Page 22 of Timber Ridge
I hear the shower running in her bathroom and decide to rinse off too in mine. With only a few hours left until dawn, I climb into bed, tugging up the blankets and staring at the ceiling. I send up a quiet prayer for this unexpected turn of events, hoping it brings something good—for both of us.
Chapter Nine
TIMBER
I’m jolted awake by the sound of something clanking nearby. I struggle to shake off the remnants of sleep. What time is it? I reach for my phone and see it’s half past four. I’m relieved I didn’t sleep through my shift at the community center.
For a moment, I lay still. Everything's foggy, and nothing looks right. Then, bam! It all hits me at once.
The fire. The chaos. The cabin reduced to ashes in the night. Kane’s house.
I push back the covers and swing my legs over the side of the bed, shivering as the chill of the wooden floor seeps into my feet.
As I stumble to the bathroom, the noise from the kitchen grows louder, and the aroma of sizzling bacon drifts through the air. Relief floods through me at the realization that it must be Kane in the kitchen, making breakfast.
With each step, I ignore the heaviness in my bones and focus on the present moment and the day ahead. At home I might have called in sick, but here I can’t. The parents need me to be there for their kids.
I gather my clothes but realize all I have is what’s on my back. Those are worries for when I’m fully awake, and I won’t be that until I wash my face and rinse my mouth, so I head to the bathroom where both water and electricity are at my fingertips. As the water washes away the remnants of sleep, the tension in my muscles eases. There’s something soothing about the steady rhythm of the shower, the sound of water against the tile drowning out the noise of my racing thoughts—thoughts about the fire and Kane. But I don’t linger. In a town where water is scarce, every minute in the shower is a minute less for someone else. Last night’s shower was about removing the soot and ash from my skin. Today’s is about a rebirth, a new beginning. I am like the phoenix who rose from the ashes to face another day. I step out and wrap a towel snugly around myself. I head out of the bathroom, intent on finding the clothes Kane mentioned his sister left behind.
Turning into the hallway, lost in thought, I bump into something solid. I stagger back, surprised. Kane’s presence fills the narrow space, towering over me with an unexpected intensity.
I struggle to find my footing as I meet his gaze. There’s a trace of something in his eyes, a spark of amusement that leaves me momentarily breathless.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he says, reaching out a hand to steady me.
Heat rises to my cheeks, embarrassed to be caught in nothing but a towel. “It’s okay,” I stammer, my voice high-pitched and breathy.
Kane’s eyes linger on me for a moment longer than necessary, taking me in from head to toe. That look heats me to my core.
Clearing my throat, I attempt to regain my composure, but there’s no chance of that when the man in front of me looks like he’s starving and might gobble me up. “I’ll get dressed,” I say, gesturing down the hallway.
“Right,” he says. “Eliza’s stuff is in the closet. I’ll leave you to it.”
I stop at the door and turn to face him. “Is that bacon I smell?”
“Yes, breakfast is almost ready. Normally it’s something simpler, like cereal, but I imagined that you would enjoy the comfort of a warm meal after last night.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
As he turns to leave, a flutter of excitement flows through me. There’s something about Kane, something magnetic and undeniable, that draws me to him. Is it the way he adores his daughter? The way he hides behind this gruff exterior, but at every turn does something kind, like pays for my meal, carries my bags, or makes me breakfast after a nightmare of a night. It could be all of those things, but I can’t ignore how pleasing to the eyes he is as well. He’s as big as a mountain, with eyes that seem to see everything. His hair is the color of tree bark, with bits of gray running through his beard. I’ve only seen a half smile on his face when he’s looking at Hailey. Even the thought of that makes my pulse pound. I can’t imagine what a full grin looks like.
I head to the closet to find something from Eliza’s clothes. Among the assortment of tops and bottoms, I find a pair of stretchy yoga pants and a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan: “I’m not lazy, I’m just in energy-saving mode.” It seems fitting for today.
I make my way to the kitchen and take a seat at the table. The tantalizing aroma of sizzling bacon and eggs fills the air. Hailey is already digging into her breakfast with gusto. Kane joins us with two plates of food in his hands. He sets one in front of me, and we settle in, listening to Hailey talk about unicorns and how they eat fairy dust and rainbows at every meal.
When Kane finishes, he announces that he’s heading out to feed the chickens, leaving Hailey and me alone. I take care of the dishes, eager to contribute in some small way to the household chores. As I scrub away, Hailey hops onto a stool next to me, ready to help. Her hair is a mess of knots and tangles. I don’t want to overstep my boundaries, but I figure anything I can take off Kane’s plate is good.
“How about braids today?” I set the last pot down and wipe my hands on a nearby towel.
Hailey shakes her head and frowns. “Daddy doesn’t know how to braid.”
“But I do. Would you like me to do your hair?”
“You can do braids?” She jumps off the chair and opens a drawer that has a Minnie Mouse brush and some hair ties. “I like braids. May used to have a long braid that went down her back until she cut her hair.”
I pause, thinking about my mom. I remember her long black braid too. It makes me a bit sad and nostalgic. I miss her, especially moments when she used to braid my hair and tell stories while doing it.
Even though I miss her, I’m remembering all the times we shared. Seeing Hailey so excited reminds me of the joy Mom brought into my life. Her love stays with me, even though she's gone.