The Secrets Between Them

Tramping along with her in the mist, breathing in the clear, cold air, the dancing waters of the creek providing background music, Evan told himself that he was there only to confirm Will’s safety in his mother’s care. Yet he couldn’t deny that an odd sense of peace had settled over him.

Years had passed since he’d last spent time enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world. Cooped up in his office, a rented room or a vehicle, and tied to electronic tools of his trade, his experience of the great outdoors had consisted mainly of viewing it from a window. But that was about to change—at least for a week—and he was looking forward to it with a surprising edge of anticipation.

Leaving Will on the porch to towel off Nellie—a task both boy and dog appeared to enjoy—Hannah and Evan took a moment to dry the soles of their boots on the mat, then headed into the house. At Hannah’s invitation, Evan hung his jacket on one of the pegs next to hers, followed her across the living room and up the steep, narrow, creaking flight of wooden steps that led to the second floor of the house.

At the top of the staircase a short hall led to a doorway that opened into a long, spacious room built under the eaves of the slanting roof. One end held a bed piled with pillows in white, lace-edged cases and covered with a patchwork quilt done in muted shades of blue and rose and green. A nightstand beside the bed held a brass lamp and there was also a small dresser with a mirror against the far wall.

At the opposite end of the room sat a chair and ottoman upholstered in blue-and-white striped fabric. A row of built-in bookcases full of books lined part of the wall, and there was also a small rolltop desk and an expensive-looking, black leather desk chair, out of place enough for Evan to conclude that it must have belonged to Hannah’s husband.

On the polished wood floor were a couple of blue-and-green rag rugs. Banks of wide windows—sans blinds or curtains of any kind—were set shoulder-high in the three outside walls, as well. They not only let in the meager light of the gray day, but also framed views of the woodland treetops that seemed closer when seen from this snug and tranquil aerie.

“The bathroom is over there,” Hannah said, nodding toward a doorway that opened into a small, separate area that held a pedestal-style sink, a toilet and a narrow shower stall.

“It’s very nice,” Evan said with honest appreciation.

“Private, too. You can come up here anytime you want and no one will disturb you,” Hannah advised. “You should be fairly comfortable….”

“I’m sure I’ll be very comfortable,” Evan assured her.

“So…are you still interested?” she asked as she turned to leave the room.

“Yes, I am. I can plan to be here first thing tomorrow morning, if you want to hire me.”

“I’m very interested. I’ll have to check your references, of course—you understand—but why don’t you plan to be here tomorrow morning around eight o’clock?” She paused by the door to the porch, took his jacket from the peg and held it out to him. “I’ll call you at the hotel if there’s a problem.”

“Eight it is, unless I hear from you otherwise,” Evan agreed.

He had given her the name and telephone number of the motel where he was staying when he’d talked to her earlier. As he put on his jacket and prepared to leave, he wondered if she would call there later that evening to tell him not to come back.

Evan doubted it, considering how much help she needed with her gardens. Everyone on his list of references would cover for him, as well. While all were valid friends and business associates, they had been advised in advance of who Hannah James was and why she might be calling them. Still, the fact that she wanted to check him out more thoroughly rather than blindly inviting him to stay in her home only fed his doubts about Randall’s claims.

“Be careful on the drive back to Boone,” she said, opening the door for him.

“I will.”

On the porch, Will was playing tug with Nellie. The dog had one end of the soggy towel gripped in her teeth and was growling playfully, her tail wagging a mile a minute.

“I’m just about done, Mommy,” the boy said, then shrieked as Nellie pulled the towel out of his hands and took off around the side of the porch. “Come back, Nellie, come back!”

“Looks like I’d better get another towel…or two,” Hannah said with a rueful grin, adding to Evan as he walked down the porch steps, “See you tomorrow, then?”

“Unless I hear otherwise,” he confirmed, then climbed into the Jeep, fit his key in the ignition and started the engine as Hannah reached through the open doorway, grabbed her jacket and went off after boy and dog.

Evan didn’t relish the long journey back to Boone on rain-slick, winding mountain roads. But in a strange way he needed to put some distance between himself and Hannah, physically as well as mentally.

