Kristen nodded. “I agree, except for one thing. The farmhouse only has bedrooms upstairs.”
“Actually… I think I have the perfect solution.” Dorothy’s eyes slid over to Ethan.
Ginger’s gaze followed Dorothy’s, her spirits sinking. Hopefully the woman wasn’t going to suggest she move in with grumpy Ethan. He had saved her, though. She remembered how his touch had been gentle, and she knew he had been carefully trying not to jostle her, but still, she wasn’t going to move in with the guy.
“What?” Ethan looked as if he had no idea what Dorothy was insinuating.
“Your cabin is perfect, dear,” Dorothy said. “It’s one floor, and Ginger can have privacy and access to the bathroom and kitchen.”
“What? It’s too small for two of us!” Ethan’s eyes darted around the room.
Dorothy shook her head. “I didn’t mean for you two to shack up. You move into the farmhouse and let Ginger have the cabin. It’s the least we can do.”
Ginger blew out a breath. She didn’t have many options, and she still wanted to work on the tree solutions. Maybe being on the farm would have advantages. And it was nice of Dorothy to offer.
Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Ginger’s reaction. “Wow, um… that’s so generous of you. But I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Nonsense!” Dorothy waved her hand, looking far more delighted than Ginger thought was warranted by the circumstances. “You’re not putting anyone out, and we’d love to have you. Ethan won’t mind. Will you, dear?”
“Of course not, Mom,” Ethan agreed, though his expression suggested he felt just as awkward about the idea as Ginger did.
“Perfect,” Ginger chirped as she decided to put a positive spin on things. After all, where else could she go?
Chapter11
Ethan leaned against the doorway as he watched his mother, Kristen, and Mason work together to rearrange his cabin. The scene was a flurry of activity, with Kristen and Mason pushing furniture aside while Dorothy directed them like an orchestra conductor. He had mixed feelings. In part, he felt responsible for Ginger’s accident, and this really was the best place for her to stay. But the other part of him felt like he was being invaded. He didn’t like the idea of someone else touching his things and living in his space.
“All right, now let’s move the couch closer to the wall,” Dorothy instructed, her hands on her hips as she surveyed the room. “Ginger, wheel yourself over here so we can make sure you can get around.”
“Watch out for the coffee table.” Ethan lurched toward the table to keep it from tipping over.
“Sorry!” Ginger’s face reddened. “I guess I need some more experience with this thing. I promise to be extra careful, though.”
His brain had been formulating a sarcastic remark, but when she smiled up at him, he forgot what it was and simply nodded, being careful to arrange his features into a grumpy frown.
Ginger complied with Dorothy’s commands eagerly. She maneuvered her wheelchair through the narrow pathways they’d created, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Ethan admired her cheery attitude. This couldn’t be easy for her, and judging by the way she winced every so often, she was probably in pain.
“Perfect! Now, let’s make sure you can reach everything in the kitchen,” Dorothy continued, her voice warm and encouraging.
They followed her into the small cooking area, where she began opening drawers and pulling plates and glasses out of the cabinets. “These should be on the counter for easy access,” she said, placing them within Ginger’s reach.
“Thank you, Dorothy.” Ginger’s gratitude was evident. “I really appreciate all of this help.”
“It’s the least we can do. And don’t worry about cooking—I’ll bring meals over for you.”
“I really don’t want you to go to too much trouble,” Ginger said. “I can manage just fine. Dr. Lewis told me to stay off my leg ninety percent of the time, but I’m still able to get in and out of bed on my own, and I can make sandwiches and salads, so don’t worry about me.”
“Okay.” Dorothy’s expression indicated she was still going to bring over food anyway. “But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re all here for you.”
“Thank you,” Ginger said.
In the corner of the room, Kristen and Mason continued to rearrange the furniture, working together seamlessly. At one point, Kristen stumbled over a throw rug, nearly losing her balance. Mason reached out, catching her with a protective arm around her waist.
“Careful there,” he teased, his voice warm and affectionate.
“Thanks.” Kristen giggled, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink. She looked up at Mason, and their eyes locked for a moment, filled with tenderness and love.
Ethan scowled, but inwardly, he felt a pang of envy and loneliness as he watched their intimate exchange. When had he last experienced that kind of connection with someone? The truth was, it had been a long time since he’d allowed himself to get close to anyone—he was too afraid of vulnerability and loss. But seeing his sister so happy with Mason almost made him long for that missing piece in his life.Almost.
