowed his last bite and set down his fork. “You have an artist’s eye, Laurie. How about we take a walk along the shore and you can find a good spot to sketch the lake?”

Laurie glanced at the table. “We should clean up first.”

Amelia hopped up from the bench. “Johnny and I will do that. You two run along.”

Daniel stood. “You heard the lady.”

She hesitated for a moment. “All right. Just a quick sketch, though.”

Johnny snorted. “I’ve heard that one before.”

Amelia swatted him on the shoulder. “I can’t wait to see it when it’s done. Your drawings are always exquisite.”

Laurie retrieved her sketchbook and followed Daniel to the trail that circled the lakeshore. For a time they walked in silence, Laurie’s thoughts and emotions battling for her full attention. She clutched her sketchbook to her middle, half-fearful Daniel might reach for her hand. The memory of his touch lingered, like the ripples on the lake kicked up by the wind. She needed to stand firm. She couldn’t allow her feelings to get away from her.

She pushed aside her unnerving thoughts and hunted around for a safe conversation topic. “There’s no snow after all.”

His lips turned upward in a rueful smile. “Nope. That’s too bad. I guess we’ll have to try again in the fall.”

His words stole any safe thought from her mind. Try again?

“But I like it this way. The sun sparkling off the water, the green of the trees, the birds singing . . . ” He sucked in a deep breath. “It’s how I picture heaven.”

She stared down at her feet. She hadn’t thought much about heaven lately.

“I’m glad you decided to come.” His words were like a gentle touch.

The long grass beside the trail quivered and a garter snake slithered in front of Daniel’s foot. Laurie jumped, grabbing for Daniel’s arm to stop his motion, a tiny squeal bursting from her mouth.

He chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a harmless little snake?”

A barb of irritation stuck in her chest. “I was afraid you might step on it.”

His smile widened. “Uh-huh. Sure.”

She pressed her sketchbook into his hands and took three quick steps off the trail, dug her hands into the grass and came up with the escaping reptile firmly in her grasp, her fingers clutching the slender body directly behind its tiny head. “You think I’m afraid of this little thing?”

Daniel’s eyes widened. “You—you just—”

She lifted it up and looked it straight in its beady eyes. “I’m not afraid of scaly reptiles.” Bending down, she released it back into the grass. “It’s people who act like snakes . . . that’s what scares me.”

As Laurie wiped her hands on her skirt and turned and walked away from him, Daniel felt a seed of wonder growing in the center of his chest. He hurried to catch up. “I’ve never seen a woman pick up a snake.”

“There are a lot of things about me that might surprise you.”

The feeling in his chest kept growing until he thought he was going to burst. This woman had been nothing but surprises since the moment he spotted her on the bluff. “I like surprises.”

She shot him a dirty look. “I don’t. I like people and things that I can count on.”

He stepped around a particularly muddy bit of trail. “Have you found many of those?”

She sighed, adjusting her hat. “I’m afraid not. I guess I’m just doomed to be disappointed by people. Maybe I expect too much.”

The smooth cover of her sketchbook felt good in his fingers. It helped him resist the urge to take her hand as they walked. He wondered what treasures it held in its pages. “Maybe you just need some new people in your life.”

She glanced up at him. Her blue eyes almost matched the tranquil shade of the lake, but they seemed to have taken on a stormy gray cast. “Maybe.”

His heart turned in his chest. He’d accept a ‘maybe.’

She came to a sudden stop, her eyes scanning the lake and her lips parting slightly.

Daniel turned and surveyed the scene. The view didn’t seem much different than that which they had been passing. “What?”

“This is it!” She rose on her tiptoes. “The perfect spot.”

He followed her down to a large rock resting on the lakeshore. She settled onto it and lifted her hand toward him. His breath caught in his chest. He reached for her fingers, but she yanked them away with a frown. “My book, please.”

Heat rushed his face. “Of course.” He pulled it out from under his arm and handed it to her.

She flipped it open, a tiny smirk playing at the corner of her lips. She turned to an empty page and lifted her head to gaze around at the view, pencil hovering over the paper.