Nothing about her appearance or her manner had been intentionally alluring—not that he could deny finding her that way. Nor had he seen any reason to be concerned about leaving her alone with her son. Yet he didn’t want to leave her, and perversely enough that lack of want made the need even more imperative.

Hannah James had put him at ease with her gentleness and her warmth, her consideration and concern. She had seemed so genuine, so open and so honest that as he guided the Jeep down the gravel drive, fighting an urge to glance in the rearview mirror, the pangs of conscience he’d suffered earlier hit him again at a deeper, more visceral level.

Evan could justify going ahead with his deception, lying to her for Will’s sake for a while longer. But he knew he’d be lying to himself if he said that he was only going back there because of the boy. The real draw was Hannah James, herself.

And there was no place in this assignment for that kind of fascination.

Considering all the lies he had already told her, the only way he could spend time with her was to sign on as hired help. He could stay a day, a week, a month, but eventually he would have only two choices—he could abandon her knowing full well how much she needed help, or he could tell her the truth about himself and reveal just how seriously he’d betrayed her trust. Lying to people was a given in his line of work. He had done it before and he would do it again, especially to protect a child. But lying to Hannah James didn’t sit easy with him.

From what he knew of her now, he believed she deserved better than that from him. But the only real alternative he had was never going back to her house at all. And that, Evan Graham acknowledged as he turned onto the main road back to Boone, he simply couldn’t do.

Chapter Three

Hannah set another tray of peat pots filled with seedlings in the sheltered area on the wood deck that she used for the first stage of hardening off the little plants. Straightening, she tipped her face to the sun, squared her shoulders and stretched to relieve the slight kink in her lower back. The pause also gave her time to realize that she was hungry.

Will and Evan Graham were likely ready for a lunch break, as well, she surmised. They had all been working hard since early that morning, and from the slant of the sun, it had to be at least noon.

Verifying that thought, Will joined her on the deck, set down the tray of seedlings he’d been carrying and eyed her hopefully as he asked, “Do you want me to go inside and make some sandwiches, Mommy?”

“How about if you help me make the sandwiches?”

She reached out and gently ruffled a hand through his thick, dark hair.

“Okay.”

“Round up Nellie, then go in the house and wash your hands while I let Mr. Graham know we’re stopping to eat lunch now.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

As Will tore off up the hill, calling to the dog snuffling at the edge of the woods, Hannah headed around the house and down the path to the vegetable gardens. There Evan had set to work weeding almost as soon as he’d arrived—promptly at eight o’clock as they’d agreed.

She had been so relieved to hear the sound of his Jeep coming up the gravel drive that morning. Until then, she had still doubted that he would actually take the minimum-wage job she’d offered him. Even despite the fact that he had called her early the previous evening and asked if everything went okay with his references, and if she needed anything from town that he could bring with him when he came.

Hannah had not only been surprised by his request, but also pleased. In her estimation, such thoughtfulness on his part boded well for their working relationship. It also made her feel even better about her decision to hire him.

Although his “…that is, if you still want me for the job…” had come back to haunt her later in the night.

She hadn’t given his comment much thought at the time he’d made it, airily dismissing it with her own “of course, I do.” But at one o’clock in the morning, unable to sleep, she had gone over their conversation in her mind and had wondered if he’d had doubts of his own, the source of which she’d only been able to guess at.

Or had he been offering her a last chance to back out of the bargain they’d made?

But then, that hadn’t made sense. Not if he wanted and needed a job and a place to stay in the area as much as he’d claimed he did.

Of course, he could have just told her that in order to get a foot in the door—a possibility she hadn’t even entertained in the light of day.

Was there a reason his references wouldn’t have checked out? Hannah had thought, eyeing the clock on her nightstand grimly. Not that that had been the case at all. Everyone she spoke to had nothing but glowing things to say about Evan Graham. Besides, why would he have offered her references unless he fully expected all of the people he’d listed to vouch for him in a positive way?

