“Melody?”
She stopped at the end of the hall and turned around.
He stood there, the light behind him, highlighting all the contours of his large body, the sharp lines of his face, the fine lines around his once laughing brown eyes. “Or you can just stay. Here. I’m sure we won’t get in each other’s way. Plenty of room for both of us.”
Melody blinked. Share a cabin with Finn? The hottest man she’d ever met, who also happened to be the guy who’d turned her down at prom, whose brother was married to her sister, and who her family was trying to set her up with? A mansion wouldn’t be enough room for them, let alone this cozy cabin in the middle of nowhere.
She should absolutely turn down his offer.
Instead, she heard herself say, “Okay. I’ll stay.”
Chapter Two
Finn opened his eyes, disoriented for a moment, blinking and staring at the ceiling as the sound of a blender blasting from the kitchen continued. Everything was so wrong. He groaned when he rolled over in bed and glanced at the clock; it wasn’t even five in the morning. Didn’t Melody sleep?
Melody. His newest problem. It’s not that he didn’t like her. She was nice. Smart. Gorgeous. But all that was irrelevant because he wasn’t ready to share this place with anyone. It always felt like there was something hanging between them. Or maybe he was imagining it. He still felt guilty about saying no to her prom invitation. Maybe she’d forgotten about it.
He would never forget the embarrassment on her face when she’d awkwardly asked him to take her to the prom. He’d felt like the biggest ass turning her down, but he’d known it had something to do with her mom. Marlene Mayberry, long-standing mayor of Shadow Creek, had almost destroyed Molly and Ben’s relationship. She had cost them so many years. She had also cost her daughters a hell of a lot, too. Still, he regretted that he’d hurt Melody’s feelings.
She was very different than her sister, Molly. He had known Molly for years, even after she’d skipped town and left his brother broken-hearted. There had been a warmth to her that had stood out and made him believe her, even when Ben hadn’t. But they’d found their way back together a couple years ago, and he was happy for them.
But this time was supposed to be about himself. He knew this set-up was partially his fault. On Ben and Molly’s visit last weekend, he’d played up how happy he was and how he was ready to get back to the real world. He’d even gone as far as saying he was ready to start dating because he was tired of their pity-filled stares. Clearly, they’d bought his act and had wasted no time.
He’d tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable. His injured leg had been throbbing, regardless of the different positions he’d tried, and now when he’d finally been resting comfortably, he was awoken like this. He wasn’t thrilled about sharing the cabin with anyone, but he knew he should. It was generous enough of Molly and Ben to let him stay here while he worked on his recovery. They had a fully equipped gym in the basement, and that had been instrumental in him getting his strength back after the accident. A couple months of rehab in the hospital had gotten him back on his feet, but being out here in the middle of nowhere, with his own gym and nothing to concentrate on but his recovery, had given him back his strength.
He swore quietly as he tried to swing his leg over the side of the bed and sat up. His leg was always stiff, no matter how good of a day he was having. He imagined this was what it was like to be ninety. Wincing with pain, he slowly completed a few stretches that allowed him to walk without too much pain then forced himself to put on some shorts and a T-shirt before using the bathroom.
A few minutes later, he made his way into the kitchen. Melody was leaning against the counter, drinking from a massive glass filled with green juice and staring at her phone. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and something about her expression made him pause. She didn’t have any makeup on, and she was wearing leggings and a baggy T-shirt. She looked…different. Younger, softer, almost vulnerable. Her long blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail and highlighted her fine features and perfect skin. She had always been gorgeous, but this was different. She wasn’t as polished and perfect.
He rolled his shoulders. No need to stand here gawking at her all day. “Morning,” he said, walking into the kitchen.
She looked up, putting her phone on the island. “Good morning! I hope I didn’t wake you,” she said.
He shook his head and made a beeline for the coffeemaker. “No, no, I love waking up before five when I don’t have to be at work.”
She gasped. “Are you being sarcastic? Omigosh, I’m so sorry, Finn. I shut the hallway door to the bedrooms.”
“It’s fine. Really. I’m an early riser.” He used to be, anyway. Now it just depended on what kind of a night he’d had. But she didn’t need to know that. He hated sympathy. Or pity—that was the worst. As far as he was concerned, the accident was part of the risks in his job. It wasn’t a big deal. He wasn’t the first firefighter who’d been injured, and he wouldn’t be the last. Ben had been, and their father had died on the job, so Finn wasn’t about to complain about a leg that might never fully heal. Besides, the last week or so had him thinking of taking his life in a different direction. But it was too early to voice to anyone—hell, he had never even considered anything other than firefighting.
“I saved you some of my smoothie,” she said, pointing to the Vitamix on the counter. Molly had somehow managed to get Ben to consume these green drinks as well, hence the Vitamix. But they had never managed to convince him. He stuck to the powdered form of vegetables in the fridge.
He glanced at it as he made enough coffee for two. “Uh, thanks. What’s in it?”
“Spinach, mango, blueberries, parsley, spirulina, turmeric, collagen, and water. Lots of really great anti-inflammatory ingredients and the collagen is great for bone health.”
“You lost me at spinach,” he said, pulling down a mug and praying for the coffee to brew as quickly as possible. He needed to head into the gym and stretch out his leg; it was killing him to stand in one spot.
She smiled. “That’s okay, but you’re really missing out. So, are you still okay with me staying here? Because I was thinking maybe this will work. I’ll stay out of your way; I have a ton of reading I want to get to, and I’m really quiet. You won’t even notice I’m here.”
He poured himself a coffee and smiled, trying to relax and not think about the throbbing pain in his leg. “Quiet like the Vitamix?”
She grimaced. “Sorry.”
He was being an ass. Maybe he was even being anti-social. He’d been away from people for too long. “Joking. Of course I don’t mind. Would you like a coffee?”
She shook her head. “After I work out and shower.”