Degrees of Passion (24 page)

The front door to the house opened and a middle-aged woman came outside. She stood on the wooden steps, drying her hands on the floral apron. Her short, black, grey-streaked hair and wrinkled, yet somehow smooth face was nothing how Sasha imagined Kevin’s mother. He’d said she was a rich girl growing up, so in her mind Taffy Merchant had been another Catherine Kingston. But at first glance, whatever high society had been bred into Taffy had been replaced by a wholesome country reserve and a guarded, uncomplicated nature.

Sasha didn’t wait for Kevin to walk around the truck and open her door, not that she expected he would. As she stepped out, her boots hit mud. Her first instinct was to jump back into the truck and wipe them clean, but there was no way of getting to the house without traipsing through the dark-brown sludge. She picked her way gently across, concentrating on her smile as she neared Kevin’s mother. It was a look the woman did not return when her gaze met Sasha’s.

Taffy spread her arms for her son, giving him a big hug. ‘Oh, I’ve missed you. Christmas was too long ago.’

‘Only three months. How’ve you been, Mom?’ he asked.

‘Fine, fine, and yourself?’

‘I’m good. Ready to be done with school,’ he answered before pulling back. ‘Mom, I’d like you to meet Sasha.’

Sasha widened her smile and held out her hand. ‘Hi. It’s great to meet you, Taffy. Your place is lovely.’

From what Kevin had said and the friendliness of her greeting to her son, Sasha expected a warm welcome. Instead, she got a stern, disapproving look. Taffy’s eyes did a slow once over. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you, Sasha.’

The statement wasn’t exactly disapproving, but neither was it hospitable. She looked at Kevin for her cue. He wrapped his arm around his mom’s shoulders and walked with her inside.

‘Take off your shoes,’ she ordered her son. ‘Don’t track mud in the house.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ he agreed, kicking off his shoes by the doorway. Sasha leaned over and unzipped her boots, leaving them next to Kevin’s.

‘You’re the last of our weekend guests to arrive. Everyone else is here and settled. We’ll be having lunch over at your grandparents’ house. I promised Grandma I’d make the potato salad and coleslaw to help out.’ Taffy led them through an entryway into a long living room with a light stone fireplace and lots of plant-filled windows. The floor had a slight chill to it, as the fireplace was barren. Hardwood floors were covered in large oval rugs, the interwoven pattern spiralling out like a coiled snake. ‘You can use your old room upstairs. I wasn’t sure if Sasha would be staying here or—’

‘We know you’re booked,’ Kevin interrupted. ‘It’s fine if we share a room. I can sleep on the air mattress.’

‘Some of the snowmobilers cancelled due to the weather.’ Taffy turned through a pair of French doors into a dining room and through into a kitchen. ‘You can take Sasha out to cottage three. It’ll be much more comfortable than your old room.’

Sasha instantly looked out a window to the open landscape. Her stomach tightened. Cottage three? As in by herself in the wilderness? Alone? She opened her mouth to say something to Kevin, but couldn’t with his mother there making all the arrangements. How stupid would she sound telling them she was too frightened to spend the night by herself?

‘We can figure it out later,’ Kevin dismissed, unconcerned. He gave Sasha a quick smile before changing the subject. ‘I saw Sam by the stables.’

‘He’s been out there every day, all day.’ Taffy picked up a potato out of a large pile and began to peel it as she talked. ‘He’s talking about breeding a couple of the mares this year.’ After slicing the potato with deft precision, she grabbed another from the pile and began the process over again. ‘They’re discussing phantom training the stallion for breeding. Already they’re getting five hundred for live cover.’

Sasha wasn’t exactly sure what Kevin’s mom was talking about, but she smiled and nodded politely. Taffy glanced at her. Feeling compelled to speak, Sasha asked, ‘May I help?’

‘Nope, I got it covered,’ Taffy answered, the lightness of her tone disappearing when she addressed Sasha.

Sasha toyed with her scarf, feeling uncomfortably hot. An unpleasant vibe snapped between the two women. It seemed her luck with meeting parents wasn’t going to improve. She made a mental note to check her forehead for some sort of parental warning label.

WARNING
:
ALLOWING YOUR SON TO DATE SASHA MATTHEWS MAY DESTROY HIS LIFE
.
EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED
.

‘Mom, we’re a little road weary. I think we’re going to shower and freshen up.’ Kevin went to his mother and kissed her cheek.

