Tansy sighed. “Something happened to you. Something bad. Probably related to your job. I can see it in your eyes. This little spot of peace might help.”
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he turned back to the view.
She had a feeling that wasn’t what he was seeing.
Eventually, he shrugged and turned back to her. “Let’s head down. You have any food in this place?”
“Enough for maybe a couple of meals now that you’re here, but I’ll have to head into town soon.”
He nodded and they descended without conversation.
Once inside, she shucked her boots and put on the moccasins she’d bought from a local Abenaki artisan at a Phail craft show.
Sam wiped off his shoes but kept them on. He glanced at the coat rack, empty of their wet clothes.
“I’ve got them in the washing machine. Boots are under a heat lamp.”
He smiled. “So you do have some things hooked up to electricity?”
“Once I had a dozen panels in place, I got the washer and dryer hooked up. And the water heater. No one needs cold showers all the time.”
Oops. That sounded sexual. Not at all what she meant at the moment.
Sam hooted out a laugh and headed to the kitchen. “Let’s find food. Show me what you’ve been living on.”
He grabbed a slice of the bread she’d had earlier in the day for her sandwich.
“Not bad.”
“You can have a turn tomorrow. See if you can do any better.”
“You’re on.”
“I’ve got minestrone soup and some pasta that’s pretty good.”
He leaned against the counter. “You made it yourself, too?”
She shrugged and moved to the refrigerator. Another item she considered essential. “It’s fun to experiment.”
Sam moved to the hydroponic garden. “This is awesome. Show me how it works.”
“Let me stoke up the stove and get the soup warming first.”
He followed her into the main room, asking questions about the stove, her garden, her cooking.
They chopped up veggies to mix with the pasta and chatted about all things superficial.
Interesting, but superficial.
Soon they were seated by the pellet stove in a couple of mismatched chairs in front of the view of the lake. The small table in front of them held their soup and pasta.
“Is everything in this lodge fifty years old or more?”
Tansy laughed. “Well, I’ve upgraded to energy-efficient appliances and have plans for a few more, but a lot of it is definitely old.”
“Do you have plans?”
“I always have plans.” Which was true. But she wasn’t sure which ones she wanted to implement. Which direction she wanted to head next.