Page 4 of Chocolate Cherry Cabin

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Louis was there, nudging her aside. “Let me,” he murmured, then moved the ladder over several feet.

“I can do it,” she argued, her attempts to elbow him out of the way failing. He had climbed up in a flash and was already reaching along the eaves, attaching the lights, his jacket rising above his belt, revealing what appeared to be a bronzed midriff.

“Why are you tanned?” she blurted. “It’s December.”

“Doesn’t make me popular, but it’s something I do every year.” Seeing her confused look, he added, “Morocco. I go over there to do volunteer work.”

“Without your shirt on?”

He chuckled. “There are beaches. Plus it gets pretty hot.”

Why was her breath sticking in her lungs? He wasn’t her type. She needed a man who was content to curl up and watch movies through the winter nights, not go spend time helping people.

Obviously, her priorities were way off when it came to men, because his life sounded kind of fabulous.

Too bad he was such a judgmental jerk.

Not that they’d ever date. He would never be the type a single mom could count on. Plus there was the whole thing where the first one to fall asleep would be murdered by the other. Hannah had loathed being his partner in chemistry, even though it had been outright freeing how she could banter and make digs at him, no holds barred. She could insult him and he’d grin, somehow loving her moxie. How he’d never taken it personally was a skill she’d love to learn.

“What have you been up to?” he asked, as he angled himself to climb down.

Not anything as cool as volunteering in foreign countries.

“I can do the lights,” she said politely, steadying the ladder as he descended.

“You still with Calvin?” he asked, his gaze fixed on the eaves above.

Hannah sighed loudly and climbed the ladder as soon as he’d moved it. “Why? Are you looking to butt heads with him for old times’ sake?” She glared down at Louis, hating the way he’d made her doubt her decisions as a teen. Hating the way he’d been right to do so.

He smirked, a familiar expression that would surely grow when he learned that her marriage—just as he’d predicted—hadn’t lasted.

Sweetheart Creek was small, and she knew he’d have the answer soon enough if he didn’t already. He was probably asking only so he could deliver an I-told-you-so.

“I’m not,” Hannah admitted, coming down to move the ladder once again. Why did it still hurt to admit that her marriage had failed?

Louis’s calculating blue eyes met hers, and she lashed out before he could say anything, asking, “And are you still with any girl who’ll smile at you?”

The way his lips danced with amusement while he looked at her in that direct way of his stole her breath. There was something about him that challenged her, made her feel alive, unhinged and...irritated. Very, very irritated.

Having him next door was not going to be good for the inner peace she had been trying to cultivate since Calvin had informed her he didn’t actually love her any longer.

She started to shift the ladder, but Louis was holding it in place, still watching her with amusement.

“How’s that fast lifestyle working for you?” She jerked it from his grip. “Got anyone pregnant?”

“No, not yet. How’s your quiet life?”

“Ilikemy life.” She snatched the string of lights and stormed up the rungs.

“I’m sure you do,” he replied mildly. “Dr. Murphy?”

His tone was innocent, but something inside Hannah snapped. He’d been there when her dream of becoming a doctor had cruised right into a brick wall—or rather, flopped into his arms in a dead faint. He knew darn well why she hadn’t gone to medical school. Her friends had simply shrugged when she’d told them of her change of plans. But Louis? He’d made it all about Calvin, like her boyfriend had something to do with the fact that she fainted at the sight of blood.

“I have the important things, and it’srewarding.” A plastic clip for the lights broke, and went flying into the dry grass below. Wordlessly, Louis reached into the sack of extra clips hanging off the ladder and handed her a new one.

“So is volunteering. You should try it.”

“It’s called my current job,” she muttered, thinking of how Tonya had managed to snag more hours at Colts and Fillies than she had over the holiday season. The day care would be closed for a few days over Christmas, the hours already reduced as more parents took time off work, but not getting even half her share of hours had hurt.

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