Rekindling the Widower's Heart Read online

  Warmth crept into her cheeks as she stared for a too-long moment into his intense blue eyes, her heart beating at an erratic clip. Then, with a self-conscious laugh, she slipped free of his grasp and stepped away, once again secure on her own two feet. “I’m fine, so you can relax. I’m not the suing type.”

  He looked momentarily taken aback. Then glanced down at the German shepherd that had retreated behind his master. “It’s fortunate, then, that Rags isn’t, either.”

  Shouldn’t that quip have been accompanied by a smile? But she didn’t spy so much as a trace of a grin on his face.

  Nevertheless, she knelt down to call softly to the dog and, after only a moment’s hesitation, he trotted to her, tail wagging, to be petted. “Sorry, big guy.”

  Amends made, she rose to her feet once more, only to be caught off-guard by an unexpected sadness in Luke’s eyes. She’d stepped on his dog, tossed out ill-received lawsuit humor and made peace with the pup. Surely none of those things had wounded his feelings.

  But he didn’t look inclined to share his thoughts, so she bid him a hasty adieu and departed.

  Once outside, she paused to catch her breath and take in the hodgepodge of older stone and frame buildings along the tree-lined road. Some snuggled against each other as if for mutual support, others were stand-alones with towering ponderosas pressing in close. A few, obviously vacant, stared almost forlornly at their more fortunate, occupied neighbors. But despite evidence to the contrary, Delaney sensed the promise of renewed life in the community.

  A life she hoped to tap into this summer.

  Her heart lightening, she angled across the road to her new home, then trotted up the steps. The summer held so much potential, a freedom she hadn’t experienced since college graduation. And who was to say she couldn’t arrange to bump into Luke Hunter more frequently than anticipated? After all, this was a small town.

  And he did have amazing blue eyes.

  No wedding ring, either.

  She snatched up a flier tucked into the edge of the door, then inserted the key in the dead-bolt lock. If she could somehow banish that cheerless look she’d glimpsed and coax out a few smiles, the summer might be especially fun.

  But she’d barely gripped the doorknob when a shadow emerged from the corner of her mind, halting her flight of fancy. With a sigh, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. Would she never learn? As Aunt Jen often reminded, when something—or someone—looked too good to be true, it usually was.

  * * *

  Standing in the shadows, Luke held aside the office curtain and gazed toward the property Delaney Marks would be occupying for the next three months. She’d unlocked the door, briefly disappeared inside, and was now pulling a suitcase out of the backseat of her car.

  “You’re not going to believe this, big guy,” he said to the dog seated at his feet. “She’s moving in already.”

  Big guy. That’s what his wife had called Rags from the time he was a tiny puppy. Odd that Delaney called him that, too, though he wasn’t the largest of his breed.

  Luke’s gaze lingered as the new tenant tucked a floral sleeping bag under her arm and dragged an oversize pink suitcase up the porch steps. Talk about an optimist. She was eager to stretch her wings. To reach for her dreams. To taste all life had to offer.

  He’d been like that once. A long time ago.

  But watching her now, bubbling with energy and excitement, made him feel...old.

  With an almost cheerful announcement that she was currently unemployed due to a layoff, she nevertheless hadn’t flinched when writing a substantial check. And when he’d requested ID, she’d handed him a Golden State driver’s license that confirmed his suspicions—she’d be only twenty-seven come August. But her birthdate also served as a reminder that nineteen years ago when he’d left Hunter Ridge, thinking that at age eighteen he was rough and tough and all grown up, she’d barely reached the tender age of eight years old.

  Practically a baby.

  Yeah, she was a pretty, vivacious little thing and it had been a long time since a woman had caught his eye. But he was an old codger in comparison. A father of two teens and an eight-year-old, a man weighed down with responsibilities that a young woman would want no part of.

  “She’s as close to my son’s age as she is to mine,” he said aloud with a shake of his head.

  The dog bumped against his leg as if in sympathy, and Luke noticed Delaney had returned to the car to haul out a box from the passenger-side front seat.

