"Door's open," Sarah called from inside their cottage.
Kelsey moved the basket to her left hand and pushed the door open. It still amazed her how people in Dreara didn't think twice about leaving their doors unlocked. That would never happen in Saulery. But then again, if she'd remembered to lock her door the other day, Shaun wouldn't have been able to alert her about the burning pot.
Brian was reading a dog-eared book and Sarah was knitting. They both looked up in surprise when she entered.
"Wow, Kelsey, your hair is lovely," Sarah said. "Maeve was right; your eyes do stand out more. They're such a lovely blue."
Kelsey ran a hand through her hair. She was still getting used to having it short, but she loved her new hairstyle more each day. "Thank you. Maeve did a fantastic job."
Brian stood up to greet Kelsey. "We were starting to wonder what had happened to you."
"I've been busy settling in. This is for you both—something I picked up at the farmer's market."
Sarah put down her knitting and reached for the basket. "That's so kind of you."
"It's a major tourist attraction," Brian said. "Did you go alone?"
"No, I went with... Shaun."
Brian and Sarah exchanged a quick glance and then Sarah cleared her throat and smiled. "That's... that's nice, but you really didn't have to get us something, love." She placed the basket on her lap.
"It's just something small. A thank you for your kindness."
"Take a seat." Sarah stood. "Can I get you something to drink?"
"Don't worry, I'm not staying long. I just came to ask you for some information."
Sarah and Brian both perked up, as if all along they'd just been waiting to be useful. "What would you like to know?" Sarah sat down again.
"Do you know of any culinary schools in Dreara?"
"You want to be a chef?" Sarah leaned forward, her softly lined face lighting up.
"Since I was a little girl. I'm interested in taking some lessons. But I don't know where to start searching for a school. I thought you might be able to help me out."
Kelsey felt a guilty pang at having asked them instead of Shaun, who had spurred her on in the first place and offered to help find a school. But for the past week, she'd tried to distance herself from him. She couldn't spend time with him without wanting to climb into his bed. And she couldn't sleep with him without getting hurt. The best thing to do was to stay away for a while and concentrate on herself. A cooking lesson would keep her busy enough.
"I know just the place." Brian stood and reached for his coat. "I can take you there right now if you're ready to go."
"More than ready."
***
The Cooking Academy was attached to the Dreara Junior Secondary School. Brian waited in the car while Kelsey went inside to enquire. He had offered to go in with her, but Kelsey wanted to do it alone.
Twenty minutes later, she exited the building with a folder and a large grin. "I'm starting next week," she told Brian as she fastened her seatbelt.
Brian squeezed her hand. "Already? That's grand."
If only Brian knew how incredibly fantastic it was. For Kelsey, it was more than she could ever have wished for. She was lucky; the class starting next week had been full, but they had managed to fit her in. The course would not turn her into a world-renowned chef, but she'd at least learn the basics. It was one step down the road from dream to reality.
***
Five days after Brian drove Kelsey to The Cooking Academy, her kitchen faucet had started dripping. Brian had fixed it immediately, but two days ago, it started again. Not wanting to disturb him again, she'd placed a bowl under it and did her best to ignore the annoying sound. She’d tried fixing it herself, stuffing a ball of cotton in the nozzle, and turning up the volume of the TV, but nothing worked.
Today she gave in and called Brian again. He promised to send someone over before the end of the day.
Around eight o'clock in the evening, Kelsey gave up the wait and lounged on the sofa watching TV—at a high-enough volume to muffle the dripping sound from the kitchen. Maybe Brian couldn't find someone at such late notice. It didn't matter. She could deal with a dripping faucet for one more night, no matter how much the sound was grating on her nerves.
The doorbell rang ten minutes later and Kelsey was surprised to find Shaun standing there. He wore scuffed jeans and a black pullover, and carried a toolbox.
Her heart turned over. "Shaun, what are you doing here?"
"I'm the handyman. Brian told me you have a dripping faucet on your hands?"
There was a tingling in Kelsey's stomach as she tried to resist returning his captivating smile.
For the past two weeks, they'd managed to just be neighbors. When they bumped into each other, they said hello and went their separate ways. No one had invited the other for a drink or dinner or anything else. She'd filled her days with walks on the beach, long naps, dinners at the Soup and More restaurant across the street or at Brian and Sarah's, and watching cooking shows on TV.
But she did need help with the faucet. If Shaun was the man to fix it, so be it. She'd let him, and then they'd go back to being neighbors.
"Thanks. Please come in."
Shaun nodded and walked past her into the sitting room, leaving behind a trail of intoxicating cologne. "How have you been? It's been a while."
"I've been great." Kelsey led the way to the kitchen. "Nothing to complain about. Except the faucet, of course."
Standing in the kitchen with him, Kelsey felt suddenly awkward. The room was too small and she didn't know what to do with her hands. Offering him something to drink would be good—but she found she couldn't move, and so she just stood there staring at him.
Under the sink, Shaun turned off the water supply. When he loosened the plastic cover on the top of the faucet with a flathead screwdriver, his biceps contracted and relaxed, and Kelsey couldn't stop staring. She felt an urge to run the palm of her hand along his stubble. Then suddenly the memory of him kissing her at the market flooded her mind. Goose bumps popped up on her skin.
Great. Now she would be fantasizing about him again for the next few days.
She had to get out of the kitchen before he turned around to find her gawking. "If... if you need me, I'll be in... I'll be in—"
"Thanks. I'm almost done." His voice held no emotion whatsoever.
Finding refuge in the dining room, Kelsey pulled out a chair and dropped her head into her hands. She didn't want it to be true, but she had missed him. Even more frightening, her foolish heart was falling hard for him.
When Shaun was done, Kelsey finally managed to offer him coffee as a way to thank him and also poured a cup for herself. She wasn't normally a coffee drinker, but felt she needed some.
As she sipped, she hoped Shaun would drink up and leave. The longer he stayed, the more uncomfortable she became. She could no longer relax in his presence, as though they had crossed some invisible line and there was no going back to being simply friends.
Shaun didn't look like he was in a hurry to leave. Instead, he followed her into the sitting room and sat down next to her on the sofa. Kelsey kept her eyes glued to the blank TV screen.
Shaun put his cup down. "Kelsey, is something wrong?"
She turned to him, fingers wrapped too tightly around the cup handle. "No. Why do you say that?"
"In the last couple of days you've been avoiding me. Did I provoke you in any way? The other night... If I overstepped some boundaries, I apologize."
Kelsey shook her head, but her eyes locked with his for a long time. And then, like two poles of a magnet, their heads moved closer. So close she could feel his warm breath on her face and then the touch of his lips on hers. The blood rushed to her head and her temperature rose.
As quickly as they had met, their lips parted; Kelsey came to her senses and pulled away. "You should leave." If he stayed she was certain she wouldn't be able to control herself.
Shaun got to his feet. "Okay." There was no expression on his face. Then he gave her a half smile. "By the way, I heard you found a cooking school. Good for you."
Then he walked out the door.
Kelsey closed the door behind him and sat back on the sofa, her heart racing.
Shaun Brannon made her heart swell. She wanted him, she wanted him so bad, but there were too many issues. The issue of her getting attached, for one. And what about all of his secrets? She hardly knew anything about him, and she just couldn't risk him turning into another Craig.