Reminding herself that it was important to trust her instincts—and her instinctive feeling about Evan Graham had been good—Hannah had slept at last, soundly enough to awaken at seven o’clock feeling rested and ready for the day ahead. The sunlight peeping through her window had brightened her spirits, as well. They would be able to make the first small dent in all the work that needed to be done—if Evan arrived as planned.

He had pulled up by the porch at eight o’clock on the dot, causing Nellie to bark and wag excitedly and Will, still in his pajamas, to dance around the living room in glee. He had brought along a bag of bagels, still warm from the oven, and a carton of cream cheese from her favorite deli in Boone, and presented both to her with an engaging smile. He’d also looked well rested and more than ready to start work.

“I brought four cinnamon-raisin, four loaded with everything and four whole wheat,” he’d said.

“Mmm, perfect choices,” she’d replied, delighted by the rare treat.

Glad that she’d eaten only a small bowl of cereal earlier, Hannah had helped herself to a cinnamon-raisin bagel as Evan returned to the Jeep and proceeded to move his few belongings to the room upstairs.

He’d had a large, black duffel bag and a laptop computer in an expensive-looking leather carrying case. One trip up the staircase and he joined her in the kitchen, rubbing his hands together briskly to chase away the slight chill of the early-morning mountain air.

Hannah had noted that he was as neat and clean—and attractive—as he’d been the previous day. He’d obviously showered and shaved before leaving the motel, if the slight dampness of his hair and the subtle drift of spicy aftershave she’d caught were any indication. His faded jeans and navy blue sweatshirt appeared older and much more worn than the jeans and flannel shirt he’d had on yesterday, making them more suitable for the rough, outdoor work he’d be doing in the wet, weed-infested beds. She couldn’t help but notice his change of clothes did nothing to temper her feminine response to him, but she pushed the realization aside. Evan was her employee—nothing more.

He had accepted a mug of coffee, but turned down a bagel, saying he’d eaten one on his way to her place. Hannah had savored the last few bites of hers, finished her coffee and sent Will to his room to get dressed. Then she’d led Evan out to the shed where she stored her shovels, rakes, hoes, wheelbarrow and various other gardening tools along with the bags and boxes of organically approved products she preferred to use to nourish and protect her plants, as well as control pests.

She had found a pair of relatively new, heavy-duty gardening gloves for him—originally bought for Stewart who had rarely used them. She’d loaded the gloves, a shovel and a hoe into the wheelbarrow, then turned to Evan.

“I need you to work on the vegetable gardens first,” she’d said as he gripped the handles of the wheelbarrow and guided it out of the shed. “They need to be cleaned out completely. It shouldn’t be too hard since the ground is pretty wet from all the rain, but it will be a messy job for the same reason.”

“What should I do with the stuff I dig up?” he’d asked, looking back at her as they’d headed down the drive.

“You can load it into the wheelbarrow, then transfer it to the compost bin. It’s divided into three sections. The one to the left is empty, so we’ll use it to start a new batch.”

Hannah had met Evan’s gaze, hoping she wasn’t overwhelming him with his morning’s duties. He’d looked amazingly eager to get to work, and she’d smiled encouragingly as they’d continued down the drive, pausing only when they reached the first of the vegetable beds laid out neatly on the gentle slope.

“Be sure to wear the gloves so you don’t get blisters or bug bites on your hands,” she’d advised him.

“I will.”

“I’ll put a jug of ice water on the porch for you, too. You’re welcome to take a break anytime you want and help yourself to anything you need. There’s coffee in the pot on the counter and iced tea in the refrigerator if you’d prefer something besides water. If you have any questions, I’ll be working in the greenhouses, moving the seedlings out to the deck so they can start hardening off. Just give a holler.”

“I’ll do that, too,” he said, parking the wheelbarrow and retrieving the gloves.

“We’ll stop for lunch around noon or so.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He’d pulled on the gloves, picked up the hoe, shot her a smile and immediately set to work.

Hannah hadn’t talked to Evan again in the four hours that had passed since then. She had caught an occasional glimpse of him, however, as he’d wheeled one load after another of leaves and weeds to the compost bin. Once she had also gone to check on his progress, albeit at a distance, and had been surprised at how quickly and efficiently he was getting the job done.

