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"HEY," HANNAH WHISPERED, sticking her head around the corner to see if he was still sacked out on the sofa. "Are you awake?"
"No. I'm sound asleep. You're sound asleep, too, Hannah. When you wake up, you'll wonder what you ate that made you dream you were here banging things around in my kitchen," Jon grumbled, then opened his eyes and grinned at her. "What are you doing here so early? It's barely even-" He glanced at his watch and his eyes widened. He looked back at Hannah in disbelief. "That can't be right."
"Oh yes it can. It's almost noon, lazybones. And that banging you heard? That was me tripping over a two-by-four lying in front of your stove."
"Why is there a two-by-four in front of my stove?"
"Who knows. Maybe the guys left it there on Sunday. Doesn't matter. The soup and rolls are safe. And..." She tilted her head a little and bit her bottom lip. He felt a warmth in his belly, and knew he'd never seen her look more adorable. Nervous and unsure as she stood there hesitating, he knew he'd say okay to whatever it was she was about to tell him.
"And?"
"And...I have a surprise for you. Get up." As he threw the top of the sleeping bag off, she spun around to face the kitchen and he grinned.
"I'm wearing sweats, Hannah."
"Oh. Well, I'll meet you out there."
"I need to visit the little boy's room first."
"Okay. Hurry up though."
"Will do, ma'am.'
A surprise? Hmm. And she wasn't sure he was going to like it, he thought, stepping into the slippers he kept beside the sofa. As he took care of his morning business, several hours later than normal, he wondered what might be causing the pensive expression on her face but, drying his hands, he figured he was about to find out.
When the surprise was sitting on his kitchen floor, looking up at him, he understood why she'd been a little hesitant.
"Meet Boomer," she said, a stiff smile curving her lips.
"A dog? A dog is my surprise?" he muttered, looking at the black mutt sitting at her feet. Perhaps he'd been a little hasty in thinking he'd agree to whatever she asked.
"He's three years old, and very well behaved." As she began an explanation he figured she'd rehearsed a few times, she reached down to pat the animal on the head. "His previous family had to give him up when they lost their house and had to move to an apartment. He's a mix of just about everything, but black lab is the most predominant breed. The woman at the Humane Society assured me he's fixed and up to date on all his shots. He really is a good dog, Jon. See, look what he can do."
She held out her hand and Boomer obediently placed his paw in her palm. He understood sit, roll over, down, and dance, which apparently meant he would stand on his hind legs for the bacon shaped treat she bribed him with.
"Isn't he great?" she asked, beaming at him. It was clear she was already in love with Boomer.
"I don't mean to offend you, Hannah, but I don't want a dog," Jon said as gently as he could manage, and she'd never know the self-control it took to stop himself from ordering her to take it away. He'd never had a pet, and he'd never intended to get one either.
"It's too late now. I registered him in your name. It says so right on his tags. You're his owner. I brought a cage so you don't have to worry about him getting into things while you're at work. And I picked up dishes for his food and water. I also got a leash, and a lead for you to tie him out in the yard. He'll be good company."
"Hannah," he said, this time a little more firmly. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but this was ridiculous. "I appreciate the thought, but I just don't have time for a dog."
"Sure you do," she said, patting Boomer on the head again, and then walking over to the sink to wash her hands. "Sit down. I'll get you some lunch. It seemed like a good day for some homemade chicken noodle soup. I got the recipe for the rolls online, but I had one before I left and they're really good."
"Why are you doing this?" he wanted to know, sitting at the table as obediently as the dog had done on the floor.
"Because you've been doing more than supervising at the site all week and I didn't want you to have to cook today."
"No. Why Boomer?"
She didn't answer immediately, just removed a couple of bowls and a saucer from the cupboard. After she sat two steaming bowls, and the plate of buttered rolls she'd warmed in the microwave on the table, she sat across from him and picked up her spoon, stirring it around the soup. He waited patiently and she finally looked up at him.
"If you'd had a dog last weekend, the stalker might not have been able to sneak past the bodyguards." When she looked up at him, her eyes were bright and he hoped she wasn't going to cry. He didn't know if he could follow through with his no dog rule if she started crying. "Please, Jon. Just give him a chance. You're the best friend I've ever had. I want you to be safe."
