A Reunion and a Ring. Gina Wilkins

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      He hadn’t kept up with her—quite deliberately—but his mother had mentioned a few months ago that she’d seen Jenny’s photo in the society section of the local newspaper. She’d watched his face a bit too closely as she’d commented casually that Jenny had been photographed at some sort of community service awards dinner for Little Rock’s young professionals. She’d added that Jenny was reported to be dating a member of one of central Arkansas’s most prominent and long-established families. He’d answered somewhat curtly that he read the sports pages, not the society gossip, and that he had no particular interest in who his long-ago college girlfriend was now dating. He wasn’t sure he’d succeeded in convincing his mother that Jenny never even crossed his mind these days.

      So what had really made this country-club princess choose to vacation at his rustic fishing cabin? As unlikely a coincidence as it was, he had no doubt that she was as dismayed to have found him here as he was that she’d shown up so unexpectedly. The genuine shock on her face had been unmistakable.

      He reached into a cabinet and drew out a glass. “Are you thirsty? I doubt there’s anything cold in the fridge, but I can offer tap water. Or I think we’ve got some herbal tea bags. It’s a gas stove, so I can heat water for you, if you want.”

      Despite the circumstances, he was trying to be a reasonably gracious host, though he wasn’t the sociable type at the best of times. After all, it wasn’t Jenny’s fault the agency he’d hired to rent out the cabin had recently employed a total airhead. He’d have more than a few pointed words for someone there tomorrow.

      Hal Woodman, an old friend of his father’s, had built this cabin on the Buffalo River as a fishing retreat and rental property when Gavin was just a kid. Hal had let Gavin’s parents use it frequently for family vacations. A few years later, Gavin’s dad bought the cabin from his then-ailing friend. Gavin and his sister inherited the place when their father died a couple years ago. His sister lived out of state now with her military husband, so Gavin had bought her portion. To defray the costs, he rented it out when he wasn’t using it—which was more often than he liked because of his work schedule. The cabin was close enough to hiking trails, float trip outfitters and a couple of tourist-friendly towns that it rarely sat empty for long. Yet, had anyone suggested that Jenny Baer would be one of his weekend renters, he would have labeled that person delusional.

      Jenny shivered a little, and he realized her clothes were still damp. Hell, she’d likely sue both him and the leasing agency if she got sick. “Go put on some dry clothes. I’ll heat some water. The bathroom’s through that door.”

      Jenny hesitated only a moment, then tightened her grip on the lantern and turned toward the bathroom. Grumbling beneath his breath, he filled the teakettle and reached for the tin of herbal teas his health-conscious mom had insisted he bring with him. She was still annoyed with him for taking off to heal in private rather than letting her nurse him back to health from his injury, which would have driven him crazy. He disliked being fussed over, even by the mother he adored.

      Jenny wasn’t gone long. When she returned, she wore slim-fitting dark knit pants with a loose coral top that looked somewhat more comfortable than her previous outfit. She’d towel-dried her hair and her feet were still bare, but other than that, she could have been dressed to host a casual summer party. Had she really packed this way for a cabin weekend alone? He had to admit she looked great, but out of place here. No surprise.

      He set a steaming mug of tea on the booth-style oak table. A bench rested against the wall, and four bow-back chairs were arranged at the ends and opposite side of the table, providing comfortable seating for six adults. He brought friends occasionally for poker-and-fishing weekends, and the family still tried to gather here once a year or so, but usually he came alone when he needed a little downtime to recharge his emotional batteries.

      Setting the lantern on the table, Jenny slid into a chair and picked up the tea mug, cradling it between her hands as she gazed up at him. “I’m really sorry about this mix-up. And that I woke you so abruptly when I’m sure you need sleep.”

      He started to shrug his right shoulder out of habit, then stopped himself at the first twinge of protest. “Not your fault,” he said again. “How long were you planning to stay?”

      She looked into her mug, hiding her expression. “I paid for three nights, which would let me stay until Monday afternoon if I’d wanted.”

      “By yourself.” That still seemed odd to him. Was she still seeing Mr. Social Register? Or had there been a breakup? He couldn’t help thinking back to the weeks following his breakup with Jenny. He’d dropped out of college and holed up here alone for a couple of weeks, until his parents had shown up and practically dragged him back into the real world. He’d entered the police academy as soon as he could get in after that, putting both the pain and the woman who’d caused it out of his mind and out of his heart. Or at least that’s what he’d told himself all these years since.

      Still, just because he’d retreated here after a split didn’t mean Jenny’s reasons for being here were in any way the same.

      No particular emotion showed on her face when she spoke, still without looking up at him. “I’ve gotten behind on some business and personal paperwork and I thought it would be nice to have a little time to myself in peaceful surroundings to tackle it all. I needed a chance to concentrate without constant interruptions, and it’s usually hard to find that back at home.”

      Leaning against the counter, he raised his water glass and murmured into it, “I know that feeling.”

      She glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “You’re getting away from everyone, too?”

      “In a way. I, um, had surgery on my shoulder last week and I’d rather hide out and heal alone rather than be hovered over by my mom.”

      Her full lips curved then into a faint smile. “From what I remember about you, that doesn’t surprise me at all.”

      He didn’t want to discuss memories, good or otherwise.

      “So you drove straight here from Little Rock?”

      “Yes. It wasn’t storming when I left. I had hoped it would hit later, or maybe skip this area completely.”

      She looked up when thunder boomed again, louder and closer. “Thor’s really angry tonight,” she murmured with a wry, somewhat nervous-looking smile.

      A chuckle escaped him. “The myth or the superhero?”

      “The myth, of course.” She gave a husky little laugh that echoed straight from those memories he was trying so hard to hold back. “And the superhero. I’ve seen all the movies, even though my, um, friend calls them cheesy. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy more intellectually challenging films for the most part, but I...”

      She stopped herself with a grimace. “I’m sorry, I’m babbling. This whole situation is just so...awkward.”

      “Yeah.” He set his glass beside the sink, his attention lingering reluctantly on her mention of a “friend.” Something about the way she’d said the word made him wonder...

      He motioned abruptly toward his bedroom. “I’m going back to bed. Make yourself at home. We’ll sort it all out in the morning. You’ll be getting a refund, of course, for anything you’ve paid up front.”

      Lightning zapped so close to the cabin he could almost smell the ozone. The near-deafening clap of thunder was almost СКАЧАТЬ