  “I should go over to help her unload, don’t you think?” he said to Rags. “That would be the neighborly thing to do.”

  But before he could turn away from the window, a white minivan with a Christ’s Church of Hunter Ridge logo pulled up next to her car. One of Luke’s cousins—a younger bachelor cousin—hopped out of the driver’s side with a welcoming smile.

  Garrett, who already had to beat women off with a stick.

  “Just as well.” Luke tugged the curtain back into place. Despite the not-so-subtle signals that she wouldn’t be opposed to getting to know him better, he’d steer clear of Delaney Marks.

  He drew in a heavy breath as a too-familiar weight settled in his chest. No cradle robbing for him.

  Besides, what kind of woman would take to a man who’d as good as wished his wife dead?

  Chapter Two

  “Let’s get Luke over here and see if he can figure this out.” Pastor Garrett McCrae gave the microwave’s buttons one last pointless push. Then, with an it-beats-me shake of his head, he stepped back. “There’s a trick to it and he’ll likely know it.”

  Delaney looked up from where she was seated on the ceramic-tiled floor beside an open cardboard box, searching for another mug and a wider variety of teas.

  “I hate to bother him.” While she didn’t mind seeing Luke again—only thirty minutes after they’d parted—she didn’t want her new landlord to think she’d be a problem tenant.

  “No biggie.” Garrett pulled out his cell phone and punched in a speed dial number. “That’s why God created cousins. For bothering.”

  “You and Luke are cousins?”

  He nodded as he held the phone to his ear. “His dad is my mom’s brother.”

  Delaney mentally logged that enlightening bit of information as she studied him, looking for a family resemblance. Maybe in the eyes, though Garrett’s were more gray than blue and accented with laugh lines. His hair was darker as well. Older than her but younger than Luke, Garrett and his cousin hadn’t come from the same mold.

  When the call was picked up on the other end, Garrett immediately launched in. “Hey, cuz. I’m helping our summer youth volunteer get moved in to Charlie and Emma’s old place and— What? Yeah, right. You let that slip by you?” Garrett chuckled. “You’ll appreciate that she’ll be keeping teens with too much time on their hands out of trouble. Anyway, the microwave downstairs isn’t working.”

  Delaney watched as Garrett paused to listen intently, then he gave her a thumbs-up before pocketing his phone. “He’s on his way.”

  Anticipation mingled with apprehension. “I hope he doesn’t think I’m going to be a nuisance.”

  Garrett shrugged. “Being pestered is good for him. Gets him out of his comfort zone.”

  Having moved back to the main room to wait for Luke, the door standing open to admit the scent of sun-warmed pine, they again marveled at their providential good fortune. Only last Sunday evening Garrett had been in contact with her aunt’s pastor in Canyon Springs—who happened to know of Delaney’s availability for a summer position.

  “I can hardly believe the perfect timing,” Delaney concluded. “With Aunt Jen’s health in question, I needed an excuse to stick relatively close by this summer.”

  “Believe me, we’re more than happy to have you here.”

&
nbsp; “I’m glad. And thanks for helping me carry in my stuff.”

  Garrett glanced at the suitcase, sleeping bag and boxes by the door. “This isn’t everything you have, is it?”

  “It’s all I could cram in my car to bring over this afternoon. The apartment in Sacramento was furnished, so I’ll be borrowing furniture from my aunt and friends in Canyon Springs. I do have a few more boxes, clothes and my bicycle.”

  “I’m sure folks here at the church will be happy to loan you whatever else you may need. As I’d mentioned earlier, with our youth intern forced to pull out at the last minute, you’ll be considered an answered prayer.”

  “Maybe, maybe not,” said the low, mellow voice of the pastor’s cousin, carrying from the open door. “Better plan on a few disgruntled looks when Delaney is introduced on Sunday rather than David.”

  She turned to Luke with a laugh, trusting his comment was teasing, even though his tone didn’t reflect that. “I hope no one is too disappointed.”

  He shrugged, unsmiling. “You never know.”

