Disoriented, Red realized he had fallen asleep. The book was resting on his chest, pages down. He closed the book. The intermittent sleep he had had the night before—ensuring the fire didn’t die out, and due to his inability to stop thinking about the dark-haired beauty an arm’s length away—had caught up to him, and he had nodded off on the third page.
He checked the time on his cell phone. Really? He couldn’t believe it was midafternoon. In a few hours it would be dark. He should really head out to Winter’s Haven now. He didn’t have Ronnie’s cell number, so he couldn’t text her to let her know he’d be dropping off her bag of books. By now she would have realized she had forgotten them. She didn’t have his number either, but Casson did. Yet she had not thought to get it from her cousin. Or maybe she just didn’t want to…
Red strode to the washroom and splashed some cool water over his face. He examined his reflection in the mirror. His scruff could do with a trim. He could do that himself now. And maybe he’d go for a haircut tomorrow, before driving back to Toronto midweek for an important meeting with his team and a prospective client. He put on his parka and boots, pressed a code into his phone to activate a set of intermittent lights inside and left, bracing himself against the cold wind.
Hopefully Ronnie would give him a warmer reception…
CHAPTER EIGHT
RONNIE GAVE AMY JAY a gentle kiss on the forehead and handed her back to Justine. She had been quite content sitting in her high chair and playing with her while the adults had their cup of coffee and some of the peanut butter cookies Ronnie had brought over.
She had put some in a tin for Casson and Justine, and some in another tin for when Andy returned. Somehow, there was still a dozen left over.
Red’s request had popped into her mind. Or maybe it had always been there.
With a flutter in her chest, Ronnie had left the extra cookies on the tray and had walked over to Casson and Justine’s to fill them in on her rescue by Red.
There were some details she had chosen to keep to herself… Feelings that had sprung up from out of nowhere, that were too new, too private to share. How could she possibly tell Casson and Justine that something crazy and magical had happened out on the pond with Red? Something she still needed to make sense of…
It had started with the feeling of freedom as she skated around the pond, a feeling that somehow had been buried under all the responsibilities she had had to manage over the last few years. And then that feeling had catapulted to a whole new level when Red had literally swept her off her feet.
Casson’s questioning look drew her back to the present.
“So what did you think of Redmond Brannigan II?” Casson said after Justine had left the room with the baby.
The sudden question made her start. “Um…well,” she said, shrugging, “he… I thought he was decent enough to stop and see if I needed help…especially since…”
Casson’s cell phone buzzed. His eyebrows lifted and his gaze flitted back to Ronnie before he texted back and then put his phone away.
“By the way, Cass, I forgot a bag with some books at Red’s place.” She paused, thinking how “at Red’s place” sounded so…familiar. “If you’re in the area, could you maybe stop and pick it up?”
Casson finished his cookie. “No, I can’t, sorry.”
She stared at him blankly.
His eyes crinkled in amusement. “I can’t because Red just texted me. He said he was around the corner and was going to go to your place to drop off something you had forgotten, and then stop by here to discuss some business, if I was free. I texted him that you were at my place. He’ll be here any minute.”
* * *
Red pulled into the driveway. His headlights shone into the kitchen, and he could see Casson and Ronnie looking out toward his truck. There was a look of surprise—or was it shock?—on Ronnie’s face.
He shut off his lights and ignition, grabbed the bag and made his way to the door. “Long time no see,” he said, a corner of his mouth tilting upward as the door opened. “Hi, Ronnie.”
“Hi.” She looked down at the bag he was holding. “Sorry you had to come out all this way to bring these back…”
“I’m not sorry,” he said, handing her the bag. “Casson texted that you had come over with some cookies. I couldn’t get here fast enough,” he laughed.
“Hey, what’s so funny out there?” Casson’s voice boomed from the kitchen. “Come on in; coffee’s on.”
Ronnie stepped back to let Red in. She set the bag down by the door. He hung up his parka and followed her to the kitchen, where Casson was filling a mug. He set it on the island and then walked over to shake Red’s hand.
“Have a seat there, Mr. Brannigan,” he said, grinning, “and grab a cookie.”
“Only one?” Red complained. He tilted his head toward Ronnie on the stool next to his. “Perhaps I can find a way to convince your cousin here to perform an act of charity and make me a batch of my own…”
“Good luck with that,” Casson laughed. At Amy Jay’s sudden wail, he excused himself to assume his parental responsibilities.
“I should head back to the cottage, Cass,” Ronnie said. “I still have boxes all over the place.”
“What? You’re leaving, too? Is it something I said?” Red held his half-eaten cookie in midair. “If you both desert me, I’ll have to drown my sorrows by eating the rest of these cookies.”
“I’ll let you handle this drama,” Casson laughed, giving Ronnie a hug. “See you later.”
Red’s gaze swept over Ronnie. She had changed into a pair of maroon jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt
