Chapter Three: Rosie

Why had she felt such a connection to Levi when they’d touched?

No, if she was being honest, she’d felt something when they’d first made eye contact. But why?

She didn’t believe in love at first sight.

Because she wanted what Camille had. The way she talked about Ezra, the way he looked at her.

But that was new love. When everything felt intense. As if it would last forever.

But then reality set in, and things fell apart.

At least that was Rosie’s experience. She sincerely hoped that Camille’s love for Ezra would not end in the same bitter disappointment Rosie’s love for Terry had.

Anyway, it didn’t matter how she felt about Levi. She was only here for a week and then she was heading back to her old life, to make a new life. She smiled to herself and rested her hand on Elliot’s shoulder as he stepped out from behind her, more confident now.

“Can we go and ride the horses?” Elliott asked, looking up at her in a way that made her heart melt along with her resolve. “Please?”

“If we have time,” Rosie said. “Remember, I am here to work. This is not a vacation.”

Elliott looked down at his feet. “I remember,” he mumbled, his hopes dashed.

Rosie’s mouth turned down at the corners. She hated disappointing her son. And it wasn’t as if she were working all the time during their stay in Bear Creek. So why had she said no?

Because she was scared. Scared of spending too much time around Levi. Because of the connection she felt to him.

But now that she’d admitted it to herself, now that she was aware of it, she could keep those feelings at bay. Squash them down and ignore them.

“But if Levi can be flexible, maybe we could visit the ranch one evening,” Rosie heard herself saying.

“I can be flexible,” Levi said and straightened up, his smile matching that of Elliott as he looked up at his mom with triumph.

She was going to spoil him if she wasn’t careful. Since the breakdown of her marriage, she’d found herself overcompensating. That was what guilt did.

“Then I’m sure we can visit the ranch,” Rosie said. “Thank you for the offer, Levi.”

Damn, that sounded formal, as if they were organizing a business meeting. But Levi didn’t seem to care. He simply looked…

Rosie tilted her head to one side to study the man. Relieved. He looked relieved, as if he had a lot riding on her and Elliott visiting his farm.

No, he was being warm and welcoming, and she was reading too much into this.

“Anyway, we should get going,” Rosie said. “We only popped in so you could meet Elliott. I have an appointment tomorrow at eleven. Would it be okay if I dropped Elliot off at ten?”

“Sure,” Camille said. “I’ll be here.”

“Okay, thank you so much,” Rosie said. “And don’t worry. Elliott has his game to entertain him for a couple of hours.”

“It doesn’t work,” Elliott said, holding up his game console.

“What do you mean, it doesn’t work?” Rosie said, her stomach lurching. She didn’t like Elliott playing his game for long periods, but she’d hoped it would keep him entertained while Camille was looking after him.

“It doesn’t work.” He held it up to Rosie, who sighed as she took it and pressed the on button. Nothing happened.

“Did you charge it?” she asked, a thread of desperation in her voice.

“Yeah, I did,” Elliott replied, frowning at the gadget. “Before we left home.”

“I expect it’s flat. We can charge it when we get to Bear Creek Lodge.” Her stomach sank further as she saw Elliott’s face. “You did pack the charger?”

Her son shrugged.

“That’s okay, we can go into town and pick up another one,” Rosie said, then glanced at her watch. It was already half past four. Most stores in town closed at five, so she would need to hurry.

“Why don’t you go with Rosie and Elliott?” Camille said to Levi. “You know where the electronics store is.”

Levi’s blond hair flopped over his eyes as he nodded. “Sure, I can show you.”

Rosie was so relieved, but she played it cool with a quick, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Levi quickly grabbed the rest of his tools and packed them away in his toolbox. “I will see you tomorrow, Camille.”

“Have a good evening, Levi,” Camille said, casting him a look Rosie could not decipher.

“Come on, I’ll drive to town, and you can follow. We should be able to park outside the electronics store.” Levi led them out of the house and got in his truck while Rosie quickly helped Elliott into his car seat and buckled him in.

Levi’s truck rumbled to life and she turned the key in the ignition and put the car in drive. As Levi pulled away, she followed close behind, hoping they’d get the charger before the store closed. Otherwise, she’d have to dash in first thing in the morning and buy one.

But at least she’d know where the store was.

The ride into town was short since Bear Creek was not big at all. And it certainly gave off the small-town vibe with the mom-and-pop stores, rather than big chains.

Elliott was wide-eyed, his curious gaze taking in the rustic charm of the little stores. “There’s a toy store.” He pointed at a quaint shop, all decked up in delightful colors.

