Winter's Touch (Immortal Touch Series) (25 page)

He immediately began to sweat as he took in the welcome sight of her. “Hey, Eva.”

“Hey there, Dane. What’s new?”

“Not much. What you up to?”

“Nothing special. Just needed to pick up a few things.”

He glanced at the contents of the basket in her hands. Milk, bread, orange juice, eggs. The usual staples, plus a bag of miniature Hershey’s bars. “Chocoholic, huh?”

She laughed. “Absolutely. Gotta have my chocolate fix.”

“I’m addicted to caffeine myself,” he admitted, grinning. “I drink more coffee than water, I think.” It was easy talking to her, somehow. She didn’t make him feel stupid.

“I’ve never been
all that much of a coffee person,” she confided, as her boyfriend appeared beside her. Dane tried not to feel too disappointed. Even though it would have been nice to have her all to himself for a few brief moments.

The blond man took the basket from Eva and nodded politely. “Hello, Dane. How are your parents?”

“My parents? They’re fine.”

“Is your father at the lodge today?”

“Yeah, he’s got some classes scheduled for today.” Funny, Mr. Winter had never been interested in socializing before. What a phony.

“
Are you ready, love?” he said to Eva.

“Yep, all done.” She touched Dane lightly on the arm, causing him to almost drop the can of tomato soup he’d forgotten he was holding. “Take it easy, okay?”

“See you later.” He watched as the couple paid for their items, then left. It didn’t seem fair to him that one man could have so much going for him, and a sweet chick like her as icing on the cake. Life was such a bitch. And maybe it was only the fact that he had such a major crush on Eva that he couldn’t help but feel there was something
off
about that man.

He was too damn perfect.

~*~*~

“I think that kid at the general store has a thing for you.”

Eva hid a smile as she put the milk and juice in the fridge. “Dane’s a sweetie.”

Julian handed her the eggs. “You don’t know the half of it. His blood sugar level is way too high.”

“How do you know that?”

“I can smell it. He’s diabetic.”

“Oh, no. I wonder if he knows it.”

“I’m sure he
does.” He walked into the living room and turned on the television. “Nothing wrong with his father’s blood, though,” he added slyly as he settled onto the sofa.

“I don’t even want to know.”
Eva sat on his knee. “Maybe I should say something to him. Just in case.”

“Don’t you think he’ll wonder how you’d know something like that?”

“I hate to think of him getting sick.”

“So
...next time you see him tell him it’s almost time for your insulin injection and see how he reacts.”

“Hey, that’s a good idea.”

“It’s a ridiculous idea, but if you really feel the need to interfere, at least try and be subtle about it.”

“Don’t worry. Discretion’s my middle name.”

“I thought your middle name was Rowan.”

“Cute. Did you want me to make something for dinner?”

“Is that a threat?”

“Wow, you really are the comedian today! There is nothing wrong with my cooking.”

“No, of course not. I
like
vegetable flambé.”

She flushed pink. “That wasn’t my fault. You distracted me.”

“You’re distracting me right now, darling. I’m trying to watch the news.”

“There’s a commercial on right now,” she pointed out. A man in a Santa Claus suit seemed
unduly excited about his used car lot’s
Holiday Extravaganza
. It was a blatant reminder of just how near Christmas was. “Wouldn’t you like to get a Christmas tree?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “There is nothing but trees as far as the eye can see and yet you
would have me drag one inside?”

She had to laugh at his
overtness. “When you put it that way, I kind of see your point. But don’t you plan on celebrating Christmas at all?”

“I hadn’t considered it. Was there something in particular you
wanted to do?”

“
Not really. I mean, I didn’t have anything in mind.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “What do you suppose Lainie will be doing?”

“I expect she’ll spend the holiday with her sister in Dowally.”

“I didn’t know she had a sister.”

“They were never particularly close. Lainie was fifteen when Audrey was born.”

“Oh.” Eva considered this for a minute. “Do you know, I have three brothers and a sister I’ve never even met. And one on the way.”

“
And how is it that you haven’t met them?” He turned off the TV, having lost interest in following the news.

“Simple. My father traded up. He left me and my mother for a fertile blonde with a big rack.
After that we didn’t exist anymore. Not in his mind, anyway.”

“
Ah, I see. And do you miss him?”

“I barely remember him, to be perfectly honest.
I was only seven when he and Mom divorced. On the rare occasion when I speak to him on the phone, it’s like talking to a stranger, you know? It’s so weird to think this person I don’t even know used to read me bedtime stories and rock me to sleep. I mean, he was there when I was brought into this world. He cut my umbilical cord. He was the first person to hold me. And then seven years later he just walks away without once looking back.”

Julian stroked her hair,
quiet and pensive.

“I used to think maybe he stopped loving me because I talked too much or asked too many questions.
I was a handful, as you probably recall. My poor mother tried so hard to explain to me that it wasn’t my fault. She shouldered the blame herself, and I think she still does, in a way. She has an inferiority complex because of him. Never thought she was good enough or pretty enough or smart enough. I don’t care anymore that he walked out on
me
, but it ticks me off to see what his narcissistic selfishness has done to her.”

“And all this is what you would wish upon me?”

She lifted her head to give him a puzzled look. “What?”