‘Grab some extra towels and shower kits out of the hall closet for cottage three,’ she said, tirelessly peeling her potatoes. The subtle hint that Sasha would not be staying in her house was not lost.

‘Great,’ Kevin said. ‘I’ll be back later.’

Sasha gave a small wave as she followed Kevin back through the house. Without comment, he paused long enough to grab a bundle of bath towels and a cloth bag filled with what Sasha assumed were mini bars of soap and shampoos. They slipped into their muddy shoes and went outside. When they were alone, she said, ‘I don’t think she likes me.’

‘She’s all right,’ Kevin answered, looking down as he picked his way through the mud. ‘I think she’s just busy right now with the extra work.’

‘She practically threw me into the cottage,’ Sasha persisted, giving up on trying to keep her boots clean in the impossible conditions. ‘I didn’t want to complain, but I don’t think I can sleep out in the wilderness by myself. I’ll be a nervous wreck.’

‘She likes to have things organized.’ Kevin’s words were mildly defensive. ‘She probably already made the arrangements to give you extra space in the cottage and some privacy. And don’t worry about the alone. I still remember how to sneak out of the house.’

Not wanting to start a fight, she said, ‘OK. Maybe I’m just being sensitive. I’m sure things will go smoother after I’ve had a shower and she’s done doing what she’s doing.’

Sasha inched closer to him, reaching her hand out to touch his lower back. Her fingers glanced along his spine. To her surprise, he pulled away, slightly quickening his pace as they neared the truck. Unsure what to make of the action, she matched his speed, hurrying into the vehicle. Kevin placed the towels and cloth bag between them on the seat. She stayed quiet as he started the engine and took them around the drive and down the narrow road they’d arrived on.

As the house slipped out of view, he reached for her, gently touching the side of her face in an easy caress. ‘I thought maybe we could go to the lake this week. I’d hate for you to miss the chance at seeing Champ.’

‘Champ?’

‘Yeah, Champ. He’s the Lake Champlain monster.’ Kevin chuckled. ‘My grandpa swears he saw him once.’

Sasha found herself leaning into his hand, even as she wondered if his pulling away from her at the house had meant anything. Then, silently scolding herself for reading too much into it, she gave into her intellectual curiosity. ‘What? Like a giant crocodile or shark?’

‘Eh!’ A shout from outside interrupted their conversation. Kevin slowed the truck near the fork in the road and rolled down the window. A weathered cowboy sat astride a dark-brown horse. Looking at him, there was no mistaking his relation to Kevin. ‘I didn’t know you were back, boy.’

‘Just in,’ Kevin answered. ‘Grandpa, this is Sasha, a friend from school. Sash, this is my grandpa, Stan Merchant.’

‘Just call me Grandpa,’ the man said, his voice flavored with a French-Canadian influence, ‘everyone does.’ The horse pawed restlessly at the ground. ‘We can expect you at the house later?’

‘I’ll be up after a bit. We’re just heading out to the cottages.’ Kevin waved and rolled up the window. Grandpa rode away, down the center road towards his house, as they drove onwards to the cottages.

The cottages were actually log cabins spread out campsite style over a lot of land. Several matching structures lined a main pathway, each with their own picnic table and barbeque pit. As they pulled into number three’s lot, Sasha frowned. A mud-covered green SUV was already parked in front.

‘She did say three, right?’ Kevin confirmed.

‘Maybe a neighbor needed extra parking,’ Sasha said. ‘Or maybe she thought I needed a roommate.’

‘Or my mother left the cabin unlocked and a few of the neighbors decided to expand their territory. I told her she needs to quit doing that, but she doesn’t listen.’ Kevin grabbed the shower bundles and tucked it under his arm. ‘Come on, let’s go evict whoever’s inside.’

Sasha stayed behind him as they took the cobblestone walk to the front of the cabin. Thick, rounded logs made the siding. It matched the patio furniture sculpted from tree limbs. The chairs looked uncomfortable with their twig-formed arms and seats. Above the front door, a lucky horseshoe hung. A loud laugh sounded from inside. Kevin slowed, his body tense as he reached for the doorknob. A shadowed figure moved across the hall beyond the door and Kevin called out, ‘Hey, I think you all are in the wrong cabin.’

‘Crap!’ the figure screamed, jerking. ‘Oh, Kevin, it’s you.’

‘Kat?’ Kevin glanced back at Sasha.

‘Kat?’ Sasha repeated, hurrying past Kevin to get a closer look. Seeing her sister, she frowned. ‘Kat, what are you doing here?’