“Yes, we’ll check it out some other day.” Rosie longed to explore the town and check out all the stores. She might even find a few more locally made items she could pitch to her company. They were always on the lookout for new and unique products.

The electronics store came into view, a small, compact building nestled between a bakery and an antique shop. It had a russet awning in front with the name of the store, “Gears Gadgets,” written in dark green letters.

Parking his truck, Levi jumped out and waited for Rosie to help Elliot from his seat.

“Are they still open?” Rosie asked, as she held Elliott’s hand and hurried to join Levi.

“I called ahead and asked Phil to stay open until we got here,” Levi said.

“You did?” Rosie was overcome by his thoughtfulness.

“Shall we?” Levi asked, looking bashful as he opened the door for her.

“Thank you,” she said, and meant it. “You are a lifesaver.”

However, her relief was short-lived. The store did not have the charger they needed.

The disappointment in Elliot’s eyes was clear, but he didn’t complain. He simply stared down at the useless game console in his hands. “I wanted to help the Space Monkeys.”

“You play Space Monkeys?” Levi kneeled beside him, a big bear of a man with kindness brimming in his eyes. “You know Captain Orang lives in Bear Creek.”

“Thanks,” Rosie said a little too sharply to the store owner. “I’ll call tomorrow if I need you to order one.” Then she held out her hand to Elliott. “Come on, we should get going.”

“Can I meet Captain Orang” Elliott asked Levi.

“Maybe I’ll call him and see if he’s home.” Levi stood up, his brow furrowed as he looked at Rosie, but she refused to meet his eye. She was furious. And disappointed.

Levi had been so helpful, so kind and patient, and yet she could not get over him lying to Elliott about Captain Orang living in town.

“We really need to go. Thank you,” she said to the store owner and headed for the door with Elliott trailing behind her.

“Thanks, Steve,” Levi said to the store owner, before following Rosie and Elliot out into the street.

At her car, Rosie hoisted Elliot onto his seat and buckled him in securely. Levi watched her. She could feel his eyes on her, and heat crept unbidden across her cheeks, while a deep ache of longing settled in her stomach.

“I’ve upset you,” Levi said quietly as she closed the car door and turned to face him.

“No,” she lied. “I’m very grateful for your help.”

“But?” he pressed.

“I don’t appreciate you telling Elliott that Captain Orang lives in Bear Creek,” Rosie said and folded her arms across her body.

“I’m sorry. I mean, I know that Captain Orang doesn’t live here.” Levi’s eyes rose to look at the sky. “I mean, he lives in space…”

“It’s not a joke. Elliott is too young to understand you were joking,” Rosie snapped.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, his eyes darkening as he reached out his hand and touched her elbow. “But Carter would put on his Captain Orang costume and pretend to be the character if I give him a call. I thought Elliott might like that.”

Rosie’s stomach lurched. “Carter Eden lives in Bear Creek?”

“Yeah.” Levi cracked a smile. “You thought I was making the whole thing up?”

“I did.” Rosie covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

Levi chuckled. “That’s okay. I mean, it’s understandable. Who would expect a movie star like Carter Eden to live in our small town?”

“Thank you for being…” She paused and swallowed hard as a tight lump formed in her throat. “Thank you for everything. It means a lot to me that you have been so welcoming. Especially toward Elliott.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Levi said, stepping closer to Rosie. His eyes softened. “Everyone needs a little help from time to time. I see it as paying it forward.”

“I like that,” Rosie said. Not only did she like the concept, but it made it easier to accept Levi’s help. “I should go,” she murmured, turning toward her car. But she found herself hesitating, her hand on the door handle, not wanting to leave him yet.

Levi watched her for a moment. Then he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” She frowned at him.

“I’ll be working at Camille’s all day tomorrow, so I’ll be there when you drop Elliott off.” He smiled that easy smile of his as his hair flopped over his eyes, giving him a boyish charm, but there was nothing boyish about the way he looked at her, the way he made her feel.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” She smiled shyly and then sucked in a deep breath and opened the car door. With a final wave, she slipped inside, feeling his gaze follow her. She felt oddly warm. Hot even.

As Rosie drove away, she couldn’t help replaying the conversation with Levi over and over in her mind. His warm smile, the gentle way he spoke to her, the clear care he showed for Elliott. It gave her butterflies, something she hadn’t felt in ages.

A way she did not want. There was no room in her life for romance, not even a holiday romance. Especially not with Levi. He was too closely connected to Camille.

When Rosie met Camille, they had hit it off instantly, and they were good friends. Best friends even.

Rosie did not want to put that friendship in jeopardy if…when things didn’t work out between her and Levi.