“All of these painful and
adverse emotions. Is it any wonder I was glad to be rid of them?”

“But
...”

“Wouldn’t you relieve your mother of her distress if you could?”

“Of course, but that isn’t possible. You have to take the bad with the good. You can’t pick and choose, you know. It doesn’t work like that.”

“The balance is un
just. The negative outweighs the positive.”

“You’re wrong. There is one emotion that can’t be
countermanded.”

“And what is that?”

“Nothing trumps love.”

“
Indeed. And what do you know of love?” He smiled teasingly as she blushed. His finger lightly traced her lips as he spoke in a whisper-soft voice. “My beautiful little butterfly. She thinks she has all the answers, but I’m not so sure. Tell me, Eva. Are you in love with me?”

And though every instinct she possessed urged her to lie, to deny her devotion, she laid the naked and vulnerable truth before him to be destroyed.

“Yes. I love you.”

Were those tears in his eyes, or merely a reflection of light from the lamp behind her?

Before she could decide, he stood and reached for her hand. “Come with me, then. Come and show me how much you love me.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We All Fall Down

It was hopeless.

Julian had tried patiently all afternoon to teach Eva the basics of skiing but she spent most of the time on her backside in the snow, much to his amusement. She had never felt so uncoordinated and awkward in her life. Her feet had a mind of their own, and no amount of wedging would slow her down quickly enough for her own comfort. Instead, she would fall on purpose in order to stop. More than once she tangled her skis with those of other people while getting off the lift. Everyone was friendly and nobody seemed to mind, but she was mortified nonetheless.

Having turned in their equipment, they were warming themselves by the fireplace in the lodge when Aaron Chandler appeared.

“Hey there Julian, good to see you.” The men shook hands. “Don’t recall ever seeing you out here before. First time?”

“No,
but it’s been a while. I don’t get out much lately.” He put a protective arm around her shoulder. “Eva, this is Dane’s father, Aaron Chandler. He’s a ski instructor here. Maybe I should have him give you professional lessons.”

“Oh, no.” She held her hands up. “I’m giving up on the whole skiing thing before I break something vital.”

Aaron laughed. “Come on now! You’re not giving up already?”

“Trust me, I’m a lost cause. Athletic I am
not
.”

“Next time we’ll try snowboarding,” Julian suggested, only half
seriously.

“Do you
want
to see me in the hospital?”

“If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll make sure you
r lessons are free,” Aaron offered. He clapped Julian on the back. “I owe this guy.”

“Nonsense.”

“What do you owe him for?” she asked curiously.

“I got myself
stranded out in that storm we had, and he helped me get my car unstuck. I might’ve frozen my ass off trying to wade home through the snow if he hadn’t shown up.”

“Oh.” She glanced over at Julian, whose eyes were twinkling. “Say,
Mr. Chandler...let me ask you something. Is Dane by any chance diabetic?”

“Well
...yeah, as a matter of fact he is. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I just
...that is, um...I was...”

“
Eva darling, we really should get going. We have dinner reservations, remember?” The arm around her tightened firmly. “I’ll call you about those lessons, Aaron.”

“No problem. Nice meeting you, Eva.”

“Nice meeting you, too,” she called over her shoulder as Julian hurriedly ushered her outside. Somehow she found his discomfort hilarious, and was hard put not to dissolve into giggles.

Once inside the Cherokee, he
shot her an exasperated look. “
Discretion is my middle name.
Oh, yes.”

She couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. “You’re so funny. What were you so worried about?”

“I was worried about what was going to come out of your mouth next! I can see I’ll have to put a muzzle on you next time I take you anywhere. What am I going to do with you?” He shook his head.

“Does that mean no trip to
the Maldives?” She widened her eyes innocently.

“Rascal. I have to drive to
Portland tomorrow. Can I trust you not to get into trouble while I’m gone?”

“Can’t I come with you?”

“Not this time.”

“How come?”

“I have some business to take care of, Little Miss Nosy.”

“So I guess if I asked you what sort of business, you wouldn’t tell me, would you?”

“Correct.”

“What sort of business?”

He laughed. “I believe you’re even more incorrigible than I am. I just have to pick up some things I ordered, that’s all. I won’t be long.”

“Then why can’t I come?” she persisted.

“Because I said so. Isn’t that the response generally given to ill-behaved children who don’t know when to quit?”

“Oh, all right.” She crossed her arms and pretended to pout.

“That isn’t going to work with me, you know.”

“
So what
would
work?”

“Now if I told you that, you’d have the advantage, wouldn’t you?”

“I could live with that.”

“I’m not sure I could
!”

~
*~*~

Eva was up to her neck in
peppermint-scented bubbles the following day when Julian entered the bathroom without warning, kneeling behind her to nuzzle her cheek.

“You’re back already,” she remarked as he
encircled her neck with his hands to place something cold and metal there. Taken by surprise, she looked down to see a stunning openwork necklace of emeralds and diamonds sparkling on her chest.

“
Holy
cow!
What the...”

“You requested emeralds, I believe. Will this suffice?”

Her fingers flew up to touch the jewels as she stared in disbelief at the impressive display of flawless gems. “You have got to be kidding me! Are these
real?
”