Not wanting Evan to catch her spying on him, Hannah had meant only to watch him work a minute or two. But the sight of him breaking up clods of weed-choked soil with the hoe, an industrious look on his face, his movements spare and sure, had arrested her attention completely.

He wasn’t a big man, bulked up with overdeveloped muscles, but Hannah could easily see the strength and energy in his wiry build. Though he had claimed that he wasn’t used to rough, outdoor work, he hadn’t appeared to have any problem taking to it. Of course, he’d only been at it a couple of hours.

Reluctantly slipping away to continue her own work in the greenhouses, Hannah had wondered how enthusiastic Evan would be later in the day, not to mention later in the week—if he even lasted that long. She didn’t want to be pessimistic about Evan, but with so much riding on his employment working out, she was scared to get too hopeful. Past experience had taught her the danger of that.

Now walking down the drive again, Hannah saw that Evan had finished clearing one of the four-foot by four-foot beds completely and was almost finished with another. She also saw that he’d stripped off his sweatshirt and was about to pull off his white short-sleeve T-shirt, as well. He caught sight of her, paused and smiled somewhat sheepishly.

“It’s gotten warmer out here than I’d expected,” he said, modestly tugging his T-shirt over his bare chest again.

Hannah was sorry to see him do it. He had a very nice chest—again, not bulked up, but definitely well-toned and very lightly tanned. Though she really had no business noticing, she couldn’t stop herself. Acting on her attraction was out of the question, but looking couldn’t hurt, right?

“That’s because you’re working in full sunlight,” she advised, more primly than she’d intended. “It’s still nice and cool in the shade. But vegetables need more sun than shade to thrive, thus the location of the beds.”

“I’m not complaining,” he hastened to assure her. “It actually feels good to be out here with the sun on my face. Although I have to admit I’ve enjoyed the walks to the compost bin since it’s in a shady spot.”

“Only for another hour or so until the sun shifts, but the drive will be shaded by then so the walk itself won’t be bad.”

“In that case, the T-shirt is definitely coming off,” he said with a grin.

“Come up to the house and have lunch first,” Hannah offered. “And you really should put on some sunscreen, too. I keep a tube handy in the kitchen for me and Will.”

“Good idea.”

Evan set the hoe in the wheelbarrow and pulled off his gloves, then joined Hannah on the gravel drive.

“I thought I’d make sandwiches for lunch. I have ham and Swiss cheese and turkey, lettuce and tomato and whole wheat bread. And, of course, the old standby, peanut butter and jelly.”

She glanced at him questioningly, hoping he wasn’t a picky eater. Although he could always munch on one of the bagels he’d brought with him.

“I’m easy where food is concerned,” he said. “I’m also especially fond of ham and cheese sandwiches.”

“That’s a relief.”

As they climbed the porch steps, Will and Nellie jumped off the old-fashioned wooden swing, setting it rocking against the porch rail.

“Can we make the sandwiches now?” he asked eagerly.

“Yes, we can. But first be sure to wash your hands. And let’s leave Nellie on the porch, okay? ’Cause her paws are kind of muddy.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

“I should probably take off my boots and leave them out here, too,” Evan said.

“Good idea, but put them just inside the door so Nellie won’t chew on them.”

In the house, Hannah headed for the kitchen while Will and Evan peeled off in opposite directions to wash up. By the time they joined her again, she had the sandwich fixings laid upon the counter and was ready to start assembling meat, cheese, veggies, bread and condiments as requested.

“Ham and cheese for you, Evan. Right?”

“Yes, please,” he replied, adding, “I can pour the drinks if you’d like.”

“That would be a big help. Glasses in that cabinet,” she advised with a nod of her head. “There’s ice in the freezer, too. I’ll have tea and I’d like Will to have a small glass of milk.”

“Done.”

“Do you want lettuce and tomato, mustard and mayo on your sandwich, too?”

“Lettuce, tomato and mustard,” he said.

“How about you, Will? Ham or turkey or PB and J today?”

“Turkey…just plain turkey.”

“Okay, just plain turkey for you.”

