I missed big, bulky sweaters, hot drinks, and burrowing under blankets. I could do that in Arizona, but I had to crank the A/C to give the illusion of winter.
That’s not a problem here in Cunningham Falls, Montana.
I grew up here. My roots run deep. And I guess, way down, I always figured I’d be back.
I just didn’t plan on not having a job when I did.
I follow the GPS and turn my Toyota into the driveway of a house on Whitetail lake, then cut the engine and take a deep breath.
I’m a registered nurse. I worked my ass off to get through school, and I love what I do. But there are no available jobs right now, and I need work. So when my cousin told me her friend was looking for a caretaker for a few weeks, I inquired.
I’m ridiculously overqualified for this.
But it’s a job.
Not to mention, I’ll be staying in this killer house on the lake for a while, which means I won’t have to live with my mother.
I love her, but she gets on my last nerve.
I take one last deep breath, then get out of the car and retrieve my suitcase from the back seat, carrying it up the steps to the front door.
I ring the bell and wait. When there’s no answer, I ring it again and turn to admire the evergreen trees, heavy with snow. It’s like something out of a painting.
The door swings open behind me, and I turn. Then stop cold.
Holy crap.
This guy is my patient?
“Hi, I’m Jordan,” I say, holding out my hand to shake.
He looks at my hand and then back up at my face. He’s wearing dark-rimmed glasses, and his blue eyes behind the lenses narrow. His brown hair is messy as if he’s been running his hands through it all day.
He’s tall and broad. Lean. Certainly healthy.
“You’re a girl,” he says.
“A woman,” I confirm, wondering if he has brain damage. “Thanks for noticing.”
“I was expecting a man,” he says and still doesn’t let me through the door.
“Why?”
He doesn’t reply, just leans against the doorjamb and watches me.
“Because my name is Jordan?” He lifts a brow. “Yeah, I get that a lot, but it’s really unisex. My dad wanted a boy and named me Jordan. Would have named a male child that, too, actually. Are we going to stand in the doorway all day? If so, I’ll grab a scarf out of my car.”
He doesn’t say a word, just walks into the house. I follow him after I wrestle my suitcase over the threshold.
“This is a really nice place,” I say as I close the door behind me and slip out of my coat, hanging it on a hook. I toe off my boots and follow Nick into the kitchen—at least I assume this is Nick. I mean, who else would it be? “Should we talk?”
“What would you like to talk about?” he asks as he pours cream into a mug full of coffee and turns to me, sipping the hot beverage.
Okay, so he’s a bit rude and not hospitable at all.
I’ve worked with worse.
Hell, I’ve lived with worse.
And I have to admit, that accent gives me little shivers.
“We should probably go over what you need and want, and I can tell you what orders I’ve been given. You know, start with the basics.”
“I don’t want or need anything.”
I nod and boost myself up onto a stool at the kitchen island. I’m short. I’m always boosting myself up somewhere.
“Nina did tell me that you might not be super excited to have me here.”
“Don’t you have somewhere else to be? The hospital? A clinic?”
“Nope.” My voice is cheerful as I spin on the stool and offer him my brightest smile. “I’ve recently moved home from Arizona, and I’m between jobs. So, this works out great. I mean, it’s not good that you’re injured, but—”
“I get it.”
“Anyway, I’m all yours for the foreseeable future.” His jaw firms, making me laugh. “Oh, come on. Don’t be so excited. I’m a likeable gal. Pretty agreeable. I’m an excellent conversationalist. And I can cook like crazy. Seriously, Rachel Ray has nothing on me. Or that Pioneer Woman. Have you seen the dimples on her? She’s just so pretty. And she can cook. I mean, is that fair?”
Nick pinches the bridge of his nose.
“Do you ever not talk?”
I slump on the stool. “Huh? Sure. I mean, if you don’t want to talk, that’s okay. I’ll just fill you in on what I know, and we can go from there. Nina wants me to cook and clean, and make sure you’re not overdoing it with your shoulder. If you have questions or concerns about your injury, I can take a look. You’re not supposed to go crazy with exercise, at least not for a little while yet.”