Katie rolled her eyes.“Fine.Do you like your sugar cookies with or without sprinkles?”
7
Katie had just crawled into bed and picked up a book when her phone dinged with a text.It was Ian, asking if she wanted to “chat” for a while.Of course, she said yes.She’d given him her number before he left tonight but hadn’t expected to hear from him so soon.Katie opened her book and read four sentences when the phone buzzed.
Hey, it’s not too late for you?
No.It’s not even midnight.
I'm wired.Can't sleep.
Me too.Don't you have to be up at six?
Laugh, and a groan.Unfortunately, yes.
So… should we continue our greatest rock n’roll band debate or do you want to tell me what pasta tastes like in Italy?
Pause, and a quiet,Whatever you want.I just like hearing your voice.
That comment put her on alert, warned herThis is dangerous territory.But another part of her saidTake a chance.
It was ridiculous to pretend she wasn't attracted to him, and not because of the model-perfect looks either.HesawKatie, asked questions about things other people didn’t even know she was interested in.Ian really did want to know which soup was most popular, how many carrots went into a pot of chicken soup, and how many different varieties of tomatoes she grew in her garden.
And when she asked him about the engines he worked on and what he wanted to do with his life?He didn't hide behind vague answers or comments like,I’ll see what’s out there when I graduate.No, he had very specific plans.I want to work on car engines, and I'm going to find a place where I can do that.Engines tell a story, and I want to help tell it.I want the cars I work on to be sophisticated, edgy, definitely unforgettable.If you've ever heard a Ferrari engine, you'll never forget it.
The more time Katie spent with Ian, the more she realized he was so much more than the rich Finnegan kid from California.While she taught him how to chop wood, identify poison ivy, and make chicken soup, he showed her how to check the oil on the rototiller, calculate foreign exchange rates, and sayI’ll see you soon, in FrenchandItalian.But that wasn’t all she’d learned these past few weeks, and it didn’t matter how much she wanted to ignore it, the feeling wouldn’t go away.
Desire.Hot.Desperate.Explosive.A slow burn built deep inside her when Ian was near, and when he looked at her a certain way?All she could think about was getting closer.
Now what?
If Norah were here, Katie wouldn’t be inviting Ian over, and they wouldn’t be cooking dinner together, laughing, sharing dreams, or looking at each other like they wanted to move past friend territory to something else.Norah’s presence would snuff out any possibility of that happening.
But her sister’s perpetually busy social calendar kept her out of Magdalena.When she returned from the babysitting trip in Colorado, she’d had a few days off before cheerleading camp.That should have been the end of her summer trips, but when her best friend asked her to spend a month in California with her grandparents, how could Katie say no?Apparently, the grandparents had a whole itinerary for them, including deep-sea fishing, amusement parks, and “Rodeo Drive”.Just because Katie had never been west of Ohio, didn’t mean Norah shouldn’t have the opportunity.
And then there was the other reason.Katie and Ian would have an entire month to hang out at the cabin without her sister interfering.Did she feel guilty for not wanting her sister there?A little, and yet Katie had spent her whole life doing for others, being responsible, and not thinking of herself.For once, she was going to ignore guilt and “should” and do what she wanted to…
The cabin had become a safe haven for them, a place where they could be themselves without questions, comments, or criticisms from others.The town had always looked out for Katie, and she truly appreciated it, but this time, she wanted them to mind their own business—not give input.And there would be all sorts of comments meant to protect and warn her.
He’s a player and he’ll play you…
He’s a rich kid doing his time…
You’re just another pretty girl…
He’ll forget your name once he leaves…
He won’t come back, you know that, don’t you?
Katie didn’t want to hear any of it, and that’s why she and Ian only hung out at the cabin.If they ran into each other in town, they were polite, yet distant.She certainly didn’t ask if he got Mr.Hanley’s snowblower working, and he didn’t mention the new soup he’d sampled in her kitchen last night.
Besides, nothing had happened between them.
Yet.
But the way her body tingled and burned when he looked at her said it was only a matter of time, because those sensations were getting stronger and harder to ignore.And then they couldn’t be ignored any longer.
It happened the night after Norah left for California.Katie and Ian had just come in from the deck, where they’d watched the sunset, listened to night sounds, and played around with more soup possibilities.Ian closed the door leading to the deck and followed her into the kitchen.He’d been unusually quiet tonight, and she figured he was tired.Their phone chat lasted past 1:00 a.m.last night and–
