Shawn’s alarm buzzed just as her dream was getting good. She couldn’t see the woman in her dream, but they were splashing around in a natural pool that was formed by a waterfall. The woman wrapped her legs around Shawn’s waist, and they had just started kissing when the damn alarm went off. Even in her dream, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach and the fireworks that were shooting off during the kiss. That had been missing when she kissed Paige, despite trying her hardest to get there. Jameson was on his bed in the corner of Shawn’s bedroom, and he couldn’t even spare the energy to lift his head. The early mornings were the only thing she didn’t like about owning a diner, but at least it gave her the opportunity to see the sunrise, and Lake Tahoe had some spectacular ones.
She went to the kitchen to pour herself some coffee then took it with her into the bathroom. Her mornings were always the same. She got her coffee, took a shower, then drank it as she finished getting ready. She let Jameson out to do his business, filled his bowl with breakfast, and unlocked the doggie door so he could get into the backyard during the day if he needed to.
It was still dark outside when Shawn kissed Jameson good-bye on the top of his head, and she left for work. The location of the diner couldn’t have been better situated. Only a short drive from her house and right across the street from the lake on the main road that traveled from North to South Tahoe. The view of the lake was one of the big draws of the restaurant, along with the food Melvin and Shorty cooked up. They and Gina, the prep cook who also was one of their servers, greeted Shawn when she came in through the back door. They were busy getting ready for the breakfast crowd that would arrive shortly.
Twenty minutes later, as she unlocked the front door, a line of about ten people deep came through and were shown to their tables. Shawn knew most of them—the regulars—who came in before getting on with their day. Shawn filled four mugs of coffee and brought them to the table in the corner.
“Here ya go, fellas.”
“Thanks, Shawny. How’s life treating you these days?”
“You know me, Jack. I’m living the dream.”
“Yeah, but do you have a lady friend yet?” The gleam in Jack’s eyes told Shawn that he asked with only the best intentions while the other three guys laughed. They were all family friends of her grandparents, and to them, that made her family to them as well. They all liked to jab at each other, but it was good-natured and always entertaining.
“I have a lot of lady friends, Jack, but if you have someone in mind, let me know. Most of the ladies here like the fellas.”
Jack scratched the gray stubble on his chin like he was scanning his mental Rolodex. “Hmm, let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.”
Shawn laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “You do that. Kerrie will be right over to get your order.” Shawn shook her head as she headed back to the register. She loved those old guys. They were always looking out for her, and in return, she did the same for them. It wasn’t a secret that Shawn and Paige were dating, but given that she wasn’t sure if she was going to break things off with her, she didn’t feel the need to drop that information in Jack’s lap. Shawn couldn’t recall ever introducing a love interest to her grandfathers, but then again, none of them lasted more than a week or two. There was something about her relationship with Paige that made her not want to introduce her to her surrogate family yet.
A few hours later, Morgan came through the door and just the sight of her gave Shawn a little jolt of pleasure. She was dressed in a green cable-knit sweater, black jeans, and tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she had a light application of makeup. Although she was dressed casually, Shawn had a feeling in her real life, Morgan dressed in heels and skirts, just the type of look she looked for in a woman. She could almost picture her now, and there was a slight tremor in her belly when she imagined what Morgan would look like dressed up. But as beautiful as Morgan was, she looked tired and worn. Shawn could see it in her eyes.
“Hey there. You want some breakfast?”
“God, yes. And all the coffee.”
Shawn chuckled and showed Morgan to her table. She handed her a menu and retrieved her coffee. “Do you need an IV for your caffeine, or will a mug be okay?”
“I’ll try the cup for now, but I reserve the right to ask for IV in the future.”
Shawn smiled, and for some reason, she felt happy. She liked Morgan’s sense of humor, something she hadn’t been privy to the night before. Maybe she’d been stressed or tired, but she liked this Morgan much more.
“Was your cabin warm enough last night?”