"He's going to need to be taken outside, probably in the middle of the night. And what am I supposed to do with him while I'm at work? I'm at the site twelve hours some days."
"Bring him with you when you know it's going to be a long day. I'll get more food and dishes to keep there for him. I already asked Chris and he said it would be okay to keep him in the office. He's been going home to shower and change before he goes to the hospital anyway."
"You told Chris?"
"Well yeah. I knew we'd have to figure out something to do with Boomer during the week."
"Laughed his butt off, didn't he?" She wouldn't answer, but the pink that colored her cheeks told him all he needed to know. Everyone knew he avoided anything that smacked of permanence, and a dog meant roots.
"We can take him for a walk when we're finished eating."
And that, apparently, was that. He was going to be stuck with a dog he didn't want because Hannah was worried about him. But for some reason, it didn't bother him as much as it should have. In fact, knowing she cared so much almost made the trouble Boomer was bound be worth it.
~~~~~
NO MATTER THAT HANNAH, who was holding the leash, was heading toward the back of the property, Boomer was determined to check out the huge patch of snow, blackened from the explosions, so they wandered over that way and let him sniff around to his heart's content.
"See," Hannah said, smiling down at the mutt. "Look where he wanted to go first, right to the scene of the crime. I told you he'd be good to have around."
"Actually, I think his reasons for coming over here were a little more basic than that," Jon drawled, glancing at the dog – who was currently raising a leg and baptizing a mound of soot covered snow. He watched her face turn beet red and grinned. "Hey, at least he has manners. He could have turned some of the pretty stuff yellow, but nope. He came directly over here, where it wouldn't be noticed."
"Oh be quiet." Tugging on the leash when the dog had finished, Hannah urged him in the direction of the trees. It seemed Boomer was ready to go wherever she led, but then Jon realized he was at the point where he would follow her anywhere she wanted to go, too.
They didn't say much as they made their way through the calf deep snow, just stopped every now and then as the dog found new and interesting things to examine. It was actually pleasant to be out here with her – and his new pet. Sure it was freezing, but the sun was out and the sky was blue, and the woman at his side was happy.
He wasn't sure why, but when the thought came, it seemed like a good idea to just go with it. He let her get a little ahead of him, and then, scooping up a handful of snow and packing it loosely, he lobbed it at her back.
Hannah whirled around, laughing. Her eyes were shining, and her cheeks were red from the cold, and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He watched as she pushed the loop at the end of the leash to encircle her wrist.
"You're in so much trouble, mister," she threatened, reaching down to form her own snowball.
"Ooh, I'm so scared." Making another one as he walked slowly toward her, Jon smiled. For every step he took forward, she took another back. "I thought I was in trouble."
"You are. But you're supposed to run away from me."
"That's never going to happen, so what are you going to do now, Hannah?" he asked softly, picking up his pace a little.
Without warning, she tossed the snowball at him, then turned and started running, her giggles filling the air. Jon laughed, too, and wiping the snow from his face, he ran after her.
"Your aim sucks, Hannah," he told her, coming up behind her and wrapping an arm around her waist. He brought the ball of snow he still held in front of her face.
"Maybe I have perfect aim," she said, twisting around to try and get loose, then bursting into more peals of laughter when she saw the white crystals still on his cheeks.
"So do I." He had no intention of smashing the snow in her face, but apparently she thought he did, and she threw her weight against him, toppling them both to the ground. In one quick move, he had her on her back, pinning her arms beside her head and grinned down at her.
"Now what are you going to do?" he asked.
"Make snow angels?" she suggested, then giggled. "Let me go, Jon."
"Nope. I'm still waiting for the trouble you promised me."
"Well I can't very well pelt you with snowballs lying here like this, can I?"
"That is true. But maybe I don't want to be pelted with snowballs. What else you got?" She appeared to consider her options, then stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed, then leaned down and touched the tip of his cold nose to hers. "Be a good girl and say you're sorry."
"But I'm not. You started it," she murmured, going completely still, her eyes wide as she gazed up at him.
"Then I guess we're going to have to think of a penalty for unfair fighting," he said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"What- What kind of penalty?" He barely heard the question, forgetting all about the game.
