Page 18 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

Her gaze was steely as she looked at him. Yeah, once again he should probably fear for his life. He was poking his nose in her business and she didn’t like that. It probably didn’t help that her friends seemed to be on his side.

“My royal specifications aren’t part of tuning a piano,” she said, sounding a bit breathless.

“I toy with the piano, but mostly stick to guitar. I’m not an expert like you are.”

“Mr. Adventure,” she said. Yup. There it was. The Great Wall of Hannah Murphy, keeping him out with one simple nickname that erased his fantasy of the two of them playing a song together in her living room, laughing, smiling and sharing a moment. “You probably learned just a few bars from “Stairway to Heaven” to impress a chick, and now tell everyone you can play.”

“Better than putting routine before living life,” he snapped back. The woman was so hung up on stability that she’d never let her guard down long enough to see him for who he really was, for the potential he had to offer. They’d never have a jam session in her living room.

She glowered, and he cursed himself for reacting to her barbs.

“I doubt we could even get a professional in this close to Christmas,” Athena was saying, ignoring their bickering. “Y’all better get down there.”

“Together,” Cassandra added.

Had Louis ever mentioned how much he liked Hannah’s friends?

“Now?” Hannah clutched her cup like it could protect her.

“Now,” Athena confirmed.

“We’ll babysit,” Cassandra offered.

“We only have the key until five,” Athena said.

“We can borrow it another day. Maybe on the weekend. I’m sure Louis is—”

“No time like the present,” he interrupted, standing up. “I’ve got two away games this weekend.” He gave a quick nod of goodbye to Athena and Cassandra.

“Always the bossy pants,” Hannah grumbled as he ushered her to the door, his hand against her lower back.

When she didn’t jump away he felt a stirring of hope. He felt like he’d been making progress with her earlier, and even though he hadn’t been able to keep his mouth shut and had annoyed her, he wanted to believe that they were on the path to friendship.

3

Louis had announced that he would drive, and Hannah hunched down in the cab of his truck, marveling at all the upgrades it had. His vehicle was a thing of beauty.

The silence was awkward as he drove them through Sweetheart Creek and out of town to where the community center was located. But maybe it was good they didn’t speak. Hannah wasn’t exactly impressed with how they’d all ganged up on her about becoming a teacher. While the career’s financial security was tempting, it was a big idea to take in.

Truthfully, Hannah hadn’t expected a divorce. She’d believed she and Calvin would be a team forever, and that the time to do something big with her life would eventually come along if she was just patient enough. And sure, maybe she should have pressed harder to complete her own degree. But she’d helped Calvin get his by working reception at a dealership while raising Wade, and by the time Thomas came along, the dream of returning to school had just felt like more work.

Going back to schoolwouldbe a lot of work—even if they stayed stateside and didn’t move to Paris. Taking classes, working, teaching piano and caring for the boys during her week with them would take a toll on all of them.

“Well, here we are,” she said, breaking the silence as they approached the hall. Freshly painted in a classic red, with pastures stretching out around it, the old barn look almost majestic. As Hannah fiddled with the giant door’s lock she inhaled the aromas of home—dry country air filled with the scents of earth, and growing things. It was a simpler life. Today there was something new and equally wonderful in the air and Hannah inhaled again, trying to identify its origin.

With a jolt she realized it was Louis.

Hannah let them into the building, where dim light sifted through a few side windows in faded streams. Partially blind from being out in the bright sunshine, she fumbled along the wall for the light switches, until she bumped into something solid. Louis.

He mumbled an apology while she struggled to recall how to draw a breath. Tingles shot down to her toes when he pressed a hand to her back, reaching around her with his other one to hit the lights. They flickered a few times before illuminating the large, open space, exposed rafters and partial hayloft that was now an upstairs office.

Trapped for a moment between Louis and the wall, Hannah found herself curious about who this man really was. One thing she’d learned working at Colts and Fillies was that everyone behaved the way they did for a reason. Everyone had a story and a history, even when only a few years old. And that story impacted their choices and the way they behaved. She knew that held true for Louis, who’d moved here as a teen, then left, like her. And now he was back.

But why? And why now?

“How long are you here for this time, Louis?”

He still hadn’t stepped away from her, and his blue eyes dropped to meet hers. “As long as I’m wanted.”

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