Breakfast for Two (Peakview series Book 2) Page 7

  “Oh, we’re not moving in right away. Howard….Did you know he’s my grandpa? He and his friends are going to fix it up for us. Until it’s done we’re going to stay out in the big cabin by the river. Can I have some hot chocolate, please?”

  “You may. I’ll enjoy having you as neighbors.” Violet got up to get the cocoa. Before she returned, Howard and Melanie walked in and joined Sophie. Engrossed in a deep discussion of renovations, Howard hardly looked up when she approached the booth.

  “Sophie filled me in on your plans. I’m so glad you decided to come back, Melanie. I’ll be thrilled to see that eyesore across the street turned into a thriving business. Two coffees?”

  “Yes, please. Howard—I mean my dad—and I have a lot to discuss.”

  Violet served their coffees and headed back into the kitchen to prepare her lunch special. After all, Howard knew where the coffee pot was if they needed refills. Why did she all of a sudden feel like an outsider? She was truly delighted that Howard found his family, but she wanted to be a part of that family. She wasn’t an insecure person, but she wished she felt more secure about where she stood with Howard. Did he care about her? Want to start a relationship that was more than a friendship? Now certainly wasn’t the time to bother him with her feelings. This is why she hadn’t dated since Stan’s death. She didn’t have the energy to deal with silly romantic fantasies. She and Lucky were content with their lives, really they were.

  ***

  Violet awoke at five the following morning and jumped into the shower. Something didn’t feel right. She dried off and got dressed—no aroma of coffee wafting up from the kitchen below. She walked down the stairway into the dark, empty kitchen below with a tremendous sense of loneliness. How had she not realized how much it meant to her for Howard to be here every morning to greet her? And why wasn’t he here this morning? Maybe he’d regretted their intimate moments and was avoiding her. She shook her head to clear the silly thoughts and proceeded to brew some coffee and begin the biscuits. She unlocked the front door and turned the open sign, looking out on the beautiful, sunny Colorado morning and let her sadness slip away.

  For the first time in as long as she remembered, Jim and Hank from Peaktop ranch, not Howard, were her first customers.

  “Morning Violet, where’s Howard?” Jim said, taking his usual seat at the counter.

  That was the million dollar question. She pasted a fake smile on her face and shrugged. “Have you heard that Melanie and Sophie are his daughter and granddaughter?” News spread like wildfire in this small tight-knit community. It wouldn’t be long, if not already. The whole town would be talking. “They’ve decided to move here permanently, so I imagine he’s helping them get settled.”

  “That’s definitely good news. I can’t wait to tell Allie. She’ll be so excited. She and Sophie really hit it off. Are they staying with Howard?”

  “Temporarily, I think, but their plan’s to fix up the Jameson place and turn it into not only their home, but a bookstore too.”

  “A bookstore,” Jim mused. “That’ll be a nice addition to this town, especially for the tourists. I’m happy for Howard too—he always seemed so alone.”

  “You better watch out, word on the street is that Howard is looking for volunteers to help with the renovations.”

  Hank looked up from his coffee, “You tell him we’d be happy to help.”

  Violet was cleaning up from the breakfast crowd, when the door opened and Howard walked in and sat down on his usual stool. Without asking, she set a steaming cup of black coffee in front of him. He looked at her with such happiness in his blue eyes that it made her smile too.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to make your coffee this morning. I wanted to make sure Melanie and Sophie got settled in. I ate breakfast with them.”

  “Oh, it’s fine. I’m perfectly capable of making my own coffee. Your family needs you right now.” Violet hesitated and then added, “I missed your company though.”

  “Well, I’ll be back, but not much over the next few days. Melanie and I are headed down to Denver to sign the contract on the house and see about getting a loan. I’m afraid I’m going to be pretty busy the next few days. I’m off to Peaktop right now to see if Sophie can stay with Allie. I’m afraid she’d be horribly bored with all the paperwork.”

  “You just missed Hank and Tom. They said to count them in on the renovations. If there’s any problem with her staying at Peaktop, she’s welcome to stay with me.”

  “Thanks Violet. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Howard downed his coffee and slipped back into his down jacket. “I’m off—see you soon.” And with that he disappeared out the door.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The month of January flew by. The weather stayed mild, and the house officially became Melanie’s. Out her front window, Violet watched a daily flurry of activity at the old Jameson place. She got all the latest updates from the locals who stopped by for food or drink after helping out. One thing she always loved about the residents of Peakview—they acted more like a big family than just neighbors. If anyone needed help, everyone pitched in. Violet did her part by frequently supplying sandwiches and pots of coffee.

  Howard showed up to make coffee made most mornings, but eager to start work didn’t linger. No chance for her to talk to him about “them” had presented itself, and Howard never mentioned their moment of intimacy. It was almost as if it had never happened. Their friendship reverted to their pre-kiss status.

  On one particular Thursday afternoon, the first week of February, Violet sat gazing out the window in a funk. Resting her feet after the lunch crowd, she pondered just closing up for the day and going upstairs and curling up in her bed with Lucky and a good book. The streak of sunny days disappeared and the snow fell heavily outside the windows. There was already a good six to eight inches on the ground. If this kept up, there’d be no dinner crowd.

