Stay away, Brannigan, his common sense warned. You’d be entering a danger zone. Remember your vow? She has a child. You can’t take this kind of a risk. Don’t. Get. Involved.
Ronnie was looking at him quizzically. “I did end up with some extra cookies,” she said nonchalantly. “You can have them, if you’d like.”
Something leaped in his chest. He blinked wordlessly for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll just take care of some business with Casson, and then I’ll come by.”
Common sense be damned, he thought, watching her leave. What fool would pass up a batch of her cookies?
CHAPTER NINE
RONNIE’S HEART WAS pounding all the way back to her cottage, and it wasn’t due to exertion from speed-walking or running. She had barely acknowledged the fact that it had started to snow, and when she arrived, she was surprised at the snowflakes that had accumulated on her coat and hood. She quickly removed her coat and boots, and after setting her bag of books down on the kitchen table, she hurried to put the cooled cookies in a small tin. She would hand them to Red as soon as he arrived, then he would be on his way, she would close the door, and she would have the rest of the evening to herself.
She peered out the window of the front door. No sign of him yet. She caught a glimpse of herself in the small oval mirror on the wall adjacent to the door. Her hair was wind-tossed, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes looked darker than usual. She patted down her hair and walked over to turn on the gas fireplace. She sat down on the edge of the couch and picked up the Parry Sound Life magazine on the coffee table, flipping through the pages but not really processing what she was seeing.
The sound of wheels crunching along her driveway startled Ronnie. She stood up and then promptly sat down. She picked up the magazine again, and a few moments later she heard the knock. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the door and saw Red’s profile through the transparent curtain. She opened the door. Red had his hood off and the plump snowflakes were drifting onto his head and face.
“Hi again, Ronnie,” he said, smiling.
“Hi.” She noticed that he hadn’t left his truck running…
“May I come in?” He shook the snow off his hair and shoulders.
“Um, sure,” she said, stepping back awkwardly. She hadn’t intended for him to come in, but how could she say no?
Red closed the door behind him and stood on the mat. Ronnie saw him scanning the boxes piled along the living room wall, and then his gaze shifted to the kitchen counter where she had placed the tin.
“I’ll grab the cookies,” she said. As she began to move toward the kitchen area, he put a hand on her arm.
“Hold on, Ronnie. I did come here for your cookies, but I also wanted to ask you something.”
“Oh?” Ronnie frowned.
“Would you like some help?”
“Help? With what?”
He pointed to the boxes. “With those. Unpacking can be a drag when you have to do it by yourself. Besides,” he added with a glint in his eye, “I need to perform my one good deed of the day.”
“Says who?” She looked at him skeptically.
“It’s a universal law,” he said. “Has to be done—” he checked his watch “—by 5:00 p.m. Which means I still have time.”
“I’m sure you have more important things to do with your time, Mr. Brannigan. But if you’re willing to help, I’d be silly to say no. So…yes, I’ll accept your offer. You can hang your coat up on that hook.”
While Red took off his parka and boots, Ronnie went over and transferred a few boxes from the stack near the wall to the living room carpet. She opened the first box, labeled BOOKS. “Those can go on the mantel for now,” she told him. There was actually a bookshelf in her bedroom, but she felt awkward sending him there.
She grabbed the second box labeled in red crayon with Andy’s name and smiled. He had wanted to help pack his things, and she had indulged him. He hadn’t quite followed any particular folding technique, but that hadn’t bothered her. She had watched him out of the corner of her eye, proud of her little guy as he rolled up pants and shirts, socks and underwear. And she had been both amused and touched when he had raced to get one of his plush animals to pack into each box, hugging them before closing the box.
Red had finished unpacking the books and had knelt on one knee across from her. She handed him Andy’s box.
“You can unpack this directly into the chest of drawers in Andy’s room,” she said. “Down the hall, first door on your right.”
Ronnie saw something flicker in Red’s eyes. Was that a look of dismay? His smile faded for a mere second before he smiled brightly, making her dismiss her initial notion. It must have been the play of light on his face…
* * *
Red took the box and strode down the hall, his jaw muscles tensing. He had gotten himself into this, and now he had no choice but to carry it through.
He stole a sideways look at Ronnie before entering Andy’s room. She had opened another book box and was looking through the pile she had lifted out, her lips curved into a smile. Red stepped into the boy’s room. The comforter on the twin bed had a space theme, showing planets and galaxies and shooting stars. A plush bear was plopped against the bed pillow, and instead of the usual pads on its paws, four red hearts had been sewn on. Another heart filled the center of the bear’s chest. Red felt a twinge in