“Yes, thanks again for helping me out. By the way, where is the nearest grocery store? My protein bars will only take me so far.”
“Yeah, that’s not much to go on. Just take a left out of the driveway and drive straight through the next light. You can’t miss it.”
“Thanks.”
Shawn wanted to talk more, find out where she was from, what her story was, but she had a business to run. Besides, Morgan might not even be up for talking. Would she want the company? Was she even gay? Shawn could only hope, not that that had stopped her before from hooking up with a tourist. But that was something Shawn was looking to change anyway. She was getting tired of the hookups. If she wanted to have something different, she was going to have to change her prowling ways. She wanted stability, a commitment, a partner to share her life with. She wouldn’t find that if she didn’t get a chance to know a woman to see if they were compatible out of bed. Not that sexual compatibility wasn’t important, but she wanted more. Hopefully, she’d find that one day.
* * *
Morgan enjoyed her breakfast, but she enjoyed sneaking glances of Shawn more. The ruggedness of Shawn did things—delicious things—to Morgan’s insides. She was in no emotional state to start anything new with a woman, but Shawn could definitely give her fantasy material. Morgan liked the way Shawn was dressed—dark blue jeans, a gray waffle Henley under a blue and gray flannel shirt. It looked like maybe Shawn showered, didn’t bother combing her hair, except maybe with her fingers, then threw on her clothes. But damn, if that look didn’t work for her.
Morgan took the opportunity to look at the other diners, eating their food and conversing with their companions. She also enjoyed the view of the lake from her table. There was a low murmur of the conversations, interrupted every so often from the kitchen window that an order was up. The smell of coffee, bacon, sausage, and other food was pleasant, and it made Morgan glad she’d stopped in for breakfast.
There was more about Shawn that made Morgan feel warm inside. The way she carried herself, confident and sure. The way she interacted with customers and the smile she gave them showed her appreciation for dining at her establishment. As much as Morgan wanted to know more about Shawn, she came to the mountains for a reason. She hadn’t been herself since catching Jess in bed with that other woman, whose name she still didn’t know. Just thinking about that turned her stomach sour, and she pushed her plate away.
Morgan had been irritable, short-tempered, and she hadn’t been sleeping well since that discovery. Discovering Jess cheating on her did damage to her self-esteem. She questioned her ability to be a good judge of character, and to be the type of partner where the other wouldn’t want to stray. Morgan could read all the self-help books that were available, but she knew deep down inside, she had to be alone with herself and her thoughts to do some reflection.
She placed her napkin on her plate, gathered her purse, and took the check up to Shawn. The closer she got, the quicker her pulse raced. Morgan wished she had more control over her heart rate when she was in close proximity to Shawn. Morgan felt the smile Shawn gave her was just for her, and Morgan felt herself blush like she was a shy schoolgirl with a crush.
“I hope everything was to your liking, Morgan.”
Morgan caught herself speechless, looking to Shawn’s warm brown eyes, so she just nodded and handed over her credit card. What was it about Shawn that caused an inability to string a few words together?
“Look, since we’re neighbors for the time being, if you need anything, here’s my number.” Shawn handed Morgan the slip of paper with her phone number on it, along with her receipt. The gesture should’ve surprised her, but Shawn seemed like the type of person who would do what she could to help someone who needed it.
“Thank you. That’s very kind, but hopefully I won’t need it.”
Morgan could’ve been mistaken, but she thought she saw maybe disappointment flash across Shawn’s face. She tucked the phone number in her wallet for safekeeping, and she said good-bye. The only thing Morgan knew about Shawn was her job, her dog, and she was really, really easy on the eyes. She needed to get away from Shawn and get to work on herself.
When Morgan arrived back to the cabin that would be her home for the next couple of weeks, she put away the food and drinks she’d bought that should last her for at least a week. She stood in the kitchen, contemplated what she was going to fix for dinner, and looked around the cabin. She wasn’t used to not having anything to do, and she wasn’t quite ready to sit down with her thoughts just yet.