Rosie shook her head, pushing those thoughts away. She couldn’t allow herself to go down that path with Levi. It would only lead to complications and potential heartbreak. Her focus needed to be on providing a stable life for Elliott after all the upheaval they had been through.

But it sure sounded as if the inner voice in her head was trying to talk her out of something she really wanted.

No, what she really wanted was a safe, secure life for her and Elliott. Uncomplicated. That was the word she aimed to live by.

“How are you doing back there?” Rosie glanced in the rearview mirror as they left the town behind and headed along a mountain road that her GPS told her would lead to Bear Creek Lodge.

“There are so many trees,” Elliot said as he stared out of the window at the tall pine trees.

“There sure are.”

“And they are so tall.” He tilted his head to look up at the tops of the trees that lined the road.

“I always think that trees are nature’s skyscrapers,” Rosie said with a smile. “Just wait until you see the mountains up close. They’re even more breathtaking.”

“I can’t wait!” Elliott exclaimed in excitement. “Can we climb the mountains?”

“Not the tall peaks,” Rosie said. “But there are some trails close by the lodge where we are staying. We could explore those.”

“Are there any bears?”

Rosie chuckled at her son’s question. “I’m not sure, but I doubt we’ll see any bears. They tend to stay away from humans.”

Elliott frowned. “That’s too bad. I wanted to see a real bear.”

“Well, you never know,” Rosie replied, hoping if they did see a bear, it would be from the safety of the car or the lodge window.

“I’d like to see a bear and a wolf,” Elliott said as they reached the turn-off for Bear Creek Lodge.

“There’s a wildlife sanctuary close by,” Rosie said. “Maybe we can visit there, and you’ll get to see some bears and wolves in a safe environment.”

Elliott’s face lit up. “Really? That would be so cool!”

“It would.” Rosie smiled as she watched her son in the rearview mirror. This might be a business trip, but she’d find time to turn it into a mini vacation for her and Elliott. Maybe she could even extend their stay for a couple of days so they’d have a chance to see the sights and explore before she headed back to civilization, where she could walk into a store and get the charger she needed.

That was unfair. Bear Creek seemed like a wonderful town. But it sure was small.

Rosie turned off the main road onto a narrow gravel drive. Tall pine trees lined both sides, their branches arching overhead to form a verdant tunnel. The scent of pine and clean mountain air wafted through the open windows.

They drove for a few minutes before emerging into a clearing where Rosie pulled into the parking lot of Bear Creek Lodge. It was a large rustic building made of logs, blending seamlessly into the surrounding forest. Beside the large building were several cabins for guests. They were booked into cabin number seven.

“This is where we are staying?” Elliott asked as she helped him out of the car.

“This is where we are staying,” Rosie confirmed, sucking in the fresh mountain air. She shivered. Despite it only being late afternoon the sun was dipping behind the tall peaks, casting the lodge and the cabins in shadow.

“Can we go for a walk now?” Elliott said, running toward a trailhead.

“Slow down there, buddy,” Rosie said. “We have to get checked in and then unpack. Then we should eat.”

“Then we can go for a walk?” Elliott asked hopefully.

“Yes, after we get settled in and have some dinner, we can definitely go for a short walk on one of the trails,” Rosie promised.

Elliott bounced excitedly as they made their way into the warm, wood-paneled lobby of the lodge. The large stone fireplace was lit to ward off the chill of approaching evening and Rosie held out her hands to it, welcoming the warmth.

“Hello there.” A tall dark-haired man appeared from a door signed “staff,” a welcoming smile on his face. “You must be Rosie. And who is this young man?”

“This is Elliott,” Rosie said as Elliott stared at the flickering flames in the hearth. “I called ahead to say my son would be joining me.”

“You did. We made up an extra bed in your cabin, so everything is ready for you.” The man’s smile broadened. “I’m Curtis. I’ll get you checked in and if there is anything you need, just let me know.”

“Thank you,” Rosie said.

A few minutes later, she and Elliott climbed the steps to the porch of cabin number seven, and then she unlocked the door. The cabin exceeded her expectations. It was warm and welcoming, with a rustic appeal, but all the modern conveniences she could ask for.

Like a coffee maker. And boy, did she need a good cup of coffee and a few minutes of peace to process the events of the day.

But first, she needed to unpack and set up her laptop. After all, she was here for business, not pleasure.

But it sure had been a pleasure to meet Levi. And that was a dangerous thought. But not as dangerous as the image of him bare-chested, leaning in for a kiss…and more.

Maybe she needed to take a cold shower before she saw him again.