Anything for Her(62)
He didn’t say, This is as far away as I could get from my parents without moving to Alaska or Hawaii, but of course Allie hadn’t expected him to.
Mom asked Sean a few questions, to which he mumbled replies. He blushed when he told her about joining the basketball team and that he kind of liked biology and thought he might be some kind of scientist, although he also liked computers.
Sean went to get the dessert, which Allie gathered was also from the bakery. That was the moment when Nolan struck.
“I don’t think Allie mentioned where the two of you were before moving out here,” he said, pushing from the table. “Coffee?” He began gathering their dirty dinner plates.
“Thanks, I’d love a cup.” Mom smiled. “Montana. Missoula was our last stop. More urban than you’d think.”
Dumbstruck, Allie stole a glance toward the kitchen. Sean was still out of sight and—please God—earshot.
Nolan returned her smile. “I’ve never been there. I guess we’re even.” His gaze switched to Allie. “Coffee for you, too?”
“Please,” she said. “Why don’t I help clear the table?”
“Nah, let’s finish eating first. I figured I’d grab a few dirty dishes since I’m going that way.”
Dessert was a lemon-filled cake. Allie didn’t taste a bite. Her anxiety had assumed hideous proportions. The fact that the conversation didn’t again touch on events before she and her mother had moved to Washington State didn’t allow her to relax an iota. She was totally consumed by her efforts to remember everything she’d ever told Nolan and which ones she wasn’t supposed to have said.
And Sean. God. What if he’d heard her mom? Allie could picture his puzzled gaze turning to her. “I thought you said...”
It was enough to make her shudder.
“You okay?” Nolan asked.
“Me? Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Belatedly she realized how defensive she sounded. Her lying skills were deteriorating, not improving. Wouldn’t you think practice would make perfect?
His eyes were speculative. “Thought you might be chilly.”
“No.” She struggled for a smile. “I’m fine. This is an old house. Maybe a ghost strolled by.”
He flashed a grin. “Interestingly enough, the previous homeowner did die here. Heart attack, I understand. His body wasn’t found for a couple of days, when the newspapers had started piling up in the box out on the road. Apparently he didn’t get enough mail to alert the postal worker, but the Times delivery guy decided to drive up to the house and make sure the old guy was okay.”
Sean was staring at Nolan. “He died here? Like...where?”
“I didn’t ask.” Nolan chuckled. “You should see the look on your face.”
“That’s horrible!”
“No, that’s the cycle of life.” Nolan’s tone was remarkably gentle, reminding Allie that Sean’s father and grandmother had died, the grandmother not that long ago. “The broker said the guy was ninety-three. Good, long life. I’m sure his choice would have been to die at home. He won’t be haunting us. If any part of him is hanging around, he’s probably glad to see the place come to life again.” Nolan gave a crooked grin. “He’s probably wondering why the hell I haven’t gotten somebody out to mow the pasture before the blackberries take over once and for all.”
Sean’s expression changed. “Hey, we could get a horse.”
Now Nolan outright laughed. “Not this week. No boat, no horse.”
“It’d make a great Christmas present.”
“You ever shoveled manure?”
“No.”
“You ever ridden?”
“A couple of times.”
“Hmm.” Nolan sat back and quirked an eyebrow at Allie. “What about you?”
“Never.”
“And you lived in Montana? Tut tut.” His smile transformed his bony, not-quite-handsome face. “Horseback riding sounds like something we’d all enjoy.”
Allie buried her face in her hands. The rest of them laughed.
Mom, her offer to help clean up thwarted, left after some more leisurely conversation. Allie had never in her life been gladder to say goodbye to anyone.
“We’ll do this again,” Nolan said to her just before she got in her car.
Over my dead body was Allie’s first thought, followed by the realization there was no way to avoid it if she was to keep seeing Nolan.