employment, and she’d lost both of them before she was twenty-one. She’d put herself through business college, and had married a strong Irishman more out of loneliness than deep love. The union with Clyde Collins had not been one made in heaven.
“You’re just tired. Everything will look different when you get some rest,” she said, silently encouraging herself as she crossed the parking lot. She felt a decade older than her twenty-nine years, and more alone than ever before.
She’d planned on arriving before dark but night shadows had already spread across the mountain valley, and they were still about five miles from Lake Manitou. She needed to look at her map of the area to locate Hidden Cove, where the houseboat was anchored.
Bright lights and the bustle of the café welcomed her, and some of the tension that had been building in her neck and arms eased as she quickly made her way to the restroom. She blessed the infant changing table as she changed Jamie’s diaper. He happily giggled as she playfully buried her face in his tummy and told him what a good boy he was.
After a quick look in the mirror, she combed her straight shoulder-length fair hair and washed her face. She might have brushed on some lipstick, but had no idea where to find it in her bulging purse.
Refreshed, she found an empty booth, set the baby’s carrier on the seat, and slipped in beside him. There was a homey feeling about the place, and it seemed popular. Almost all the tables and booths were filled, and Courtney was surprised when a middle-aged waitress came over quickly to take her order.
“What a darling baby,” she cooed. “Look at those beautiful blue eyes.” Jamie rewarded her flattering attention with a wide, toothless smile.
“His name is Jamie. He’s four months,” Courtney offered, unable to keep pride out of her voice.
“I have a granddaughter about that age. They’re such a blessing, aren’t they?” She handed Courtney a menu. “Take a look, and then I’ll catch your order.”
“Oh, I’ll just have coffee, and a ham-and-cheese sandwich.”
“We have a special on a four-ounce steak?”
Courtney shook her head. “Just the sandwich.”
The steak sounded wonderful, and her taste buds began to quiver at the thought, but she’d kept expenses down during the trip by eating light, and avoiding expensive restaurants and motels.
The accidental life-insurance policy the construction company held on all their workers had paid off at Clyde’s death, and if she watched her spending, the money would give her a breathing spell before she had to find some employment.
While she waited for her order, she pulled out a map of the area and spread it on the table. Before she could look at it, Jamie decided he’d had enough of his carrier. His little arms and legs shot out indignantly, and he began to raise a fuss.
“All right, sweetie.” Courtney quickly put him on her lap. It wasn’t time for him to eat again, so she tried to placate him with his water bottle.
Jamie took the nipple, sucked on it a couple of times, and then spit it out. In one wild sweep of his determined little chubby arms, he sent the water bottle and map careening to the floor.
A man sitting at a nearby table was instantly on his feet. He rescued the map and bottle, smiled at Courtney and chuckled, “I think the little fellow has a mind of his own.”
“Thank you,” Courtney said quickly, a little embarrassed. The stranger was good-looking, somewhere in his thirties, she guessed. Impeccably dressed, he wore a summer jacket over a soft, open-collar shirt, and tailored deep brown slacks. She decided he had the polished appearance of a businessman. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
“No problem,” he laughingly assured her. “Picking up things is a natural reflex from having more than a dozen nieces and nephews.” He chuckled. “They keep their uncle Neil hopping, all right.”
NEIL WAS SURPRISED when the attractive woman didn’t pick up on the conversational lead he’d given her. Her smile was polite, but nothing more. Usually his most benign comment would spark some interest in the opposite sex, and a friendly conversation would easily follow. She was quite pretty with soft amber hair, arresting blue eyes and a shapely, firm mouth. He had noticed that she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and his ego smarted just a little. He rose to the challenge.
“I guess you’re not from the area,” he said indicating the map. “I’ve lived here most of my life. Maybe I can be of help?”
She shifted the baby from one shoulder to the other, and hesitated a moment before she told him, “I’m joining my aunt for the summer. I was looking for Hidden Cove.”
“It’s right here.” He quickly pointed out the location on the map. Pulling a pencil out of his jacket and bending over the map, he marked it.
“Thank you,” she said in that same polite, dismissing tone.
Neil refrained from telling her that Hidden Cove was on the same side of the lake as his home. Her distant and guarded manner didn’t invite any casual chitchat. He returned to his table without introducing himself.
BY THE TIME THE WAITRESS brought Courtney’s order, the baby had settled down with his pacifier. As she quickly ate her sandwich, she sent several secret glances in the stranger’s direction. Shiny, dark wavy hair drifted nicely down on his forehead, and accented dark brown eyes under well-defined brows. His features were strong and well molded. She noticed that several people stopped at “Uncle Neil’s” table to chat with him. From their friendly banter, Courtney concluded he must be well known in the community.
She sighed. As usual she’d handled the situation all wrong. Striking up conversations with strangers had never been easy for her, especially with a man as good-looking as this one. Because her parents had always been on the move, her childhood had been filled with constant warnings about not taking up with people she didn’t know. Unfortunately, she’d carried that admonition into adulthood. As a young adult, she’d never been part of a social group, nor had the chance to develop skills that would have allowed her to pursue an acquaintance with an attractive man who had come to her rescue.
Oh, well, she consoled herself. She’d never see him again, and she wouldn’t have known what to talk to him about anyway. She kept her eyes away from his table as she paid her bill and walked out of the restaurant.
Neil watched her leave, and wished he’d pointed out the road that would take her around the north side of the lake. If she missed the junction, she could wander around for hours on the wrong side, looking for Hidden Cove.
Impulsively, he quickly took care of his tab, and followed her outside, but as he watched her fasten the baby carrier in the car, he hesitated to approach her. She might misinterpret his helpfulness, and he certainly didn’t want to create any kind of a scene. He decided it might be better to get into his own car, and keep a discreet distance behind her as she took the interstate through the center of town. That way, he’d be ready to catch up with her if she missed the correct turnoff.
The prosperous resort town of Manitou hugged the north side of the expansive lake, and frontage roads circled the water on both sides. In his new two-door sports car, it was easy for Neil to keep her taillights in view. When she made the correct turn at the junction, he was pleased.
Most of the women who had passed through his life were totally predictable. No surprises. No challenges. He hadn’t met anyone in a long time who intrigued him. Something about the way the young mother had handled herself gave him the impression that she was an interesting combination of softness and honed steel. He couldn’t believe he’d let her get away without finding out her name. If she wasn’t married, he’d like to know her better. He wondered which one of his neighbors the attractive young mother was going to visit.
His home was one of the scattered, fashionable houses built on the wooded slopes overlooking Hidden Cove. The northern lake road ran between the water’s edge on one side, and steep mountain hillsides on the other.