This woman, who he had just met, had already rocked his world. He was hopelessly… what? Could he say he was in love with her? So soon? Surely that wasn’t possible? All he knew was that he wanted to get to know her better. Know everything about her. He wanted her to stay longer here in Comfort Crossing. Just his luck to fall for a city woman who lived miles and miles away from him in a state he’d never even visited. He drifted back to sleep and woke up at six on the dot. He slipped out of bed to go put on coffee. He closed the bedroom door softly behind him and padded barefoot into the kitchen. As the coffee brewed, he cleaned up the rest of the mess from the night. The sun began to light the horizon in colors of yellow and orange.
He heard a car door slam and a quick knock at the back door at the same time it was pushed open. Bella waltzed through the door.
“Hey, Gilly. Got some coffee for your sis?”
“What are you doing here?” Ouch, that sounded inhospitable.
“Nice to see you too, brother dear.” Bella dropped a sack on the counter, walked over to the cabinet, took out two mugs, and poured them both coffee.
“It’s early, Bella.”
“Yes, it is. And I know you are always up by now. I need help. My hot water heater isn’t working. I can’t get the pilot light started and I want a hot shower. I came over to borrow yours.”
“My pilot light?”
“No, your shower, you goose. What’s up with you this morning?”
Gil scrubbed his hand across the stubble on his face. His sister stood there, sipping coffee, with her wild red hair falling around her shoulders like it was bursting into flames, which was what was going to happen to his morning if he didn’t get her out of his house.
“Don’t you have any friends? What about Jenny or Becky Lee’s shower?”
“Huh?” Bella looked at him like he was nuts.
“I mean, somewhere else to shower.”
“Hey, you can take the first shower. I’m not going to knock you off your schedule. Just leave me some hot water.”
“Listen, Bella—”
“Gil?”
He froze on the spot at the sound of Maddy’s voice.
Bella cocked an eyebrow at him and shot him a grin. “I picked a bad morning to need that hot shower, huh?”
Gil turned and saw Maddy come into the kitchen dressed only in his rumpled shirt from the night before.
“Oh.” Her eyes lit up in surprise. “I didn’t know anyone else was here.”
Gil stood there like the fool that he was. Bella saved him and stepped forward. “I’m Bella, Gil’s sister. I didn’t mean to barge in.”
Maddy’s cheeks were a rosy red of embarrassment, but she crossed over and stood beside Gil. “Nice to meet you. I’m Madeline.”
“Hey, Madeline. Well, I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll go find me another hot shower somewhere else.”
“Don’t let me chase you off.” Maddy tugged at the bottom of the shirt she was wearing. He didn’t know why. She looked extra fine in that shirt but he guessed she felt a bit underdressed to meet his sister. His sister with the incredibly lousy timing.
“My hot water heater isn’t working so I dropped in to grab a quick hot shower. Didn’t know Gil had company.”
“Of course you can stay. Right, Gil?”
Gil sighed. “Of course.” Not exactly the romantic morning he’d planned to share with Maddy. He grabbed another mug for Maddy and poured her some coffee.
“How about we let Maddy get the first shower before you run the hot water out?” Gil pinned his sister with a don’t-argue-with-me stare.
“Yes, really. That’s great. I’ll just wait my turn.”
“You sure?” Maddy looked so ready to escape and he couldn’t blame her.
“Yes, go ahead. Clean towels are under the sink.”
“Oh, Madeline, wait.” Bella walked over to the counter and dug into the sack she’d placed there. “Use my shampoo. You don’t even want to use the cheapo bargain brand that Mr. Anything-Will-Do uses.”
Bella loaded Maddy up with shampoo and bath wash. Maddy turned and fled back in the direction of his bedroom.
“Nice timing, Bella.”
“How was I supposed to know you were having a fling?”
“She’s not a fling.” His voice was low, warning his sister.
“Really? You’re dating and I know nothing about it?”
His sister shot him with one of her looks. The ones that made him squirm like a school kid. “I was going to tell you.”
“Who else knows?” Bella jumped up and sat on his counter, sipping her coffee.
“Well, Aunt Jo. Rebecca from the Sweet Tea.”