He stood back and surveyed the scene: a beautiful woman, open book balanced on her knees, a glorious stretch of lake and trees behind her. She was right—it was the perfect spot. He pulled the hat from his head and enjoyed the sun’s rays, letting it warm his outsides to match the warmth within.

“You probably should have brought a fishing pole or something. Johnny’s right. I might be here awhile.” She gazed up at him from her perch. “If you get bored, you can go back to the others. I’ll understand.”

He shook his head. “I could stay here all day.”

He was rewarded with a smile that once again sent the blood pumping through his veins at a breakneck pace. Admiring her beauty, he watched her sketch for several minutes. “Why draw instead of paint?”

She tapped her pencil on her chin as she stared out across the lake. “I used to paint. But the supplies are too expensive.” She lowered her pencil to the paper. “Pencils are cheap. I like charcoal, too.”

Daniel let his gaze wander around the lake. A scene like this deserved all the colors of God’s creation, and the way she laid it down on the paper, you could almost envision the shades of green, blue, and brown. He wanted nothing more than to watch every stroke of her pencil.

Probably best not to make a pest of myself. He paced the clearing before settling on the end of a half-submerged log. He pulled off his shoes and socks and dipped his feet in the chilly water.

“That’s got to be cold.” Her soft voice hung in the air.

“Invigorating.”

Laurie set her book in her lap and kicked off her shoes. “Turn around, please. I want to slip out of these stockings, but I won’t do it with you staring at me.”

He did as ordered, fearing that if he were to get even a glimpse of her garters, he’d lose all control over his senses. A splash, followed by a whimper, drew his attention. He couldn’t resist turning his head to take in the shocked expression on her face.

She stood in the shallow water. “That’s f-freezing.”

“Yep.”

A pained smile crossed her face. She caught the hem of her skirt with one hand and sent a small spray of icy water his direction with her foot.

“Hey!” He reached down for a handful of water.

“No—my book!”

“You should have thought of that before.” He chuckled, making sure that the droplets fell far short of their mark.

Laurie perched beside him on the log and drew up her knees so only her toes dangled in the water. She tossed her hat into the nearby grass and ran her fingertips through her hair.

Daniel leaned close to get a peek at the sketch resting on her lap. “Beautiful. I like the little cottage you added on the far shore.”

“I didn’t add it, it’s over there.” She pointed.

“Really?” He squinted, the far side of the lake a haze of green vegetation.

She giggled. “Maybe you need spectacles like your grandfather.”

Her laughter melted some of the frost seeping into his feet. “You might be right. I don’t see it.”

“It’s more of a fishing shack than a cottage. It blends with the trees.” She tucked the pencil over her ear. “But I like it better the way I drew it. We’ll just call it artistic license.”

“I like your drawing better, too.” Daniel grinned. “But of course, I can see yours.”

She pulled out the pencil, adding a little extra shading. “I always dreamed of having a cozy little cottage next to a lake.”

Daniel remained motionless, relishing the way her arm bumped his as she added details to the picture’s foreground. “That does sound nice. A little lonely, perhaps, but nice.”

She shot him a sideways glance, a gentle smile on her lips. “I never said I’d be alone.”

Daniel took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the mountain air mixed with a hint of lavender—Laurie’s soap, perhaps? The image of he and Laurie sitting on the porch of a lakeside cottage pulled at his heart. The bones of his feet ached with cold, but he found absolutely no desire to move.

Laurie’s pencil scratched against the paper, adding them into the picture. In the sketch, she leaned back against his shoulder, one of her legs stretched out the length of the log.

“That’s nice.”

“Just some more artistic license.”

He nodded and turned his gaze to the water, still scanning the distant shore for the fishing shack and relaxing to the sound of her pencil gliding against the paper.

After a time, her hand stilled. Daniel held his breath as she scooted closer. He anchored himself so as not to move a muscle.

Laurie leaned against his shoulder. She lifted her toes from the water, the droplets sparkling like diamonds on her skin. Stretching out both legs, she draped them along the sun-warmed log.

Daniel closed his eyes, the tension in his stomach and chest melting. Good thing she’d captured the scene in her sketch. This was one moment he never wanted to slip away.