~~~~~
MAYBE IT WAS JUST A trick of the light, but Hannah saw something change in his expression, and she knew in that moment she was going to get what she'd been wishing for every day since the night Ed had given her a ride home.
Jon never looked away, his eyes boring into hers, as though he were giving her a chance to say no, that this wasn't what she wanted. But it was exactly what she'd been wanting, and she wouldn't have stopped him for anything in the world. As she waited, breathless with anticipation, she felt an ache deep inside and silently urged him to hurry.
When she finally felt his lips against hers, softly, barely touching, it was every bit as wonderful as it had been the first time, and she could feel her pulse quicken. Sending up a prayer that it would last longer than the first one, she waited, hoping. For what she wasn't sure, but she knew whatever it was, she'd find it with him.
"Breathe, Hannah," he whispered, his warm breath caressing her lips a heartbeat before he covered them again, this time not quite so gentle.
Before she even realized it, her arms were wrapped around his shoulders. He'd somehow worked his under her back, his hands cradling her head as he held her close.
Hannah lost all sense of time and their surroundings. The only thing she was aware of was him. That he tasted faintly of the cola he'd been drinking before they'd come outside, that he smelled of musk and winter, and that she'd never felt anything like this before.
She was vaguely aware of barking in the distance, but it didn't really register. Not with her anyway. Jon, on the other hand, grew still, the pressure of his lips easing until he pulled away. Hannah groaned a little, turning her face toward his, but he was resting his cheek against hers, his quick, shallow breaths creating a steamy fog above them.
"Boomer got away from us," he murmured, raising up so he could look at her. But he didn't make a move to get up, just kept staring at her, his expression somber. "Hannah-"
"If you apologize, Jon Rambo, I swear I'll slug you."
His lips turned up in a hint of a smile, and then he got to his feet, holding his hands out to help her up. Once she was standing beside him, he reached down to pick up her hat, dusting it off against his pant leg.
"Here," he said, handing it to her. "You go inside and get warm, while I go catch my new dog." After a moment's hesitation, he cupped his hand around her neck and pressed his lips against her forehead, then looked down at her and whispered, "I'm not sorry."
~~~~~
"BETTER WATCH THE WEATHER tonight," Chris said as he locked the modular and fell into step with Jon on their way to the parking area.
"I've been checking it on my phone all day, and it looks like we're going to be hit hard tomorrow. You'd think spring would start making itself known pretty soon, wouldn't you?"
"No joke. We've had more snow this winter than we've had for the past three combined. I guess Mother Nature has been saving up."
A major winter storm was moving their way, and the meteorologists were predicting that a blizzard would be blowing into the area late tomorrow afternoon. So far it had done nothing but get worse the farther east it traveled, and it was expected to increase in intensity as it passed over Lake Michigan. It was possible, they said, for some areas to see as much as thirty inches of snow in the twelve hours or so it would take for the system to move through.
"Why don't we watch the news at six? If it still hasn't changed I'll give all the guys a call. We'll just have a three-day weekend and worry about digging out on Monday."
"Sounds good to me. You got enough gas for your generator?"
"No, but I put the cans in the truck on my way out this morning." Living in the country, not only did he have to worry about pipes freezing if he lost heat, but if the well pump couldn't run, he'd have to replace that, too. Not something he relished the thought of since he'd rather spend his time and money finishing the new walls in the dining room. "Are you and Harry just going to stay at the hospital for the duration?"
"Yeah. I'll grab a couple of changes of clothes for both of us while I'm home and we'll be good to go. Hey. How's the whole pet thing working out?" Chris looked away, but not before Jon saw the grin on his face.
"Could be worse, I suppose. He could be one of those dogs that are hyper and bark all the time."
Truth be told, Boomer was a pretty good dog. He'd never admit it to anyone, but over the past couple of weeks, he'd started to enjoy having someone to keep him company on the days Hannah didn't come out. When she was there, they almost always wound up taking him for walks. There was no doubt she loved that dog. And the mutt loved her, too, something that didn't surprise Jon at all. He was beginning to realize Hannah would be very easy for anyone to love.