It was just before noon and there was a chill in the air, but manageable with just a light jacket. She decided that she would go explore the area around her cabin and maybe the neighborhood so she could get her bearings. She pocketed her keys after locking the door and set out on her exploration. She walked around to the back of the cabin and took in a deep breath of the mountain air. She was pleased to find a vinyl woodshed up against the back wall of the cabin, and it was fully stocked with firewood. Looked like she’d be able to have a fire tonight after all, and the thought of sitting in front of a fire with a glass of wine and her book pleased her to no end.
She continued her journey into the forest behind the cabin. She didn’t have the bravery to travel too far. She was a novice to the mountains and unfamiliar with her surroundings. No, she would walk only as far as her view of the cabin. The only sounds came from the crunch of dried pine needles beneath her boots and the birds in the trees. She looked up to the sky, and it appeared the tops of the pine trees ended where the sky began. A slight breeze flew up and the rustle of the leaves added to the mountain symphony. Morgan closed her eyes, took another deep breath, and she felt a little bit of the world’s weight release from her shoulders.
She headed back to the cabin, made a few trips to the woodshed, and stacked the firewood on the hearth. It was only four p.m., but she stood in the middle of the living room, trying to come up with an idea of what to do. She went into the kitchen and pulled most of the vegetables that she’d bought earlier from the refrigerator and started chopping. She threw them into a stock pot along with some chicken, broth, and seasonings for the soup she could have for the next two or three days. She put a lid over the pot but stopped from turning on the stove.
She was feeling restless and needed to expel more energy, so she left the cabin again, this time heading down the road to the lake. She spotted only one other house besides Shawn’s. In the daylight, she was able to see Shawn’s house better. It was adorable. It was a two-story cabin that was surrounded by huge pine trees, with a driveway big enough to hold four cars. The cabin was brown with green shutters and stairs that led to a small front porch. It had loads of character. Morgan had only seen the entryway that opened into the large living room, but the log cabin feel suited Shawn, in Morgan’s opinion.
Morgan continued down the road that was dotted with A-frame houses and cabins set back amongst the trees, and it was easy for her to see what drew others to this place. She finally reached the lake and stood on the beach looking out on the water. The lake looked calm, mostly empty with the exception of a few boaters and kayakers. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jeans and enjoyed the quiet for a while. Maybe this was where she should come to do some self-reflection rather than staying inside her cabin. It would be a shame to waste this beautiful scenery for the next couple of weeks. It didn’t take long for the temperature to drop, and she had an uphill climb back to the cabin that would take longer for her to reach than it did to get to the lake. Once she got back to the cabin, it was almost five o’clock, and she decided to light a fire and turn on the stove to cook her soup.
Morgan had never had a fireplace so she wasn’t exactly sure how to light it. Jane and Annie’s fireplace just had a switch that she turned on, and poof, there was a flame. She rummaged through the kitchen drawers, looking for a lighter or matches, but she came up empty. She ran her fingers over her hair, placed her other hand on her hip, and blew out a breath. She dug Shawn’s phone number out of her wallet, and she thought about calling her, but her pride stopped her. Shawn would think Morgan was completely useless, and she didn’t want anyone thinking that, but especially her hunky temporary neighbor. She scanned the fireplace, then the mantel. She recalled Shawn pulling a long match from the container the night before. She took the top off the tall circular container to find long matches. Pay dirt! Morgan took one out and struck it on the bottom until it lit, and she placed it onto the logs. It didn’t take long for the flame to burn out. She tried it again with the same results. Morgan let out an aggravated groan, then she put her ego aside and called Shawn.
“Hello.”
The voice on the other end sounded gruff and Morgan was tempted to hang up, but she really wanted a fire, and damned if she didn’t know how to get it lit.
“Um, hi. It’s Morgan. From up the street?”
