secured the ladder and started up. “You
could steady this for me, if you don’t mind.”
Molly hurried to do his bidding and Ethan felt a rush of
pleasure. She was a trooper, ready to help, willing to do her part. She not only
didn’t complain about their situation, she found ways to make it seem like an
adventure: board games, lively discussions about religion and politics, creative
meals by candle- and lamplight.
A man could get attached to a woman like that. After his
mistakes with Twila, he was loath to get involved with any woman ever again, but
Molly muddled his thinking.
And muddled thinking always led a man astray.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. He had plenty to do
today, and fretting over his past wasn’t getting any of it done.
To still the disquieting thoughts, Ethan started
up the
ladder, his boots clanging against the metal rungs.
Once on the gabled roof, he realized the tree was too large to
move in one piece. He would have to saw it apart.
Slip-sliding to the edge, he called down to Molly. “I need that
chain saw. Can you hand it up?”
She hefted the tool, then paused and glanced toward the front
door. “You think Laney is still asleep?”
“Positive. She naps for a couple of hours at a stretch.” He
could see his response didn’t satisfy, and he continued to puzzle over why a
woman who refused to hold his baby worried so much about her. “Why?”
Molly made a twitching motion with one shoulder. “No
reason.”
She’d had plenty of chances to tell him what troubled her, but
every time she’d backed away. Funny how that irked him.
“I can take it from here,” he said, reaching for the saw.
Hanging on to the ladder with one hand, she passed the saw up
and then surprised him by ascending the remaining rungs. “I want to see what the
world looks like from up here.”
Being a pilot, Ethan loved the view from above the earth. Nice
to know Molly wasn’t put off by heights. The fleeting thought drifted through
his head that he might offer to take her up in a plane sometime.
Feet wide to maintain balance, he set the saw aside and offered
his gloved hand. “Ice is devastating, but beautiful, too. You can see for miles
from here.”
The safest place on the roof was where the chimney met the
long, sloping porch roof. The constant heat had melted a good portion of the ice
and the roof was a gentle incline. Situated there, Molly would be relatively
safe.
“I have pretty good footing. Let me steady you.”
With easy grace Molly made the transition from ladder to
overhang and settled into a corner of the eave. “Wow. You were right. This is awesome.”
Pleased with her wide-eyed response, he hunkered down beside
her and pointed. “Look in that big oak. See the woodpecker?”
Molly followed the line of his arm, face brightening. “He’s
huge.”
“The largest of the species. A pileated woodpecker.”
“Like Woody?” Her breath puffed small clouds into the frosty
morning.
Ethan grinned at her teasing tone. “Hear him?”
The woodpecker’s rat-a-tat-tat echoed through the still
morning.
“The birds are everywhere today.” Her gaze scanned the
sparkling ice-coated trees. “See those bright red cardinals? They look so pretty
against the white-and-silver ice. And over there, jays and chickadees and a
nuthatch.”
Ethan didn’t bother to look. He was much more interested in
watching her face than in watching the birds. Cheeks rosy from the cold and
honey-colored eyes alight with interest charmed him. He resisted a totally
unacceptable urge to smooth a finger over her soft-looking skin.
“They’re probably hungry. The ice is covering up their food
source.”
Molly turned her head, caught him looking and blushed. He liked
the way she did that, just as he liked the smattering of golden freckles across
her nose.
“I normally keep seed out for them.” She quickly shifted her
eyes back to the wildlife. “But I suppose it’s covered up, too. We’ll have to
put out
could steady this for me, if you don’t mind.”
Molly hurried to do his bidding and Ethan felt a rush of
pleasure. She was a trooper, ready to help, willing to do her part. She not only
didn’t complain about their situation, she found ways to make it seem like an
adventure: board games, lively discussions about religion and politics, creative
meals by candle- and lamplight.
A man could get attached to a woman like that. After his
mistakes with Twila, he was loath to get involved with any woman ever again, but
Molly muddled his thinking.
And muddled thinking always led a man astray.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. He had plenty to do
today, and fretting over his past wasn’t getting any of it done.
To still the disquieting thoughts, Ethan started
up the
ladder, his boots clanging against the metal rungs.
Once on the gabled roof, he realized the tree was too large to
move in one piece. He would have to saw it apart.
Slip-sliding to the edge, he called down to Molly. “I need that
chain saw. Can you hand it up?”
She hefted the tool, then paused and glanced toward the front
door. “You think Laney is still asleep?”
“Positive. She naps for a couple of hours at a stretch.” He
could see his response didn’t satisfy, and he continued to puzzle over why a
woman who refused to hold his baby worried so much about her. “Why?”
Molly made a twitching motion with one shoulder. “No
reason.”
She’d had plenty of chances to tell him what troubled her, but
every time she’d backed away. Funny how that irked him.
“I can take it from here,” he said, reaching for the saw.
Hanging on to the ladder with one hand, she passed the saw up
and then surprised him by ascending the remaining rungs. “I want to see what the
world looks like from up here.”
Being a pilot, Ethan loved the view from above the earth. Nice
to know Molly wasn’t put off by heights. The fleeting thought drifted through
his head that he might offer to take her up in a plane sometime.
Feet wide to maintain balance, he set the saw aside and offered
his gloved hand. “Ice is devastating, but beautiful, too. You can see for miles
from here.”
The safest place on the roof was where the chimney met the
long, sloping porch roof. The constant heat had melted a good portion of the ice
and the roof was a gentle incline. Situated there, Molly would be relatively
safe.
“I have pretty good footing. Let me steady you.”
With easy grace Molly made the transition from ladder to
overhang and settled into a corner of the eave. “Wow. You were right. This is awesome.”
Pleased with her wide-eyed response, he hunkered down beside
her and pointed. “Look in that big oak. See the woodpecker?”
Molly followed the line of his arm, face brightening. “He’s
huge.”
“The largest of the species. A pileated woodpecker.”
“Like Woody?” Her breath puffed small clouds into the frosty
morning.
Ethan grinned at her teasing tone. “Hear him?”
The woodpecker’s rat-a-tat-tat echoed through the still
morning.
“The birds are everywhere today.” Her gaze scanned the
sparkling ice-coated trees. “See those bright red cardinals? They look so pretty
against the white-and-silver ice. And over there, jays and chickadees and a
nuthatch.”
Ethan didn’t bother to look. He was much more interested in
watching her face than in watching the birds. Cheeks rosy from the cold and
honey-colored eyes alight with interest charmed him. He resisted a totally
unacceptable urge to smooth a finger over her soft-looking skin.
“They’re probably hungry. The ice is covering up their food
source.”
Molly turned her head, caught him looking and blushed. He liked
the way she did that, just as he liked the smattering of golden freckles across
her nose.
“I normally keep seed out for them.” She quickly shifted her
eyes back to the wildlife. “But I suppose it’s covered up, too. We’ll have to
put out
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