~~~~~
YEAH, HAVING A DOG wasn't something he'd have chosen for himself, but Jon had to admit that Boomer did tend to take his mind off his problems. At least for brief periods of time. He was even starting to enjoy their walks, which he tried to fit in before the sun went down. The three acres surrounding the house was mostly wooded, and that's where his new pal preferred to do his exploring, sniffing from tree to tree, and trying to chase the occasional rabbit or squirrel. But as Hannah had promised, he was well-behaved and a slight tug on the leash, and a softly spoken 'no,' was all it took to bring him back into line.
One thing about these walks though was they weren't great at providing distractions. They gave him far too much time to think, and it was a toss-up over which subject took up the greatest amount of mind space. Ed and the stalker...or Hannah Fletcher. Or more precisely, the last kiss he'd shared with her. The kiss that kept him awake at night, and haunted his dreams when he finally fell into a frustrated slumber.
When he'd first concocted the fake dating scheme, it had all seemed so simple. At most he figured they'd become friends, and he'd be okay with that. Friends were easy. You could care about them, even invest your heart a little, but there wasn't really any risk involved.
Now, though, he felt like he was walking on a balance beam, one that was getting narrower every day, like an arrow pointing directly at Hannah. Like Cupid's arrow, he thought wryly. He realized that it was an appropriate description since things had started to change – at least for him – on their Valentine's date. He refused to put a name to what he was feeling, but it had grown beyond friendship now. Far beyond friendship.
Boomer chose that moment to relieve himself on an oak tree, and Jon decided he'd had enough of his solitary thoughts for one day. He needed to get back to the house, check to see if the weather report had changed at all, and then put his back into some work. Hard work that should put a stop to the daydreams running rampant through his mind. Maybe if he stayed busy enough, they wouldn't taunt him as he lay on the sofa tonight. He ignored the voice reminding him that it hadn't worked so far. Every night for weeks, he fell asleep thinking about her.
~~~~~
WHEN JON CALLED TO let her know that they were calling off work the next day, Hannah was relieved. While Texas got its fair share of storms and slippery roads, it was nothing compared to some of the weather she'd experienced since moving to Michigan. And what was heading their way now was going to be something else.
The last thing she wanted to do was to be on the road in rush hour traffic if the storm arrived on schedule. The only bad thing was she hated that she wouldn't be at the house to help with the insulation like they'd planned. Mostly she didn't want to take a chance on not seeing Jon for seventy-two hours, so she offered to come out earlier, before everything got crazy.
At first, he said it could wait, but then gave in without much of an argument. She knew he wanted to finish the dining room again so he could move on to the rest of the house, and so they'd been holed up in there for most of the day, and by one o'clock, they were finished. He said he figured he could get a lot of the drywall up that evening, and finish it over the weekend since it would take the county most of the day to get to his road.
"Oh no," she said, her hand going to her chest when they walked into the living room. The dining room windows were covered with plastic to help keep the cold air out until the walls were finished, so they hadn't been paying much attention to what was going on outside.
"It's not five-o'clock," Jon said, surprise stopping him in his tracks when he got a gander at what she'd seen. And that was a wall of heavy, swirling white flakes.
"I guess Mother Nature can't tell time."
They both crossed the room to get a better look, their noses nearly pressing against the glass. It didn't help. She could barely see the tree between the house and the road, it was snowing that hard.
"Looks like you're staying here," Jon finally said, turning around and heading for the kitchen. Hannah followed right behind him.
"You don't have a room for company."
"What room do I need? I've got a sofa and blanket for you, and I've got a sleeping bag and the floor for me. Problem solved."
"Jon-"
"If you think I'm letting you go out in this mess, think again. And I'm not taking a chance on getting stuck in a ditch to take you home." She laughed at that.
Not that his old truck had been a piece of junk or anything, but he was extremely pleased with – and protective of – the new one. Big, and shiny, and red, she teased him a few days ago that he must have been spending a small fortune at the car wash. When he clamped his lips together and didn't answer, she knew he probably was stopping off there every day. No one else she knew kept their vehicle as clean as he was keeping his.
"What can I say? I like my truck. But...now that you're stuck here for the night," he said, opening the refrigerator, then cringing at the mostly bare shelves, "we need to figure out something for lunch. I have bacon and eggs, but we'll need them for morning. On the other hand, I have a boatload of frozen dinners. Enough to get us through the weekend if need be. And all the microwave popcorn you could ever want."
"If we don't lose power. I've never seen this much snow."