  Okay, maybe he wasn’t teasing.

  “Disappointed?” Garrett shot his cousin an aggravated look. “Not a chance.”

  “I’m giving her fair warning.” Luke leaned a broad shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. “Last Sunday you were singing the praises of that college kid, claiming he’d be a big draw for the local teens with his background in biblical studies and enthusiasm for outdoor sports. You got the boys fired up that he was big into hiking and mountain biking.”

  Luke cut an apologetic glance at Delaney as if to acknowledge it was no fault of hers that her only claim to fame was making jewelry. Then his eyes narrowed in speculation as he directed a pointed look at his cousin.

  Garrett merely offered a serene smile. “God moves in mysterious ways.”

  “Right.” Luke pushed away from the door. “Now let’s take a look at that microwave problem.”

  He strode to the back of the building, Delaney almost scampering behind him, eager to explain why his afternoon had been interrupted.

  “Pastor McCrae—I mean, Garrett—attempted to warm a mug of peppermint tea, but—”

  “Peppermint tea?” With a glance in Garrett’s direction, Luke raised disbelieving brows.

  The pastor only shrugged, his impish smile unapologetic.

  “Anyway,” Delaney continued, wanting Luke to get the full story, “when he put the mug in the microwave and pressed the start button, nothing happened.”

  “Zip,” Garrett confirmed. “I told Delaney there’s probably a trick to it. A secret knock or something.”

  Luke took a slow breath, his tone dry. “There’s a trick to it all right.”

  Garrett cast Delaney an I-told-you-so look.

  Squatting in front of the wooden microwave cart, Luke reached underneath. Then he pulled out a length of electrical cord, waved the plug end at his cousin and poked it in the wall outlet.

  “Well, what do you know?” Garrett laughed, not the least bit embarrassed.

  But she was. Heat scorched her cheeks. Luke probably thought her a total airhead. Why hadn’t she taken a look herself before Garrett called him? “I’m sorry. It didn’t even dawn on me that it might not be plugged in.”

  Luke looked down at her, a faint light of amusement in his eyes. “No problem. It’s my fault. I forgot Uncle Mac would have unplugged everything when the tenant vacated last fall. A safety precaution. Usually new renters don’t move in fifteen minutes after they sign the lease, so there’d normally be time to get everything hooked up and the refrigerator cooling.”

  He ran his hand roughly through his hair in an almost weary gesture—again confirming he had more important things on his mind. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll plug in the rest of the appliances down here and in the loft.”

  Garrett playfully punched him in the shoulder. “This is something you couldn’t have told me over the phone, cuz?”

  Luke drew back. “Are you kidding? And miss an opportunity to publicly demonstrate the shortcomings of our good pastor?”

  “He lives for that,” Garrett acknowledged with a smile in Delaney’s direction. “But all’s well that ends well, right?”

  Luke moved past her to the refrigerator, his height seeming even more imposing in the confined space.

  “Hey, while you’re in a Boy Scout frame of mind...” Garrett stepped in to assist in pulling the large appliance away from the wall. “Delaney has furniture and more boxes to bring over from Canyon Springs. Do you think you and that big pickup of yours could help her out?”

  Luke glanced up from where he’d plugged in the fridge, then slowly rose to his feet. “Now?”

  “No, not now,” Delaney quickly inserted, catching the reluctance in his tone. “Besides, I can always recruit someone from Canyon Springs.”

  Garrett helped push the now-humming refrigerator back into place. “Luke can do it. When would work best for you, Delaney?”

  “Today’s Thursday. So tomorrow, maybe? Or Saturday? Before Sunday evening, if possible.” But she wasn’t convinced that her new landlord was buying into the volunteer gig. “The youth group can always sit on the floor, but it will be more relaxing with a few comfy chairs and a sofa. I’d rather not resort to folding chairs. They’re too stiff and formal.”

  Kids didn’t much care for being rowed up or in a too-rigid circle. As she remembered from her own youth group days and as a high school youth leader when in college, a casual setting would be more conducive to building relationships and drawing out participation.