  She tried cheering herself up by putting up some large cardboard hearts and other Valentine decorations, but the funk persisted. Who was she kidding? Another Valentine’s Day would come and go, with no romance in her life. She’d absolutely loved the holiday when Stan was alive. He always remembered to get her the perfect gift. Jewelry being his favorite. She fingered the small silver and diamond heart that still hung around her neck every day. He’d been so excited when he presented it to her on their first Valentines’ Day after they married. It wasn’t expensive by any means, but was priceless to her. Now, it was just another day on the calendar. This time of year she felt ready for spring. She stared out into the snow. Despite the fact that it was only two p.m., the clouds hung dark and thick casting a dark and gloomy shade over the whole town .

  It was something more than the weather that got her so down this year. Her excitement about the possibility of a budding romance with Howard all but fizzled out. She wished she knew some single girlfriend to process this dilemma with, but all her friends in Peakview had been married forever. She doubted they’d understand.

  A rush of cold air hit her face snapping her back to her job as the door opened and June Walker blew in, stomping her feet and shaking snow off her scarf as she pushed the door shut behind her.

  “I’m so sorry, Violet. I’m getting snow all over your floor.”

  “Don’t be silly, it happens on a day like today. What brings you out in this blizzard?”

  “Just checking on Jeff and Luke. They’re helping Howard across the street. I need a warm cup of tea while waiting for the boys to head back out to the ranch. Jeff doesn’t want me driving alone in this weather.”

  Violet got up and grabbed a pot of hot water and a teabag for June. Although June had only been in town a few months, Violet made a point to find out June’s favorite tea and keep it in stock for her.

  “May I join you?”

  “Please, I didn’t mean to interrupt your afternoon break.”

  “I’m glad for the company. It’s better than sitting here feeling sorry for myself.”

&nbs
p; “What’s wrong?” June reached across the table to lightly touch the other woman’s hand.

  Violet sighed. June recently married Jeff Walker. Maybe she was someone who’d understand. She decided to jump right in.

  “It’s Howard.”

  “Howard Crandall? He’s such a nice man. I didn’t know you two were involved.”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t know if we’re involved.”

  Violet proceeded to tell June about what transpired between the two of them around Christmas and how whatever they shared seemed to have disappeared once he discovered his daughter and granddaughter

  “I’m happy for him, for all of them, I really am. I just don’t know where it leaves us.”

  “Men! Sometimes you need to hit them over the head with a baseball bat for them to get it.”

  “I keep trying to sit back and wait for him to make the next move.”

  June laughed. “I wouldn’t sit around and wait too long. You remember what happened with me and Jeff? Despite the fact that he was crazy about me, he let me go back to my life in Ohio without a word. If I hadn’t taken it upon myself to come back here and force the issue, I’d have missed out on the most wonderful husband in the world. It’s time you took this matter into your own hands.”

  “Do you really think I should? I wouldn’t know how to go about it. I’m a little—no a lot—rusty in the dating department.”

  “Let’s see if we can put our heads together and come up with a plan. I’m so glad I stopped by. This is going to be fun!”

  “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “No thanks necessary. Just make me the matron of honor when it all works out.”

  Violet smiled. Her heart light for the first time in days. By the time Jeff and Luke came to collect June, an excellent plan was hatched.

  ***

  At 5:30, Violet turned down the oven to keep the beef stew and biscuits warm. She once again looked out the door where the snow continued to pile up. As she hoped, it didn’t appear that anyone was venturing out for dinner tonight. She smiled. Everyone other than Howard left the worksite across the street. She saw the light still burning in the back of house which meant he was, as on most recent evenings, still hard at work. Humming to herself, she flipped the sign on the door to ‘closed’ and hurried upstairs to change out of her work clothes. Due to the frigid weather, she decided on a soft pair of brown velour slacks and a tan angora sweater that Justin gave her for Christmas. She let her hair down from her daily bun and quickly added a few curls by her face. Looking in the mirror, she smiled. Not bad for an old girl.

  Grabbing her favorite comforter off her easy chair, she hurried back downstairs to find the wicker picnic basket she kept on hand for when her grandkids visited in the summertime. She loaded the blanket inside, followed by a big pot of stew, some warm biscuits with butter, and honey, along with bowls and utensils. Having a final thought, she ran back up the stairs and grabbed a bottle of merlot left over from Christmas, along with two wine glasses, and added them to the now-full basket.

  She pulled on her thick, down jacket and sucked in a deep breath. Here goes. She prayed she wasn’t making a disastrous mistake, but June said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This was her shot. Before she succumbed to any more doubts, she hurried out the door into the blowing snow. The huge flakes coming down hard now hit her face, so hard that she could barely see the house across the street. She trudged through almost knee-deep snow, thankful for only a few hundred feet to walk. Reaching the other side, she stomped up onto the rickety porch, glancing back at the café which seemed miles away. She pushed the door open and quickly shut it against the wind. Inside the house was warm and toasty—the new furnace, installed earlier in the week, appeared to be working overtime. Looking around, the only light came from the back of the house. Violet kicked off her snow-covered boots and made her way to the entrance of the kitchen. Howard bent over facing the back of the room pounding on a new hardwood floor board. The country music that blared from the small radio hid the sound of her arrival. She stood mesmerized for a few seconds, watching his concentration. The thump of her heart beating so hard in her chest, she was afraid it would give her presence away. Maybe this was a bad idea.