"Yeah, and lucky us that it showed up half a day earlier than the forecast said. Don't worry though. While we don’t usually get blizzards, we do get a lot of snow, so this is pretty normal."
"But what about the electricity? Will it go out?"
"I don't know. Probably not. But if it does, I have a generator. And I stocked up on enough gas to power the furnace, refrigerator, and stove for a couple of days. Just in case, we should get plastic up over the dining room doorway. It will help keep the cold air in there out of the rest of the house." While the siding and plywood had been replaced, and insulation was up now, the walls still hadn't been rebuilt and there was a bit of a breeze blowing across the floor from that room.
"Do you think it would last that long?" she asked. She'd thought he was joking before, but now she wasn't so sure. Jon glanced over his shoulder and chuckled.
"Is the idea of being stuck with me for two days that unpleasant?"
"No. Gosh, no. I just planned to spend the afternoon painting. When I left Lansing, the idea of being snowed in here never even occurred to me. If it had, I might have at least brought a change of clothes."
"I didn't even think about that. I can probably get you home before it gets worse if you want. You'd have to leave your car here though."
"Before it gets worse? You've got to be kidding me. Jon, you can't even see the road from the front window. Besides, I thought you didn't want to get stuck in a ditch."
"Yeah, I know. The thought of being out in this mess isn't high on the list of things I want to do today, but if you re set on going home, I can get you there."
"No. I would never ask you to go out in weather like this. It's too dangerous."
"Good. Then we'll have to see what I can come up with for you to wear for the night. Sweats and a tee shirt? We can wash your clothes so they're clean for tomorrow. Another problem solved. So what do you want for supper?" He closed the refrigerator door and opened the freezer. "Meatloaf, stuffed peppers, mac and cheese...or a three meat, self-rising pizza."
"Pizza works for me, if it sounds all right to you."
"Hey, I love pizza." He pulled a box out and dropped it on the counter. "We can even make a pot of hot cocoa."
"I didn’t see any milk in there."
"That's why I buy the instant stuff. And I don't mess around either." She laughed when he pulled out a huge round canister that he could have only found at food warehouse.
"I don't think I could use that up in two years."
"You don't supply food and drinks to a bunch of growing boys who help refurbish houses either," he pointed out. She laughed again.
"Growing boys. Yeah, right."
"Okay, hardworking boys then."
"That I'll buy."
It was only then that Hannah remembered the two men sitting in cars outside, and she nearly groaned in frustration. While she hadn't planned on spending more than a few hours here, she was actually looking forward to more time alone with him. If she opened her mouth now, the new, unexpected plans would come crashing to a halt. But if she didn't say anything... She closed her eyes and sighed.
"Hey, Jon?"
"What?" He was reaching into a lower cupboard for a pan.
"Do you think that pizza will stretch to feed four?"
"Four?" he asked, glancing over her shoulder. The expression on his face when he realized what she meant was enough to make her laugh, but she bit her lip instead. "I have a few of them, so there's plenty. Hang on while I give my guy a call. He can haul yours in with him."
When Jon couldn't get the call to go through, they tried Ryan Campbell, the guard assigned to Hannah today, but apparently his phone wasn't working either. Hannah found that hard to believe, especially with them sitting within sight of the house, but Jon said it could just be the storm, that or they had lousy carriers.
"I'm going to put these in the oven, and then I guess I'm going to go out and extend a personal invitation. You up for getting skunked at a little euchre?"
"Yeah right," she said with an unladylike snort. Apparently he had a case of selective memory, though the grin he tried to hide indicated otherwise.
"Since we're going to have extra guests, we might as well play a few games. My guard and I against you and yours? He probably plays better than Dan."
"In your dreams," she said, as she pulled the drawer by the sink open to retrieve the deck of cards. "I'll deal."
"No stacking."
"If I'm dealing, I'm stacking."
"Cheater."
"Oh well. That's what you get for making me deal."
"Hey, you offered."
~~~~~
HE KNEW SHE COULD STACK the deck as well as he could, which wasn't at all, but the back-and-forth banter was fun. He'd never experienced this level of camaraderie with any other woman, not even the wives of his friends, and they were more like sisters. Not that he had any sisters, but that's what he imagined them to be like.
