Chapter Seven
Ninety minutes later, Harmony swallowed the last bite of one of the most delicious meals she’d ever eaten. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she smiled across the candlelit table at her companion. “That was delicious, Jake. Are you sure you’re not really an undercover chef?”
“Nope… grilled steaks and baked potatoes are pretty much the extent of my culinary genius. You’ve now tasted the best meal I can provide,” he returned with a grin as he topped off her glass of wine.
“It was amazing,” Harmony praised truthfully, flashing him another slightly surprised look when Jake rose from his seat and circled the small table to pull her chair out for her. These seemingly small gentlemanly courtesies he kept plying her with were disconcerting. First, he’d brought her flowers and her child gifts, then he’d held open the truck door for her when he’d walked her to his truck. He’d refused her multiple offers to help him with supper, and he’d seated her at the exquisitely-set table before he’d taken his own chair. Now, he was pulling out her chair for her, taking her hand and guiding her toward the comfortable couch in the three-room hunting cabin he’d rented while he visited Paradise. She couldn’t deny that it felt nice to have someone wait on her, but it definitely wasn’t something she was accustomed to experiencing. And something told her that Jake knew that, too.
Being with him for the last hour-and-a-half had been astonishingly relaxing. They’d exchanged small talk during the short ride here, discussing everything from the warmer-than-average weather to Heaven’s role in the following week’s Christmas program at the church. They’d chatted about insignificant topics, but neither of them had run out of things to say to each other. Then, there had also been companionable silences that yawned between them where it felt like they’d had a whole conversation just by simply sharing a look. So, when Jake tugged her down beside him on the sofa, curling into the curve of his arm and taking the seat beside him felt as natural as breathing.
Looking around the small, neat structure, Harmony sighed. Decorated mostly in dark earthy tones that fit a man like Jake well, the room held all the basics amenities a man could ask to have. A comfortable long suede couch and matching chair in a toffee brown, a nice pine dining room table that would seat four, and a huge plasma television set inside a primitively designed wooden entertainment center made the interior feel rustic, but with a slightly modern feel to it. Thick braided rugs in a burnt orange hue littered the floor, adding to the ambience. Even the tiny kitchen held newer-looking stainless steel appliances. The bathroom that she’d visited earlier was adorably old-fashioned. Containing a toilet and pedestal sink, the real draw, however, was the deep claw-foot tub taking up one wall. She assumed the closed door on the opposite side of the room led into a bedroom, though she knew she wouldn’t be asking for a tour of it.
“I always wondered what these cabins looked like on the inside. Old Man Hobbs had them built back when I was in grade school, but I never had a reason to visit one until now. Back then, he was doing his part to try and boost the tourism trade in Paradise and thought offering luxury hunting cabins was the way to do it. Most of the time, they sat up here on this mountain empty until they put the interstate exit in a few years back. Now, somebody is always renting from him. This really turned out beautifully. Thank you for inviting me over,” she remarked softly, more to make conversation with him than anything else.
Glancing around, Jacob shrugged. “It’s got a few old-fashioned touches that I could live without having.”
“Really? Like what?” Harmony questioned, turning her head to glance up at him.
“Well, the skeleton key that came with this place is just an open invitation to a robber. And I haven’t quite figured out yet how I’m supposed to cram my 6’4” ass into that tub in the bathroom,” he informed her with a low chuckle.
“Are you kidding? I think that tub is one of the best parts to this place,” Harmony returned with a disapproving look.
“Well, since you aren’t bigger than a minute, that tub would swallow you whole. Me, on the other hand,… ” he trailed off, gesturing at his long frame. “Let’s just say it leaves something to be desired. Thankfully, Mr. Hobbs didn’t mind the idea of me attaching a shower to the tub.” Letting out a sigh, he settled them both deeper into the sofa. “But on the whole, I agree with you. I’ve enjoyed staying here. Besides, after staying a week at the Paradise Lodge in town, this place feels like the Ritz. I don’t think the owners of that motel have upgraded the rooms since Carter was in office. It still had shag carpets and a lime green comforter on the bed. Hell, there was a slot for quarters in the headboard if you wanted the mattress to vibrate for Christ’s sake,” he revealed with a shudder.