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“Well, I’m sorry to bother you again, but I’m trying to light a fire in the fireplace and it keeps going out. Could you help me, please?”
“Sure. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
Shawn hung up and laced up her boots. She thought she was in for the rest of the night, and honestly, she wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone. A group had come into the diner about half an hour before closing, and they took their sweet time figuring out what to order, then they took longer to eat because they were talking and laughing. Shawn couldn’t begrudge them their good time, but when they finally left, it was an hour after closing. She thought she’d still have a little time to go for a bike ride, but Murphy’s Law told her to hold its beer. On the way home, she got a flat tire, and by the time she returned home, it was too late. She’d just taken off her boots when Morgan called. Now she had to put them back on and go help the city girl light a damn fire. Shawn shook her sour mood off, grabbed her flashlight, and started her walk up the street while she grumbled the entire five minutes it took to get there. By the time she knocked, some of her ire had dissipated, and she put on a cheery smile that she didn’t feel.
Morgan opened the door, and Shawn’s pissy attitude fell straight away. Morgan was gorgeous with her ponytail messier than it was that morning when she came in for breakfast. She held a glass of red wine and looked entirely too sexy to be real.
“Thanks for coming. I hate to admit this, but I’ve never lit a fire before, and I’m obviously no good at it.”
“It’s okay. Let me take a look.” Shawn walked over to the fireplace and noticed only one log and two remnants of matches. “Um, okay. I see what the problem is. First, you need some kindling to start the fire, but you also need a couple of logs in there. I’ll be right back.”
Shawn went outside and collected some twigs, small branches, and dried pine needles, and brought them inside.
“You see this lever here?” Morgan came closer and bent over next to Shawn. She caught a whiff of Morgan’s perfume, and she felt a little light-headed. The scent was faint and smelled a little like vanilla, a little like gardenia. Sweet, but subtle. Shawn cleared her throat. “This is the flue, and it needs to be open, otherwise the fire will smoke you out of the cabin.” Shawn pulled the lever to the open position. “Now, the kindling goes on the bottom of the grate. Newspaper works, but you can also use these.” Shawn placed the kindling in the fireplace then a couple of more logs to the one that was in there. She lit the match and moved it around to make sure the fire caught, and she replaced the screen.
“There you go. If you want to keep the fire going for a while, place another log on once the flame gets lower.”
By now, the fire caught and Shawn could already feel the heat. Or maybe it was the warmth from standing so close to Morgan. She needed to get out of there and free from the intoxicating spell Morgan seemed to have placed on Shawn.
“You good? Need anything else?”
“No, but would you like to stay for dinner as a thank you?”
“I appreciate it, but I gotta get back and feed Jameson. I just got home when you called.”
“Rain check then?”
Shawn didn’t answer, not wanting to commit herself to anything regarding Morgan. Already, she had a major crush on her, and she knew nothing would come out of it. Nothing ever did when she hooked up with tourists. No, the best thing for Shawn would be to put as much distance between her and Morgan as possible. Shawn didn’t want to be promiscuous anymore. She’d been that way out of need, not want. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. She fooled around with visitors to the lake because there just weren’t enough gay women in the area to offer much of a pool to choose from. Not to mention, she was dating Paige. That was the whole point of dating one woman—hoping they fell in love and would spend the rest of their lives together. Besides, Shawn wasn’t the type to go looking elsewhere if she was dating someone.
“Take care, and maybe I’ll see you around.”
Yes, friendly but noncommittal. Shawn was pleased with herself. She turned on the flashlight as she headed home even though the almost full moon provided enough light. Shawn had no idea why Morgan came to the mountains alone, but it was none of her business. She didn’t seem like the type of woman who would be helpless, but considering Shawn had to come to her rescue twice in as many days, maybe Morgan was a little more helpless than she seemed. Or maybe she was a princess who was used to other people doing everything for her. It would certainly be easier for Shawn to get Morgan off her mind if that was the case. Regardless, she was back home and was in for the night. She fed Jameson, grabbed a beer from the fridge, and started making her own dinner. Hopefully, tonight would be the last Shawn would see of Morgan, but she highly doubted it.