It was just too bad their afternoon was going to be spoiled with the guards. But he couldn't, in good conscience, let them freeze to death out there. And then there was the fact that they weren't all that good at their jobs on a good day. What could they possibly do in weather like this?
Hannah gave him a hard time when he slipped into his jacket, and pulled on thick gloves and a knit hat. She was afraid he'd get lost out there and they'd find him dead in the snow tomorrow morning, but he assured her that visibility wasn't exactly zero. He reminded her that they could see the big oak tree from the front window – barely – but they could see it. He'd be fine, he promised, but it did warm his heart to know that she'd be waiting anxiously at the door when he returned with the guys.
After they'd eaten, he actually teamed up with her for the card games, and the guards beat them seven games out of ten. Then, after they all worked to get plastic up over the dining room doorway, Jon decided they were done for the day. Thanks to the weather reports, everyone else had the day off, and he announced that they were just going to be lazy until bedtime.
He was surprised by the pleasure it gave him to think of her sleeping in his house. Even though she'd be on the sofa while he'd be on the floor, along with Martin and Ryan, she would still be here. He liked the thought, probably more than he should have, but he was past the point of caring what he should or shouldn't think or feel when it came to this woman.
~~~~~
IN HANNAH'S OPINION, this was turning into a perfect afternoon after all. Boomer lay on her left, his head in her lap. Jon was on her right, and they sat close, her head against his shoulder. Their guards had turned out to be very personable and nice men, and they were as comfortable as they could be on two metal folding chairs.
Hannah was completely engrossed in the superheroes movie Jon had put on to play an hour or so ago. If she'd had any idea that there were so many sexy hunks in one film, she'd have been parked in the theater when it came out in order to see them on the big screen. And she might have gone to see it more than once. One thing was sure, it was going on her list of 'must owns.'
She was vaguely aware of his phone chirping during one particularly intense action scene, and even heard him mutter something about interruptions, but she was jolted back to reality when she felt him stiffen, and then sit forward.
"What? Where?"
She looked up at him in alarm. Something was wrong and she hoped she could figure it out from his end of the conversation. With the weather being so bad, she hated to think what could happen if anyone she cared about was out on the road.
"No. No, thank you for calling. I'll go find him now." As he disconnected the call, he closed his eyes and scrubbed a hand over his face. She heard the chairs creaking as the guys came to their feet.
"Jon, what is it?" she asked, a knot forming in her stomach as she stared at his face. Someone was out there – but who?
"That was a guy who works at a country store ten or twelve miles from here. Someone stopped one of his customers on her way in and said he had a note from a guy in a ditch down the road. It's Ed. He's trapped out in this storm, and I need to go pick him up." He looked at his phone again, pressed a number, and listened. "Ed, it's Jon. If you get this message, call me. Just sit tight, I'm on my way."
"His voice mail?" she asked, then rolled her eyes. Of course it was his voice mail.
"Yeah. I need you to hunker down here," he said, getting to his feet. He looked at Martin. "You can come with me. Ryan, you stay here. And don't either of you even think about taking Boomer out on the leash. Just hook him on the lead and don't leave him out long. Hannah, let's trade phones. Reception out there can be kind of spotty. If he gets a signal, I might lose mine. This way we'll be sure he gets through to you." Before she could argue with him, Martin spoke up.
"Just stop. Give us a minute here, okay? Let me call Ed's guards. If they couldn't get him out of the ditch, they'd have taken him in their vehicle. He's not stuck in the storm, trust me." Realizing what he'd said, he asked, "Can I use your phone? They give us these cheap pieces of crap that don't work if someone sneezes wrong."
"What brand is it?" Ryan, a blond, stocky young man asked.
When they actually took a moment to compare phones, Hannah wanted to scream. Her father was out there in this mess and they were trying to see who had the better phone? Turns out they both had the same brand of phones, and she could only look at Jon and shake her head in disgust. She knew they were paying big bucks to hire these companies, and the owners couldn't even provide their employees and clients with decent cell service?
"I can't get through to either one of them," Martin said, scowling as he gave Jon's phone back. "I guess we're going out after him after all."
"I guess we are." Jon looked down punched a number on the keypad, waited for a moment then said, "Hey, Dan, it's me. We've got a problem."