More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) (27 page)

Maybe she needed a few moments to come unglued without an audience too. In the literal heat of the moment, she’d galloped into the barn ready to slay that fire, but now that it was over, she couldn’t deny the shake of her hands, the rapid beating of her heart, the prickly sweat that kept blooming under her armpits. Running into the fire had been reckless, but she hadn’t thought about that while she was in there.

The only thing she thought of was how Orion could have met his end if she hadn’t found him. When she’d reached the barn, his body was a crumpled mass leaning up against one of the beams. It had taken her several tries to get him up and hauling a guy who was over six feet tall had been no easy task.

But I did it.

She’d gotten him out. She’d put out the fire too. Not before it had taken all three bears Orion had been working on though. She thought back to the night they’d shared in the barn and how Orion hadn’t wanted to light candles due to all the wood in there. He’d been right. That workshop had enough wood in it to fuel an enormous blaze, one visible from space no doubt.

She couldn’t wait to find out the point of origin. The police officers had taken the chainsaw that had made the odd grinding sound so their guys could check it out. Getting to the bottom of the fire, however, wouldn’t bring Orion’s bears back or fix his workshop. He’d have to deal with that.

But…

“Hey, Hope. I’ve got to call Rick.”

“He’s right here. Hang on.”

Shuffling sounded as the phone changed hands.

“Yes, Sage,” Rick said.

“Can I ask for a favor?”

“Can I say no?” he asked.

“No. There was a fire over at Orion’s barn.”

“My barn! The one I built. Shit.” Rick was possessive of his barns. He considered them all “his.”

“Yes. Think you could swing by his house and take a look at what it will take to fix it?”

“Sure. Is Orion okay?”

“He is, but he was in the middle of an important project that also got destroyed. I’d like to help rebuild the barn so he can get right back to work.”

“Boy, this guy’s important to you, isn’t he?” The usual teasing in Rick’s voice was absent this time.

“Yeah. I’m not sure how he got so important so fast, but there it is.” She huffed out a breath.

“Well, I approve of him.”

“What?”

“I checked him out though you said I didn’t need to. No criminal record. Not even a ticket for speeding. He’s clean.”

“Rick…” She was about to launch into her I’m-not-a-kid-and-you-don’t-need-to-protect-me speech, but she changed her mind. “Thanks.”

“Did Sage Stannard just
thank
me? Mark the date!” he yelled. “Sage thanked me.”

“Shut up, goofball. Put Hope back on the phone.”

“Okay. Love you too, Sage.” The shuffling sounded again as he gave the phone back to Hope.

“You thanked him? What’s wrong with you?” Hope asked. “You in love or something?”

“Yeah. I think I am.”

A heartbeat of silence stretched between the sisters. “Wow. Not the answer I was expecting, but great, Sage. It’s about damn time.”

“I know.” Sage finger-combed her wet hair as she walked into the living room and looked out the oversized windows at the sprawling mountain view. “I’m a little scared though.”

“I think you’re supposed to be.” Hope laughed, then a moment later started crying.

“Hope, what’s wrong?” Sage couldn’t remember the last time her normally upbeat sister cried.

“Sam… and… I…” Another wail filled Sage’s ear. “There was… a… text message.” The word
message
got swallowed by Hope’s sobbing.    

“Did that prick break up with you in a text message?” Sage saw red. Nobody treated sweet Hope like that. Nobody.

“Yeah. You told me it wouldn’t work. Long distances and all that. You said.” Hope sniffled, and Sage felt like a first class jerk for being right on this one.

“I have a solution,” she announced. “Get dressed. Look your hottest, and meet me at my house in thirty minutes.”

“Oh, Sage, I don’t…”

“I’m your older sister, Hope. You listen to me. Cram that fine ass of yours into your sexy shorts and get over here. I have someone you should meet.” Sage hung up, knowing that tone of voice would get Hope to do as she’d said.

“Now to cram my own ass into sexy shorts.” She padded down to her bedroom on bare feet and selected a pair of denim shorts with white stars on them and a red tank top. Deeming herself not overly flag-like, she dried her hair and flat-ironed it. The end result was some soft, straight blonde hair that hung past her breasts. She hoped Orion would find it—and her breasts—extremely… touchable.

She had two objectives in mind for returning to Orion’s house. One was to take his mind off the lost bears and workshop destruction. There’d be time to worry about that later and Rick would help. Her second objective was to take Hope’s mind off Sam by introducing her to Adam. She liked having goals. She liked meeting them even more.

