Love for Beginners: An Under the Hood Novella by Sally Clements Page B

tea.
    “I just had coffee.”
    In the back garden, an open newspaper was spread out on the long wooden bench. Marcia settled herself back into the hollow she’d excavated in the worn foam cushion, and Mel sat down opposite. “It was too good a day to sit inside,” Marcia explained. “I thought I’d have breakfast out here.”
    Mel nodded. There was a lightness to her mother today, and she felt some of the tension that had been locked tight inside release and float away in the sunshine.
    “I’m going away for the weekend. Up to the Jamesons’ cabin.”
    Marcia smiled. “I’m glad. How’s work?”
    “Better.” Mel forced her smile not to waver. “Alice’s brother has come to work at the garage for a while. He’s standing in for her while her leg heals.”
    “Is he married?” Marcia asked.
    “He’s single, and he’s a good worker. We’ve caught up with the backlog of work with his help.”
    Marcia’s eyes searched Mel’s face, and obviously didn’t like what they saw. “You’re not sweet on him, are you? You know you’ve got to be careful around men. Don’t go falling for one…” Her expression was one of a woman who’d mistakenly sucked slices of lemon instead of sweet slices of orange. “Men are dangerous.”
    It was a familiar rant. One Mel had heard many times growing up. How you had to steer clear of men, had to protect yourself. One she’d never called her mother on, but now couldn’t just ignore. For years she’d hidden the hurt deep inside, not wanting to burden her fragile mother with her own pain. Now, she wanted and needed to know more.
    She had no evidence of the sort of man her father had been except her mother’s fear and distrust. If she’d felt love for him, surely she wouldn’t warn her daughter about having anything to do with men? The familiar ache started in Mel’s heart, and tendrils of pain spiked to her stomach. It had been hard, growing up without a father. What sort of a man could abandon a woman pregnant with his child?
    “Tell me about my father. Why did he leave?”
    Marcia’s eyes widened. She stood up and smoothed down her dress with a shaking hand. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She picked up the cup from the table and walked inside.
    …
    Heath had read all about how the blue haze hanging over the mountains like a semitransparent veil was an atmospheric phenomenon, nothing more. It didn’t matter. His fingers itched to grab his camera from its case and start taking pictures.
    Instead, he looked at Mel across the cabin of Alice’s battered old pickup.
    Mel’s hair blew in the wind, like silken ribbons caught in an updraft. Dark glasses hid her eyes from view, but she was happy. Her lips were pursed, hollowing out her cheeks, and she whistled along with a country song on the radio. She’d been absent from the garage all week. He’d thought she must be avoiding him after that kiss, but today she seemed carefree. Maybe she’d just been busy.
    “How long now?” They’d been driving through the mountains for an hour, each twist and turn opening up a new tempting vista. She’d even been persuaded to stop a couple of times, so he could snap a quick shot. It wasn’t nearly enough.
    Mel pushed her sunglasses up atop her head, and glanced over. “It’s just around this bend.” She waved from the window. “The stream winds around the hills here, feeding into the river. Do you fish?”
    Her gaze shot to his mouth, then back to his eyes. Her mouth widened into a smile. She shook her head gently from side to side. “All you want to do is take photographs, don’t you?” Her teasing tone was full of warmth. “Your body language is shouting at me. Your hands are clasped tight.”
    He looked down. Yup, he’d linked his hands together and let them hang between his legs.
    “That’s because you want to grab your camera, and you’re resisting.”
    “Smart-ass.” She was pretty irresistible in this mood. Heck, she was pretty irresistible in any