She rubbed her forehead.“I’m sorry.The idea of changing anything around this place gives me heart palpitations.I haven’t even painted so much as a single wall since Arthur died.”
“Arthur was your husband?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks.”She dug the toe of her rubber boot in the gravel.
“I understand why you wouldn’t want to change things.”
She looked up, her face red and a flash in her eyes.“Do you understand?”
“I just mean…”
“No, it’s okay.I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to snap at you.I’m gladHandymenis here, I really am.But my sister sort of sprang the idea on me, and I guess I’m still not quite adjusted to it.”
“Claire, we won’t change anything you don’t want changed.We can just refresh it.You have my word.”He gave her a half grin.“Even the beige walls.”
“No, it’s okay.I’m ready.Change is good.Thisis good.”She took another deep breath and said, more to herself than to Nick, “I can do this.”
“I have no doubt you can do anything you put your mind to.”
Her expression softened.
Something softened inside Nick as well.He felt for her.Of course, she wouldn’t want to make any big changes.The sanctuary was exactly as Arthur had left it, a shrine to a lost loved one.
There was something sacrilegious about dismantling a shrine.
They had to do their best to respect Claire’s wishes and keep her late husband’s vision alive, if that was what she wanted.They could still help her look forward to the future.
It should be a haven for her, not just for her feline customers.
Even though Nick had been eager to move on, suddenly he was enthusiastic about this project.Seeing just a hint of Claire’s vulnerability, which he assumed she didn’t show often, made him want to do a good job for her.
Plus, she was really cute in her T-shirt.
“You’ll see,” he said.“It’s going to be great.And, hey, maybe I’ll even make friends with Mortimer while we’re here.”
Claire’s lips twitched.“Right.”
“Yeah, who am I kidding?That cat hates me.”
The beginnings of a giggle rumbled in her chest.Her eyes widened, as if the happy noise had startled her.But before it turned into anything resembling a real laugh, she frowned, squashing her amusement.
Hmm.He didn’t like that.
He didn’t like that one bit.
She should feel free to laugh.Well, he’d been known to make a few people chuckle in his time.
He’d have to try again.
Chapter Four
A few days later, at about eight in the morning, Claire walked from the farmhouse to the sanctuary, armed with an extra-strong coffee in her travel mug.All things considered, her commute was pretty sweet.All she had to do was roll out of bed, walk across the field, and voilà.She was there.
It might have been her regular route to work, but right now, it was anything but regular.Her nerves reacted accordingly, tightening like an elastic that had been stretched across too wide a surface.She took a sip of coffee, but it didn’t erase the sensation that the elastic was ready to snap.