  “Imagine seeing you here in the middle of a blizzard,” she said finally.

  Howard jumped and almost landed a hammer blow right on his finger. “You shouldn’t sneak up on someone with a hammer in his hand. What on earth are you doing out in this blizzard? Is something wrong?”

  “I didn’t sneak—the radio—too loud.” She raised her voice above the tune of Garth Brooks. “I thought maybe you could use some dinner.”

  Howard turned down the music, set down the hammer, and smiled up at her, wiping dust from his face with a bandanna. “You brought me dinner?”

  “Yep. I noticed that you’ve been working late almost every night. You need to eat, you know.”

  Howard’s smile got wider. “Is that beef stew I smell? My favorite.”

  “It is indeed. Can you take a break?” She let out a breath and felt her shoulders relax.

  “Sure thing. Let me just finish this row.” Howard picked up the hammer, and she set down the basket on the living room floor. “You’re too good to me,” he stated without looking up.

  Violet carefully spread out her comforter and took the still steaming containers out of the basket. Next she uncorked the wine and poured two glasses. And finally, following June’s suggestions, she pulled out a small vanilla scented candle and lit it, casting what she hoped was a romantic glow in the dark, empty room. When Howard walked in a few minutes later, she sat cross-legged on the floor, sipping her glass of wine.

  “What’s all this?” His face lit up with a smile.

  “A picnic. Haven’t you ever been to a picnic in a blizzard before?”

  “Can’t say that I have.” Howard slid down on the blanket beside her, his knees creaking.

  She picked up the other glass of wine and handed it to him.

  “Violet Woods! Are you trying to get me drunk?”

  “Maybe. But first, let’s have some food. I bet you haven’t eaten much all day.”

  “You’d be right about that.”

  She reached out to serve him a hearty plate of stew and biscuits, followed by a plate for herself. She delighted in the look of pure pleasure on his face as he took his first bite. She joined him, staring into the flickering candle light while they ate. Howard was the first to break the silence.

  “Nobody makes stew like yours, Violet. I don’t know what I’d be without you in my life—probably a lot skinnier.”

  “You’re fine just the way you are.” She capped off both of their glasses.

  She didn’t know if it was the wine, the candlelight, or just his presence and undivided attention, but excitement bubbled up inside of her. She finished her plate and leaned back against the wall, sipping her wine, content to watch him eat.

  Howard finished off his second plateful and patted his stomach. “Thank you.”

  He set his plate aside and shifted over to sit next to her.

  “Sorry we don’t have any furniture yet.”

  “This is perfect.”

  She slid her empty hand over to rest on his thigh, while they enjoyed their wine and watched the storm rage outside the picture window. This time, Howard reached for the bottle and once again refilled their glasses, settling back into place and taking Violet’s hand in his.

  “What brought this on?” he asked, a distinct huskiness in his voice.

  “I’ve missed you. I know that you want to spend your time with your new found family, and you should, you really should. It’s just that…”

  Howard carefully set down his glass and stroked her cheek. “Violet, I’ve missed you, too. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how you felt about what happened between us. I’m pretty rusty at this romance thing, probably never was any good at it. I didn’t want to offend you or make any false assumptions.”


  She gazed into his bright blue eyes. His hand slipped from her cheek to her neck and gently, oh-so-gently, he lowered his head until her lips meet his. His kiss was warm and soft. She heard herself moan in response, as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, encircling her with both of his strong, capable arms.

  She reached up to put her arms around his neck, and realized that she was still holding her wine glass and momentarily broke the embrace to carefully set it aside.

  Howard gazed into her eyes, as she turned back around and shifted to put her out-stretched legs across his lap, locking her hands behind his neck and pulling him close once again. Their lips—greedy—quickly found each other. Nothing gentle this time. All of the passion she held inside for eight long years exploded. She couldn’t get enough of this man.

  Howard slowed the pace of the kiss and tenderly moved his lips to kiss her forehead, then her neck. Not in a million years had he imagined he’d ever find romance at his age. No matter how much he wanted her—and he did want her right here, right now—more than he ever remembered wanting anything in his entire life, he was too much of a gentleman to try and seduce her on a hard, cold floor. Despite the throbbing hardness between his legs, he learned many years ago, that love and commitment must come before sex, not the other way around. No, if he was going to do this, he was going to do it right this time.

  Employing all of the willpower he could muster, Howard kissed her lips one last time, slowly and gently, and then pulled back, opening his eyes and gazing into hers. “Sweet lady, it’s time for you to leave.”

  Seeing the hurt look in her beautiful eyes as she locked them with his, he continued, “Don’t think—even for a minute—that I don’t want you, because right now I want you so badly I can hardly stand it, but I’m not willing to rush into anything. I tried that once, and it turned out horribly. We need to take this slow.”