While she applied some peach-flavored lip gloss in the bathroom, she heard Hope let herself in.

“I’m in here,” Sage called.

Hope appeared in the doorway to the bathroom. She wore a pair of black and white flowered shorts and a black T-shirt with lace at the V-neck and bottom hem.

“Nice,” Sage said. “You followed my instructions well.”

“I’m still not in the mood, Sage. I need some time before meeting someone new.” A hint of whining laced Hope’s words.

“Time? You’ve had months away from Sam, Hope. Be honest. It’s been over for a while.” Sage rested her hands on her sister’s shoulders and stared into her deep brown eyes, the only thing that set the two of them apart.

Hope hung her head, causing her curtain of blonde hair to fall forward. “You’re right. I hate when you’re right, by the way.”

“Trust me, I wish I were wrong. I do. I don’t like to see you hurt, but I also don’t want to see you hide away at Mom’s. Jumping right back into the game is the only way to go.” She gave Hope a little shake before turning back to the bathroom mirror. “Besides, Adam is a sweetheart.”

“So was Sam.” Hope leaned against the threshold and studied her silver toenails.

“Okay, fine. Come with me to Orion’s then to check him out more for me. You saw him here, but it’s time to study him in his own habitat. I have to be sure I’m not missing anything. Rick said he doesn’t have a criminal record, but he can’t be as perfect as I think. He can’t. I need you to put a critical eye on him.”

At this, Hope straightened. “Okay, I can do that. Switching my radar on now.” She pretended to flick a switch on the side of her head then wiggled into the bathroom to give herself a look in the mirror. “Gosh, we’re pretty.”

Sage threw her arms around Hope. “And let us use this pretty for good. Follow me.”

She led Hope out to her car and drove the short distance to Orion’s. Adam’s truck was still in the driveway and Myah and Ranger were running around in the side yard. As soon as Myah saw Sage, she dropped the tennis ball she’d been throwing to the dog and ran toward the car.

“Hi, Sage!” The girl gave her a huge hug that warmed Sage way deep inside.

“Hey, you remember my sister, right?” Sage pointed to Hope.

“Sure.” Myah beamed a smile at Hope, but didn’t let go of Sage.

“The kid makes an excellent belt.” Hope tugged gently on Myah’s hair and the girl let out a giggle.

“Do you like hugs, Hope?” Myah asked.

“As a matter fact, I do. Very much.”

After one more squeeze, Myah released Sage and threw her arms around Hope instead. “Daddy and Gramps say I give the best hugs on the planet.”

“Hmm.” Hope put her arms around Myah and gave Sage a smile. “I think they may be right, sweetie.”

Myah looked up at Hope. “Not everyone likes hugs.”

“No?” Hope’s eyebrows rose. “I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like hugs.”

“My mommy doesn’t like them. At least not from me.” Myah let go of Hope and shrugged.

“Some people don’t understand hugs,” Sage said, pulling Myah in next to her side as she walked toward the porch steps. “Those people are missing out.”

She opened the door and Myah skipped inside. Hope followed and the three of them stood in the empty kitchen.

“Where is everyone?” Sage asked.

“In the basement. Daddy was trying to find the pictures of the barn. The… what do you call them? The blackprints?” Myah looked up at Sage.

“Blueprints, silly.”

“Yeah. Blueprints.” Myah went to the open basement door. “DADDY!”

“Wow,” Hope said, rubbing her ears. “Did not see that volume coming out of such a tiny girl.”

Male voices rose from the stairway until Ian, Orion, and finally Adam came into the kitchen. When Orion saw Sage, he grinned and walked immediately to her.

“You were gone too long,” he whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek.

“It was less than an hour.”

“Yeah. Too long.”

She shoved him lightly, and he squinted then closed his eyes.

“Hey, does your head hurt?” She cupped his face so he couldn’t look away.

“Just a little headache. I’m fine.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips this time, thereby silencing her concern for him. If the man could kiss, he had to be fine, right?

He stepped back and looked at Hope. “You brought your sister with you, right? If not, maybe I’m not fine. Maybe I’m seeing double.”

“Daddy, don’t be silly,” Myah said. “There aren’t two Sages.” She shook her head and danced over to Adam. “Come see Hope, Adam.”

“As if I’m a science fair project or something,” Hope mumbled.

“Hey, I like science,” Adam said, pulling off his baseball cap and extending his hand to her. “Adam Rouse. Nice to meet you.”

