Kate stayed when they were younger. He hadn’t thought it was this cabin, but he could have been wrong. It was the largest one on the property—the only one with a bedroom.
A loveseat sat facing the fireplace, a blanket draped over the back. The only other seat in the living room was an easy chair that had seen better days. He wrinkled his nose; it should probably be replaced. The worn and cracked leather showed it had been well used, but it didn’t fit the other décor which looked rather new. Coffee mugs hung from hooks in the kitchen and the fridge in the corner was littered with pictures.
AJ glanced toward the back of the cabin where Kate’s voice had floated from, then wandered over to the fridge. His eyes scanned the pictures. Kate sat on her father’s lap in an old leather easy chair—the one that now sat in her front room. Kate’s mom hugged Kate from behind on a horse. A picture of a familiar little girl between two loving parents caught his attention. He moved the button magnet to the side and picked up the picture for a closer look. Kate’s red hair was short and bright when she was younger. Freckles covered her nose. One of her front teeth was missing too.
“Don’t look at that.” Kate’s hand reached for the picture, but he held it out of her reach.
“Why not?”
Her eyes flashed as she attempted to retrieve the picture he held over his head. “It’s embarrassing!”
He brought the picture down so they could both see it. “I think you’re cute.”
She snorted and snatched it from his hand. “Yeah, and Pippi Longstocking was too.” She paused as she stared at the picture, a sad smile on her face. Then she returned the photograph to the fridge right next to one with the two of them riding a set of ponies. Her eyes lifted to meet his. “Well, it’s getting late.”
AJ cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“In the morning?”
He brushed his knuckles along her jaw. “For our breakfast date.”
“Oh, right.”
AJ took a step closer. “I will make you see, Katie girl. There’s something here and you just have to give me a chance.”
He lowered his face and brushed a gentle kiss against her lips. Sparks of electricity flowed from her touch. In an instant, it was over as he pulled away and smiled. “Mark my words, you’ll see.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kate’s stomach swirled and swayed like the storm clouds a few nights earlier. AJ stepped back and headed out of her cabin without looking back. She wrapped her arms around her waist and leaned against the fridge.
He didn’t have to prove anything to her. She was already a goner. She could feel it in her bones. All he had to do was tell her to jump and she’d ask how high. Why couldn’t she control herself around him? She was going to get her heart broken and at this point she really didn’t care. Was life even worth living without the occasional heartbreak?
She hobbled to the door and locked it. After closing the blinds and turning out all the lights, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. It was nearly midnight and she wasn’t tired anymore. Yes, the day had been long and physically she was exhausted. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get him out of her thoughts. She was going on a date with AJ tomorrow. She’d dreamed of this from time she was a little girl and now it was happening.
Kate woke with a start, a knock on her front door rousing her from a pleasant dream of a white dress and flowers. A fresh blush attacked her skin, and she pressed the back of her hands against her cheeks.
A more persistent knock sounded at the door again. She tugged the comforter from her legs and carefully got to her feet. “I’m coming,” she called. “Hold your horses.” Her lips twitched into a smile as she limped across the floor and into the hall. Then she passed a mirror on her way and her mood suddenly soured.
She looked an absolute sight. Digging her hands through her strawberry-blond mess of hair, she couldn’t do anything that improved it in the slightest. Kate glanced at the front door and considered if she had enough time to grab a brush, but he knocked again.
With a groan, she hurried the best she could to the door and spoke into it. “You’re early.”
His muffled