“Sassy.” And he liked it. “You think it’s a good idea?”
Tansy seemed to mull over his words. “I’m game for living on the edge. You?”
“If you’re trying to challenge me, it’s working.” Dane laughed, letting her take the lead.
She led him up the back garden path, peaking in windows as she went, before climbing up the porch steps. “They’re all in the back parlor so we should be fine.” She opened the front door. “Up the stairs, last door on the left.” She pointed.
“Where are you going?” he whispered.
“Lemonade.” She smiled. “Maybe a snack. Now, shh.” She shooed him to the stairs.
Dane winced with every creak and squeak of the stairs and wooden planks of the hall. It was a relief to reach the safety of Tansy’s room. He closed the door and stooped to tug off his boots.Which I should have done before I ever stepped foot in the house.He set them beside the door and straightened.
Her curtains were drawn back so the room was flooded with moonlight. He tiptoed across the floor to the low bookshelf beneath the windows. The top was covered with an odd assortment of things. A blackened smoker, an old queen bee cage, a pair of gloves, a decorative box and two framed photos.
“You could have turned on a light.” Tansy flipped on her bedside lamp. “Here.” She handed him the massive glass of lemonade. “I thought we’d share.” She tossed a bag of cookies onto her bed and joined him in front of the bookcase. “Those are my parents.” She picked up the frame, smiling at the photo. “I’m sure you can identify those awkward little girls.”
“I think I can.” Little Tansy, Astrid and Rosemary looked like a handful. “Good-looking couple.”
“They were obnoxiously in love with each other.” She glanced up at him. “I grew up thinking that was normal.” She rolled her eyes. “Sad that it’s not.”
“It is sad,” Dane agreed. They looked young and fit—too young to have died. “What happened to them?” He froze. “You don’t have to talk about it—”
“Mom drowned when Rosemary was a baby. My sisters and I took swimming lessons for years—we are all like Olympic-level swimmers.” She shrugged, hurrying on. “When Mom died, Dad became superdad. Involved and active—our biggest cheerleader.” She set the photo down. “Dad had a car accident years later. When he passed, the aunts and Poppa Tom and Granna Hazel stepped in to take care of us.”
He wasn’t sure what to say so he took her hand.
“Anyway.” She smiled up at him. “Enough of the serious stuff.” She took a deep breath. “I hope Honey Hill Farms winning the blue ribbon next weekend won’t upset you too much. It’s important. Winning, I mean. Really important. I don’t know how Honey Hill Farms will make it, otherwise.”
Things hadn’t been easy the last few years. He’d never stopped to think about the Hills’ situation. His hand tightened on hers. “I had no idea, Tansy.” He couldn’t imagine losing his home. It would crush him.
“No, it’s not exactly common knowledge.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “So, if you can keep that to yourself.”
“My lips are sealed.” Dane was in shock. She was trusting him.
“Not that I’m looking for pity, Mr. Knudson.” Tansy rolled her eyes, all sass.
“May the best honey win.” He grinned at her. “And soyouknow, I won’t let who wins interfere with you and me, in case you were worried.” He wasn’t sure why he’d added that but it was too late to take it back.
“Which will be us.” She patted his chest, her smile growing when he laughed. “So, what do you want to do now?”
He pulled her into a loose embrace. “I was thinking we should do more of the kissing and maybe watch a movie or something?”
“I’m on board for both.” She stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “Movie recommendations?” Her arms slid up his chest and around his neck.
He rubbed his nose against hers. “How about a little John Cusack, Diane Court, questionable stalking-like behavior and Peter Gabriel?”
She blinked up at him. “Are you serious?”
“About the stalking-like behavior? Or watching the movie?” He waited. “Either way, it’s a yes.”
“I always thought it was a grand romantic gesture.” Tansy frowned, pushing against his chest. “But I haven’t watched it in years.”
“What do you think he was thinking, while he was holding that boom box over his head?” He paused, smoothing a long strand of auburn hair from her shoulder.
She stared at his chest, her hands running over the fabric as she spoke. “He was thinking how much he loved her and that he knew she loved him, too. She was scared of trusting him, but he was going to stand there to show her he would always be there for her. He loved her, with everything he had.” Her gaze met his then.
He could get lost in those eyes. “All that? You’ve thought about this a lot.” Dane had to admit there was something captivating in her certainty. Who wouldn’t want someone to love them like that? “So he was waiting for Diane to scream out the window or something?”