“Hope Stannard. Likewise.” Her eyebrows rose as she took in his buzz cut just as Sage knew they would. It didn’t hurt any that Adam was wearing a fitted gray T-shirt that highlighted firm, tree-cutting biceps and a pair of jeans that showcased a rather fine, military-grade ass.

Sage enjoyed the pinkish tinge on their cheeks as they gave each other the once-over. Perhaps she could make some money on the side matchmaking.

“Wendie is waiting for you,” Ian said, breaking the spell.

Adam blinked slowly then looked down at his hand still holding Hope’s. “Right. She is.” He let her hand go and slapped his cap on his head. “Wendie is my sister.”

“Oh, good.” Hope shook her head. “I mean… oh…”

Adam let out a half-growl and took a step toward the back door. He backtracked and glanced around at everyone before settling on Hope again. “Maybe we could plan to meet again when my stupid sister isn’t waiting for me?”

“Maybe,” Hope said.

Go, Hope. Playing hard to get.

“Cool.” Adam gave her a slow smile Sage was sure liquefied Hope a bit. Hell, it may have liquefied her a bit too. Where had these Vermont mountain men been hiding?

When Adam left, Hope turned to face Sage and Orion. “Well,” she said. “That has potential.”

Ian clapped his hands. “I like when people like each other.”

“Me too,” Myah said.

“Me too,” Orion said, his lips right near Sage’s ear.

At that moment, she wished everyone besides Orion would get the hell out. Like right away. Instead a knock sounded at the back door, and when Myah opened it, Rick stood on the porch.

“What did you do to my barn?” he asked, looking at Orion.

“It wasn’t me.” Orion put his hands up, which meant his hands were no longer on Sage. Tragic. “But I’d sure like to know what happened.”

“Let’s go take a look,” Rick said. “I brought my original plans.” He wiggled some papers in his hand.

“Good. I couldn’t find mine.” Orion, followed by Myah and Ian, went outside behind Rick, leaving Hope and Sage blinking at each other in the kitchen.

“Rick took everybody,” Hope said.

“Yeah, I hate when he does that.”

Sage yanked on Hope’s arm and tugged her outside as a black car pulled up. When Detective Scott Henrison got out of the car, Sage wondered why The Universe insisted on ruining this perfectly fine day.

****

“Not this dick again,” Orion said as he stopped just shy of the barn. Well, what was
left
of the barn actually.

“Who is the dick in question?” Rick squinted in the sunlight at the man approaching them.

“Detective Scott Henrison.” Orion didn’t even like the sound of the guy’s name.

“The dude that keeps sending Sage flowers? Maybe it’s time I had a little conversation with him about backing off when a lady asks you to.” Rick stepped toward the detective, but stopped when Sage appeared.

“Don’t.” She rested her palm on Rick’s chest. “I don’t think he’s here for me and we’re not making trouble for Orion. Got it?”

Rick nodded, but a fierce look remained on his face and Orion was glad the look wasn’t directed at him. He didn’t need an overprotective cousin on his ass along with the cops.

“Hi, Sage,” Scott said, flashing a smile.

“Scott.” Sage didn’t return the smile, and Orion fell for her a little more. If he kept falling, he’d be flat on his face soon. Super soon.

“You look nice.” Scott eyed both Sage and Hope as if he were thinking,
Sandwich!

Orion’s hands fisted at his sides at the same time Rick’s did.

“What can we do for you?” Sage asked with a controlled sweetness.

Scott held up a tablet and wiggled it. “I have some information on your faulty chainsaw, Mr. Finley.”

“My chainsaw wasn’t faulty yesterday,” Orion said. “I check them out thoroughly each month and perform regular maintenance on all my tools. I can’t make a living with tools that aren’t reliable, Detective. There’s no reason why that chainsaw made the noise it did this morning.”

“Well, it definitely was the source of the fire. Though its outer carriage survived, it’s clear that the igniting sparks came from that machine. Our guys found residue of explosive materials near the motor. Someone tampered with your saw, Mr. Finley.”

“You’re lucky you didn’t get blown to bits,” Rick said to Orion.

“Yeah. Lucky.” Scott shook his head and looked at Sage. “Some guys do have all the luck.” He tapped his tablet and shared images of the disassembled chainsaw with Orion. “You reported this barn was locked overnight and our guys did not detect any signs of forced entry. Does anyone else have a key?”