There was no way, no way, that was ever going to happen to him.
“There’s an ice machine at the end of the corridor.” Sean glanced at the signs and found the direction he wanted. “You two should go sit in it while I talk to Gramps.”
* * *
ÉLISE SPENT THE evening cooking. Combining flavors and textures was a way of occupying her mind and soothing her anxiety. She told herself it was work, that she needed new recipes for the café, but in truth it was distraction. Distraction from thoughts of Walter and that horrible moment when he’d collapsed at her feet.
It had been hours and she’d heard nothing. She’d texted Kayla twice and received no response. The next step would be to call the hospital and she was close to doing that.
It was almost midnight. Why hadn’t Kayla called?
Dark fell over the lake.
An owl hooted.
Unable to contemplate sleep, she cooked and wrote notes on the laptop she kept permanently on the countertop in the kitchen. Some of the recipes would make it into her repertoire and would be used in the restaurant or the café. Others would never be used again.
She pulled a tray of savory mushroom pastries out of the oven and set them aside to cool, pleased with the result. Picking up a fork, she cut into one. The pastry was a pale golden-brown, crisp and buttery. It flaked in the mouth and melted on the tongue, blending perfectly with the creamy filling.
“Something smells good.” Sean’s voice came from behind her and she turned sharply, her pulse rate doubling.
He stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders blocking her view of the lake.
It was the first time he’d been to her lodge since she’d been living in it. The fact that he’d come in person could only mean bad news.
“Something has happened to Walter? Is he—?” The fear was brutal. Her head spun and her vision felt distant and strange.
She didn’t see him move, but the next moment strong hands clamped her shoulders and she was being guided into the chair.
“Put your head down.” His voice was calm and sure. “You’re fine, sweetheart, you’ve just had a long day. Gramps is good. He’s doing well.”
She leaned forward, waiting for the world to stop spinning. “Is that the truth? You’re not lying to me?”
“I never lie. Some women would say it’s my biggest failing.” He crouched down next to her and closed a hand over hers. “Better?”
“Yes.”
She didn’t say that his honesty was one of the things she liked best about him.
Lifting her head, she met his gaze. Her stomach tightened.
It didn’t matter how much they tried to ignore it, the connection was always there.
Merde. And now she was leaning on him like a pathetic creature. And she didn’t do that. She never did that.
“You scared me. I thought—” She couldn’t even say what she’d thought. It was a relief to feel her heart thudding against her chest. For a moment she’d thought it had stopped. “Kayla didn’t answer my texts. I was worried.”
“Probably too busy kissing my brother to check her phone.” He gave her hand another squeeze and stood up. “Do those two ever stop?”
She flexed her fingers, thinking that she should have been the one to pull her hand away.
“They’re apart for a lot of the week so I suppose they want to make the most of the time they’re together. Tell me about your grandfather. How was he when you left?”
“Awake and talking. Scolding Grams for having stayed with him the whole time when she should have gone home to bed.”
“Scolding? That sounds so much like him.” The relief was so great it was almost physical. “I will kill Kayla for not texting me.” She knew she should stand up but she didn’t trust her legs so she stayed sitting on the pretty blue wooden chair she’d bought for her kitchen. “I’m shaking! I am a mess.”
“From what I’ve heard you’ve had a hell of a day, so shaking is allowed. Here. Have a drink.” Pulling a bottle of cognac from her shelf, he sloshed a generous measure into a glass and sniffed it with appreciation. “This is good stuff. If I’d known you were hiding this I would have been around sooner.”