One Snowy Night (Sweet Home, Alaska #1) - Patience Griffin Page 0,91

from the horse’s mouth.”

“It’s coming along well. In fact, I think I can start spending more time helping here.” He was hoping that if he was around more, he could navigate Ella with more finesse. “Besides, someone needs to take Rick’s place here at the lodge. I understand he’s taking Sparkle back to Louisiana for Thanksgiving to meet his family.”

Hope’s smile lit up the kitchen. “Those two are something.”

“Yes, they are. I don’t know about Sparkle, but for Rick it was love at first sight.”

Hope blanched at his words. “Yeah, well, that happens sometimes.” She stood. “I better get to work.”

“What about breakfast?” he asked, not sure what he’d done to run her off.

“Maybe later,” she said. “I have no appetite now.” As she shuffled to the doorway she tossed over her shoulder, “Just to keep you in the loop, Ella and I are moving into Wandering Moose Cabin today.”

“Why? You both are so settled here.”

“We need our own space. According to Rick, the cabin’s ready.”

Why couldn’t they stay here with him? And why did Rick have to be such a blabbermouth? “I don’t understand.” Then he grasped a straw to stop them from leaving. “What about Boomer? He’s gotten used to sleeping with Ella, and I think she’ll be disappointed if he’s not with her.”

Hope tilted her head. “Disappointment is part of life. It’s better to learn that disappointment can be around any corner, instead of being blindsided when the rug gets pulled out from under you.”

Okay, he got that she wasn’t talking about Ella and Boomer. But what had he done to disappoint Hope?

“I really think staying here would provide stability for our daughter.”

She raised an eyebrow and stared him down for a long moment. She didn’t need to say what she was thinking. My daughter! Not yours! Then without a word, she walked from the room.

He put his mug down, hard. He’d messed up with both of the McKnight women this morning and his coffee mug had more of an idea of what he’d done wrong than he did.

* * *

• • •

HOPE WAS FURIOUS at Donovan and at herself. He’d never loved her the way she loved him and that made her a chump. Chumps believed in love at first sight. And falling in love with him at six years old made her the biggest chump of all.

She needed the job here at the lodge, but she didn’t need to live under the same roof as him. As soon as she saved up enough money to fix her house, she’d get back to her small, uncomplicated life.

Hope didn’t go to the studio. Instead, she limped her way back up the stairs to pack. Ella met her coming down.

“Have a good day,” Hope said, trying to muster up some genuine cheer.

“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

They were both in miserable moods.

“I need you here right after school. We have a lot to do.”

Ella grumbled as she left the lodge.

Since Hope’s ankle had left her pretty much out of commission for the last three weeks, Ella had been helping with the housekeeping, and some evenings, she stayed in and sewed with the Sisterhood of the Quilt. When she did, Hope was optimistic that things were going to be okay. But just as often, Ella would go out and come home drunk, making Hope feel helpless. A failure. She wished Donovan had been around more to help. Like for the past seventeen years.

When Hope was done packing her room, she went to Ella’s and filled a laundry bag full of her daughter’s clothes. Outside, she heard cars pulling up, alerting her that workers were arriving for the day. Careful not to do more damage to her ankle, Hope dragged Ella’s laundry bag downstairs. As she hit the bottom step, Jesse Montana walked in the front door.

“Morning, Hope.” He gave her a friendly wave. “I hope it’s okay but Piney told me to just come on in and find a task to do in the notebook. On the dining room table?”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Hope waved him over. “Can you help me get my stuff over to Wandering Moose Cabin first?”

“I thought you lived here now,” Jesse said.

“Ella and I were just waiting on the new mattresses and they arrived yesterday. But I can’t wrangle our things down the stairs and to the cabin with my ankle still out of whack.”

Suddenly she noticed Donovan in the kitchen doorway, taking in their exchange. By the glower stretched across his face, he wasn’t