❖
When Shawn closed the door, Morgan leaned close and banged her head on the door. Flue? Kindling? More than one log? Morgan was in over her head with this whole mountain trip. It seemed like a good idea initially. She’d have time to herself, could see the sights, and work on reconstructing her heart after Jess broke it.
Morgan gulped the rest of her wine before refilling her glass. She sat on the couch and watched the fire roar before her. The warm orange glow was almost enough to put Morgan in a trance. She thought back to that dreadful day. The shock of seeing Jess in bed with that bitch shocked her enough to not break down in front of her. She could almost still smell the sex that had emanated from their bedroom, the shock that showed on Jess’s face, the “oh, shit” look from her lover.
Morgan had considered taking everything Jess owned and building a bonfire with her belongings in her front yard that night. Her hand shook as she brought the wine glass to her mouth. They had spent three years of their lives together, two of them cohabitating. The beginning of their relationship had been filled with romance—candlelit dinners, weekend getaways, hours spent in bed, only leaving to get water or snacks to replenish their energy so they could continue their lovemaking.
When Jess had moved in with Morgan, the romance started to fade. Morgan chalked it up to the stress of living together, but they would still make time for vacations, and they would spend that time reconnecting. Then Jess started working long hours and sex had become almost nonexistent. Morgan had recommended couple’s counseling, but Jess said they didn’t need it, that they just had to work harder on their relationship. The problem was, Morgan felt like she was the one doing all the work. Morgan would treat Jess to dinner, or bring her flowers, or try to spend time talking with her with no reciprocation.
Morgan wiped a tear that had escaped. Why hadn’t she seen it sooner? Jess had probably been cheating on her for quite some time. Of course, she had no proof other than the love letters she’d found in Jess’s desk the night Morgan kicked her out, but the nonexistent intimacy in their last year together was probably a sign that should’ve thumped Morgan on the head. Not once during their time together did Morgan ever consider cheating, or breaking up with Jess for that matter. Had she noticed other women? Sure. She wasn’t dead. But even when offered on the rare occasion, Morgan would walk away and go home to Jess.
Morgan removed her sweater. Whether it was the fire or the wine making her warm didn’t matter. She went into the kitchen to dish up her soup. She sliced the French bread and buttered it liberally. The steam and the smell of the seasonings from the soup wafted under her nose and made her mouth water.
She stood at the butcher block island counter and dipped her bread in the soup. She took a bite and wiped the drippings off her chin with her napkin. Once she had finished her meal and washed the dishes, she put her sweater back on and stepped outside on the front porch with her glass of wine. The smoky smell from the chimney comforted her somewhat. She looked to the clear night sky and marveled at the quantity and clarity of stars. She couldn’t ever remember the stars being so vivid, but then again, she was a city girl, and the city lights took the brightness from the stars.
Morgan could’ve stayed out there all night, but the chill in the air drove her back inside. She removed her sweater again and draped it over a dining chair. The flame had died down, but it was warm enough that she didn’t feel she needed to add another log. She took the poker that Shawn had pointed out, and she stoked the logs, just as Shawn had shown her. Morgan thought about her rugged neighbor, and if she hadn’t been so broken, Shawn would be someone Morgan would want to know better. The couch cushion let out a whoosh when Morgan sat down, and she let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t know much about Shawn other than she worked in a diner and she had a dog. Don’t forget she’s handy to have around. She seemed pleasant enough, but also kind of quiet. And she didn’t appear to want to spend any extra time with Morgan.
She didn’t need to think about Shawn anymore. She chugged the rest of her wine, placed the glass on the side table, and tried to quiet her mind. It was time to start working on Morgan Campbell.