Irene nodded and sipped her chocolate while she rocked back and forth in front of the fire. A gentle knock on the door brought the rocking chair to a stop, and Irene’s expression changed. Blake turned on the porch light, opened the door, and motioned Allie inside.
Irene’s old eyes narrowed into little more than slits. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be having a good time with your girlfriends because this is the last night before you get married tomorrow.”
“Granny, I am Allie, not Katy, and it’s time for us to go home, now,” Allie said.
Irene’s face went blank as she looked around the room. “Why did you bring me over here to this place? I told you to stay away from here. It don’t bring nothing but heartache and yet here you are, flirting with this cowboy. It’s a good thing I saw you sneaking out of the house and came to get you. I’ll have to watch you closer or else you’ll ruin your life like your mama almost did.”
“You want a cup of hot chocolate or coffee?” Blake asked.
Allie shook her head. “What’s this about Mama ruining her life?”
Irene popped up out of the rocking chair and pointed her finger at Allie. “I don’t want to talk about that, Alora Raine Logan. I told Katy that she’d have to get over it and she did so we’re not discussing it no more. Let’s go home and I swear to God, if I catch you over here one more time, you’re going to be in big trouble.”
“Let me help you with your coat,” Allie said.
“I’m a grown woman. I don’t need any help,” Irene protested.
Allie stood aside and let her grandmother get the heavy coat up on her shoulders, then watched as Irene slammed the screen door and stomped out to the van. “Thanks for calling. We thought she was asleep in her room. She crawled out a window. Guess I’ll have to put locks on them so she can’t get out.”
“She must’ve loved Walter a lot,” he said.
“I don’t even know who Walter is. He might be a boyfriend she had in the fourth grade and she’s got him mixed up with someone who lived over here at some time in her life. Who knows what triggers what these days.” Allie sighed.
Shooter whined, yipped, and then opened his eyes wide. He jumped up and raced across the floor like he’d been poked with a red-hot brand. Blake barely had time to sling open the screen door before the yellow blur sped past him and Allie. Then, as if in slow motion, Allie was tumbling forward, grasping at nothing more than air to break her fall.
Blake quickly wrapped his big arms around her and pulled her to his chest. Her heart pounded against his as he tightened his arms around her and her arms snaked up around his neck.
“I am so sorry,” she gasped, but she didn’t push away from him.
“It’s all right. I’ve got you,” he whispered. “Sorry about Shooter. I’ve never seen him act like that and I’ve had him since the day he was born.”
Her arms fell to her sides and her face turned scarlet. “I had visions of a broken arm and not being able to work.”
Blake didn’t know that women blushed in today’s world, especially those who were tough enough to put a roof on a house and run a construction business.
Without thinking of anything other than comforting her, Blake kissed her on the forehead. “So did I, and all I could think was that the roof wasn’t nearly finished.”
She stiffened and took a step back. “I should be going. Thanks for not letting me fall.”
In seconds she was outside and Blake wondered what in the hell just happened. It was a simple kiss, nothing passionate or demanding, and yet there was no denying that fear in her eyes. Was it just him or was she afraid of all men? And why?
With a racing pulse and feeling more than a little like a teenage girl who’d just gotten her first kiss, Allie crawled into the driver’s seat of the van. She touched her forehead and was surprised to find that it was cold as ice and not on fire.
Granny had crossed her arms over her chest, which wasn’t a good sign.
Allie started the engine and turned to face her grandmother. “Granny, you could have hurt yourself crawling out the window like that. Promise me right now that you won’t do that again.” She backed the van around to her left so she could straighten it up and drive down the lane. “You are going to fall and hurt yourself one of these days and then the doctor will make us put you in a nursing home.”
“I did not crawl out a window. I drove over here to get you. Don’t you be making me out to be the one who did wrong. It was you and I’m tellin’ your mother what you’ve done. I told you to stay away from this place and I’m getting tired of having to get out in the cold and come get you,” Irene said.
“Okay.” Allie reached the end of the lane and turned left. “Who is Walter?”
Irene stuck her lip out in a pout. “I don’t know why you keep asking me that. I don’t know anyone by that name, but your mama fell in love with a boy from over there and he was bad news. The apple never falls far from the tree and you are going to fall for that sexy cowboy who wants to get into your pants.”