herself together, Lisa extended her hand. This was a professional assignment. Not a family gathering. The backpack slid from her shoulder, and with the flick of his wrist, the stunning proprietor caught it. Lisa lifted it back to her shoulder. “I’m taking pictures….”
“I figured that much out.” His frown deepened. “Question is, why?”
“I’m…” Momentarily, she wasn’t sure who she was, and less sure of what she was doing here. “I’m Lisa Berthoff, Katarina and Emily’s sister.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Lisa?” A look of shock plastered onto his face, Adam tried to regain his composure. “I didn’t recognize you.”
No kidding. “Must be my hair. It was shorter.”
“And…” Adam raised his hands to his hair and awkwardly let them drop again. “Umm…curlier.”
Lisa nodded, remembering. “Yes, it was.” The expense of curling her stubbornly straight hair was a luxury she’d had to go without after the surprise that awaited her return from Kat’s wedding. The changes in her appearance were obviously not improvements from the look on Adam’s face. She had stress to thank for the weight loss. Stress and Dale. Or were the two one and the same? At least her perception had improved since he’d walked out on her. When it came to men, she now had twenty-twenty vision. She’d been blinded by love once, but never again.
Adam stared, speechless.
Mrs. MacIntyre came down the guest house steps and broke the uncomfortable silence. “Lisa? I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Hello, Mrs. MacIntyre. The magazine sent me as a last-minute replacement for the Greens. I’m here to do the write-up on Adam…I mean, on Whispering Pines.”
“Magazine? What magazine?” Adam said.
Ignoring his questions, his mother continued. “Call me Millie, please.” She wrapped an arm around Lisa and looked at her son. “Isn’t this just perfect, Adam, dear? Lisa’s doing your story.” Millie beamed, and her voice was overly enthusiastic, even by Lisa’s estimation. “I can’t wait to tell Elizabeth that you’re here.”
Adam plastered a smile across his face. “Is that so?” Without another word to her, Adam reached for Lisa’s bags in the back of the truck. “Thanks for bringing our guest out, Meg. Have a good weekend.”
“It was my pleasure. Enjoy your stay, Lisa.”
“Thank you, Meg. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
Adam groaned, but whether it was because of the conversation or the seventy-pound suitcase he was lifting, Lisa wasn’t sure. What did he expect? Her entire life was in these bags.
Adam glanced at his mother, who’d followed Meg to the white sedan in the parking lot across the yard. He turned to Lisa and lowered his voice. “And just to set things straight, Mrs.— Sorry, I didn’t catch your married name.”
Lisa was stunned. Married? What, or who, had given Adam the impression she had married?
“Never mind. Just so you realize, I’m not interested in advertising in any magazine nor am I doing any interview for one.”
Keep your cool, Lisa. You need this job. “Thanks for clarifying that. Good thing I’m not in advertising, then, isn’t it? And just to clear up one more thing…” She hated to add to his problems, whatever they might be, but she believed in honesty. “I’m not married.”
“Great. Just great,” he said, then took off across the flagstone walk, mumbling.
Millie’s voice startled Lisa. “Oh, dear. Look at the time.” Adam’s mom smiled at Lisa then climbed into the truck, calling sweetly to Adam as he closed the distance between himself and the front door of the house. “Don’t count on me for dinner tonight. I’m having dinner with Mr. Miller. Why don’t you catch Lisa up on all the family news?” She turned the key and revved the engine. “Don’t pay any attention to his grumbling, Lisa. He’ll be fine soon. I’m sure of it. I’ll look forward to visiting with you tomorrow.”
“That would be nice. I’ll see you then.” Adam’s mother headed down the hill and across the quaint bridge to the small Victorian-style house tucked behind the winter-bare tree branches. Lisa let out a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. With a sigh of determination, she ran up the log steps, in search of the very handsome, impatient and presumably still-single bed-and-breakfast owner. She was going to set things straight, once and for all.
Adam heard the door close downstairs, followed by a thump, then a muffled voice and…giggles? He dropped Lisa’s luggage in the middle of the floor and ran out of the room.
He didn’t have any doubt what had caused the calamity. His brother’s idea of a bachelor’s perfect birthday gift—a Newfoundland-mix puppy.
“To-by!” Taking the log stairs two at a time, Adam arrived at the front door to find Lisa flat on the ground with his overgrown puppy giving her kisses. Lisa’s laughter did nothing more than encourage the dog. Adam grabbed Toby’s collar and hauled the one-hundred-pound pup off her.
“Toby, sit!” Adam didn’t take the time to lead the animal to a designated location; he just hoped Toby would sit somewhere and quit causing trouble. He extended his arm to help Lisa up, instantly reminding him of his unwelcome reaction to her delicate hand in his a few minutes earlier. “Are you okay?”
Accepting Adam’s hand, Lisa jumped up off the floor and untwisted her camera strap. “I’m fine.” With a soft chuckle, she wiped Toby’s kisses from her cheek. “Now that’s what I call a warm welcome.”
Adam stepped back and released her hand. “Please accept my apology. I haven’t had much time to train him.”
“Looks like you’re going to have your hands full.” Brushing dirt and dog hair off her black sweater and leggings, Lisa turned toward Toby, positioned her camera, clicked the shutter, then snapped the cover back onto the lens.
She looked different than she had at his oldest brother’s wedding a year ago. And it was more than the chic hairstyle. He didn’t remember Lisa being so thin. She was still as pretty, but something was definitely different. Still…how could he have not recognized her?
“Good thing I like dogs. Never had one of my own, but…” She smiled at Toby. “Who can resist falling in love with an adorable face like his?”
That was enough to set the dog in motion again, still trailing the remnants of his third leash, aka teething rope, behind him. Before Adam could stop Toby, he was on his hind legs and in her face again. This time, Adam sprang forward in time to catch Lisa. With one arm firmly around her small waist, unwelcome feelings returned. Adam struggled to find his voice. “That’s it, Toby. Outside!”
As Adam helped Lisa regain her footing, he felt his anger turn from the energetic dog toward Elizabeth for getting him into this mess.
He’d had no idea his sister was serious about advertising in a national magazine. Where did she think they were going to come up with that kind of money?