‘You didn’t . . . ?’ Kat frowned. ‘Mother! I thought you cleared this with Sasha. You said you talked to her.’

‘What are you yelling about? I did. She said if there was room we could come up and stay. I called, they had room and here we are. I left a message on her phone.’ Beatrice’s voice rang from within. ‘Or I think I did. I meant to. Why? Did she call back?’

‘She’s here,’ Kat said wryly, giving Sasha an apologetic look that begged for forgiveness. Going to her sister, she whispered, ‘Sasha, I’m sorry. When Mom said you wanted us here, I should have known this wasn’t your idea.’

‘Sasha!’ Beatrice shouted in excitement. ‘This was a brilliant idea. The woods are gorgeous. I thought you’d be here earlier, but Taffy said you weren’t expected until this morning. We got in last night and had the greatest little chat.’ Seeing Kevin, she stopped. ‘Well, is this Kevin? Oh, come in, come in, and meet everyone.’

‘You met Taffy?’ Sasha asked in horror. No wonder the woman was standoffish. Beatrice probably terrified her with some embarrassing tales of Sasha’s childhood. Or worse. She offered to do a tea leaf reading.

‘Yes, and Stan and Irene Merchant. Oh, and Samuel, though he didn’t have much to say during dinner.’ Beatrice waved them inside. ‘Well, come in out of the doorway. Kevin, I want you to meet Zoe, Jackson and Vincent. My granddaughter is asleep, but we can peek in on her if you’d like to—’

‘Mom,’ Kat interrupted. ‘We’ve all met.’

‘Oh, well, then come meet Sasha’s father,’ Beatrice insisted.

‘I’ll just get my shoes,’ Kevin answered.

Sasha shot her sister a desperate look for help. Kat ushered their mother into the other room. Turning to Kevin, she whispered, ‘I am so sorry. I had no idea that they’d actually come. I swear I didn’t invite them, not really.’

‘Sasha,’ Kevin tried to interrupt.

‘I told them that everything was booked and tried to play it off nice,’ Sasha persisted, needing to explain, ‘but I guess it backfired and now they’re here and you really don’t have to meet my father if you don’t want to. I mean, I can tell them you had to go and I’ll figure out a way to get them to leave for the rest of the week so we can work.’

‘Sasha,’ he insisted. ‘It’s all right. I have no problem meeting the rest of your family.’

‘Are you sure? Because it’s really no problem if you want to run away and hide. I know I want to right now.’ She gave a nervous laugh.

‘Do you want me to run and hide?’ His face gave nothing away and she hated not knowing what he was thinking. Inside, she trembled violently, scared and confused about what was happening. She wanted this week to be carefree and perfect. She wanted to show him his family liked her and that she was someone he’d want to have around always. Instead, Taffy couldn’t seem to get her out of his childhood home fast enough and now her parents were in the other room ready to pounce on the man of her dreams.

‘Yes,’ she admitted, keeping her words at a whisper. ‘Kind of.’

He stiffened.

‘They don’t meet many of my, ah, my –’ she hesitated, not knowing how exactly he wished to be defined ‘– male friends. I don’t want them to grill you about us, or about . . .’

‘Us,’ he finished for her.

‘Yes.’ She nodded, repeating, ‘Us.’

‘Sasha?’ Beatrice called from the other room.

‘You should take off your boots so you don’t track mud into the house,’ he said, pointing at her feet. Kevin walked in his socks down the hall and turned out of sight.

Sasha fumbled with her boots, taking longer than normal in her haste to follow him. The low sound of introductions carried over followed by polite laughter. By the time she’d joined them, Kevin was seated in a chair across from her father and Vincent, who’d taken residence on a blue and green plaid couch. Zoe and Jackson sat on a love-seat and her mother was perched on the brick ledge before a raised fireplace. Kat took a seat by her husband, slipping her hand on his knee in a loving gesture.

The cabin had minimal decoration. A few scenic landscapes were bolted to the wall by their frames, along with a clock and smoke detector. Rustic lamps matched the small antler light fixture. Sasha wasn’t too impressed with the use of animal horns in décor. Dark-blue throw blankets hung along the backs of the loveseat and couch. Next to the fireplace, the living room opened up to a small furnished kitchen.

‘I’m working on my doctorate in anthropology,’ Kevin was saying, his eyes respectfully fixed on her father.

‘A doctor.’ Beatrice nodded in approval.

‘Mom,’ Sasha interrupted, before her mother could embarrass her. ‘Got a second?’