Hannah put the sandwiches on plates, including a turkey with lettuce and tomato for herself, two each for her and Evan and one for Will. She carried them to the table along with a bag of chips she took from the pantry as Evan set their drinks on the table, as well.

So hungry were all three of them that they ate for several minutes in relative silence. Finally somewhat sated, Hannah looked up to see Evan eyeing her from across the table. He had spiked his short, blond hair with damp hands while upstairs, making him appear a little younger, a little…softer. A slight, quizzical smile also edged up the corners of his mouth.

“What?” she asked, afraid that she might have a bit of bread or a dot of mustard smeared on her face.

“I was just thinking how glad I am that I’m not the only one who’s ravenous,” he replied.

“What’s…rabanis?” Will demanded, stuttering over the unfamiliar word.

“Very, very hungry,” Hannah explained.

“Well, I’m rabanis, too.”

Her son took another big bite of his sandwich.

“Not surprising for any of us. We all worked hard this morning—especially you, Evan. You’ve done an amazing job on the vegetable gardens in a really short time,” Hannah said.

Evan’s full mouth took on a more sheepish slant as he reached for his glass of iced tea, winced, then subtly rolled his shoulders.

“I hope you won’t be too disappointed if I slow down some this afternoon. I’m starting to feel joints and muscles aching that I’d forgotten I even had.”

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t slow down a lot,” Hannah assured him. “And it’s perfectly all right. I’d much rather have you pace yourself than burn out in only a day.”

“I don’t think I’ll burn out, but I can see that pacing is going to be a good idea.”

“Maybe you should take a nap like me and Nellie,” Will interjected. “Only I don’t always fall asleep. Sometimes I talk to Nellie. But Nellie’s paws are all muddy today so she might have to take her nap on the porch.”

“I try not to take naps ’cause if I do, I have trouble sleeping at night. Although I have a feeling I’ll be out like a light once my head hits the pillow tonight,” Evan admitted in a wry tone.

“My daddy took a lot of naps,” Will said. “We had to be real quiet so we wouldn’t wake him up ’cause that made him mad. I don’t get mad when I wake up from my nap, though. I get happy ’cause Mommy gives me cookies and milk for an afternoon snack.”

Evan glanced at Hannah, a questioning look in his eyes again. She met his intense gaze for a moment, wondering what he must be thinking of her son’s bald statement. She didn’t want to explain to him about Stewart’s behavior in front of Will—didn’t want to drag that sad, frightening time into the peacefulness of the present moment.

But she should say something to smooth over the awkwardness between them, shouldn’t she?

As if sensing her discomfort, Evan came to the rescue. Reaching out, he tweaked Will on the chin, making him giggle, then said, “Hey, for some of your mom’s cookies, I’d take a nap any day, buddy.”

“You are more than welcome to cookies and milk in the afternoon even without a nap first,” Hannah said, grateful to him for so considerately putting her at ease again.

“That’s one offer I plan to hold you to, regardless,” Evan replied, a purely mischievous twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

“I promise not to renege.” Slightly uncomfortable with the flutter his statement caused, Hannah waved a hand at his empty plate. “Would you like another sandwich or more chips?”

Sitting back in his chair, Evan patted his flat stomach with a hand and shook his head.

“I’m full, as I should be after eating both of those sandwiches you made. They were really good.”

“And you were rabanis,” Will added.

“Yes, I most certainly was,” Evan agreed.

Standing along with Hannah, he picked up his plate and glass and carried them to the sink, his hip bumping gently against hers as they paused there together.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, suddenly embarrassed by their close proximity.

“I’m the one who should apologize for getting in your way. But I didn’t want you to think I expected you to either wait on me or clean up after me.”

“It’s not like my kitchen’s all that small. It’s just that I’m so used to cooking and cleaning up around here on my own that having you help out threw me off just a little. I could get used to it, though,” she acknowledged before she had time to really consider what she was saying.

“That’s good to know because I’m here to help you any way I can,” Evan said, again getting them past an awkward moment in a lighthearted manner. “Which means I’d better head back to the vegetable gardens and go to work again.”

“Let me get the sunscreen for you.” Hannah put a hand on his arm to stop him as he turned away. “You should probably wear a hat, too.”