  Garrett’s eyes brightened. “Awesome idea. This place is perfect.”

  “You want the kids to meet here?” Luke’s disapproval of her plan was clearly evident. “What’s wrong with the fellowship hall where they usually meet?”

  Garrett gave his cousin an incredulous look. “The remodel, remember? It starts Monday and the place will be torn up for weeks. This is much better than resorting to a Sunday school classroom.”

  “But—”

  Garrett turned to Delaney, cutting Luke off. “I don’t have any objections. This place is spacious and centrally located. The kids will love it. I’ll get the word out.”

  Luke pinned Garrett with a doubtful look. “Don’t you think you should run it by the church board first?”

  “Mmm...” Garrett narrowed his eyes as if in deep thought, then shook his head. “No.”

  An unsmiling Luke wagged a finger at him. “One of these days, buddy, you’re going to overstep your bounds as an interim pastor and find yourself shown the door.”

  Interim pastor? He wasn’t the real deal? Had he overstepped his bounds by bringing her on board two days ago?

  Unfazed, Garrett grinned as he pulled out his cell phone and read an incoming text message. “You’d be leading the lynch mob, I assume?”

  “Guarantee it.”

  Garrett held up his phone. “Hey, looks like I’m late for a meeting. I’ll leave you two here to work out details for the move. Think you can handle that, Luke, without causing too much trauma to your schedule?”

  * * *

  “I can handle it.” Luke gave Garrett a steady look as he walked him to the door, Delaney trailing along behind.

  The pup was getting way too big for his britches these days and, as usual, he was doing his best to push his older cousin’s buttons. To Luke’s irritation, Garrett maintained, as did the rest of the extended family, that he spent too much time working at Hunter Ridge Enterprises. And seeing to the never-ending needs of his kids.

  Like it was any of their business. Little did they know that if all went well, he’d soon be out from under their scrutiny.

  But why was Garrett fobbing off the youth volunteer on him? The way he was all smiles and bending over backwards to accommodate her this afternoon—
peppermint tea?—it appeared he intended to keep her to himself. Then again, maybe the interim pastor of Christ’s Church didn’t see him as competition for the much younger lady’s attention. It reminded him of a situation when, as a kid, Garrett had left a favored toy in the protective custody of their aged grandpa.

  With a wave of his hand, Garrett headed out the door. “I’ll take a rain check on that tea, Delaney. But stop by my office tomorrow morning and we’ll get the paperwork completed.”

  As soon as he’d departed, she spun toward Luke, her expression uncertain. “Please don’t feel obligated to help me move because your cousin is...pushy.”

  She thought Garrett was pushy? Perceptive. “I don’t mind. It’s just—”

  “That you’re a big boy and prefer making your own decisions?” Mischief lit her eyes and, in response, he felt the tug of his own somewhat rusty smile.

  “I’ve done that for quite a few years.”

  For ten more than she had.

  “It’s bad enough that you had to come over here to plug in a microwave.” For a moment she covered her face with her hands, her expressive eyes peeping at him from between ringed fingers. “How embarrassing.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed. Like I said, it’s my fault. And if I hadn’t wanted to rib Garrett in person, I could have enlightened him over the phone.” But if he’d told him over the phone, he wouldn’t be standing here right now talking to their pretty new tenant. Had that possibility played a part in his decision to see to the microwave in person?

  Naw. He’d wanted only to give his cousin a hard time. He’d take care of business here and be on his way. Chloe, his youngest, would be arriving any time now and expect him to be at the office after school on a Thursday afternoon.

  He gave Delaney a reassuring nod. “I’ll take care of the appliances upstairs and make sure things are in order with the hot water heater and the furnace. It gets chilly around here some nights.”

  “I’ve always loved that about Arizona mountain country.” She opened her arms wide as if to encompass the world around her, a spontaneous gesture he’d observed earlier when she’d claimed the rental property as her own. “You regulate how cool you want to be by how wide you open a window.”