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? And even if they had the money, why would he be willing to let anyone do any kind of a story on himself? Especially right now, with this deadline looming ahead of him. With the winter they’d had, he was now weeks behind schedule.
He stepped away to take the dog outside.
“Ouch!” Lisa fell backward against him. “Wait, my hair’s caught on something.”
Adam again offered his support while struggling to see what had happened. Lisa grabbed her hair and tugged, also yanking the button of his shirt.
“Hold on a minute,” Adam said, steadying her. He gently fanned her hair, releasing a faint scent. He inhaled again. Trying to ignore how good she smelled and the feel of her silky hair, he untangled a few strands at a time.
He was used to the well-meaning grandmothers at the church trying to play matchmaker, but his own family? When had everyone decided he needed company out here? And how in the world had Elizabeth pulled off bringing his brothers’ single sister-in-law here under the pretense of business?
He’d been suspicious when the unmarried interior decorator showed up to help with the lodge, but finally convinced himself it was a coincidence. Then when he figured out the Sweetheart Festival coordinator was also available, he began to smell a skunk. Now Lisa. He couldn’t believe his own brothers and sisters would stoop to such levels.
He was obviously wrong.
Didn’t much matter now. Faced with this awkward situation, Adam realized the first step was to get Lisa out of here before this got any more out of hand.
He couldn’t deny that Lisa was a looker, from her bright blue eyes to her classy dismissal of his pet’s poor behavior.
He instinctively smoothed her hair. “There, I think that’s it.”
Lisa turned around within the confines of his embrace, and for an instant, Adam forgot he wanted nothing to do with this woman who wanted to dig into his life.
She tipped her head back, her gaze meeting his, furthering the temptation to ignore exactly why she was here. Her cheeks turned a healthy pink. What am I thinking? She’s family.
Her voice was gentle and soft, yet confident at the same time. “Thanks. If you wouldn’t mind telling me where my room is, then you can get back to what you were doing before I arrived.”
Her comment stopped him in his tracks. As if she knew what he was thinking, one corner of her mouth hinted at a smile. Before she came…what was I doing? Adam released her, content that Lisa and her beautiful smile were now safe from his puppy’s affections.
And his.
This wasn’t the time to tell the eager photojournalist she was wasting her time here. He’d tell her that later, over dinner. Once he’d calmed his nerves and collected his thoughts.
“Up the stairs, third door on the right. If you need anything, I’ll be out back.”
He reached out to help with her coat, an amazingly sensible choice for a sophisticated city girl.
“Thanks.” She backed away, then turned and nearly tripped up the first step.
From the corner of his eye, he watched her climb the stairs, kicking himself for torturing himself so. He shook his head. I’ve got too many things to do as it is without an attractive woman to distract me. “Dinner will be ready at six sharp.”
“Fine, I’ll see you then,” she said cheerfully.
When she was well out of earshot he muttered, “Everything was fine, before you showed up.”
“Boy, that was telling him, Lisa. ‘Set him straight once and for all,’” she mimicked her own words as she walked down the hall. “What’s gotten into me?” She framed her warm face with her cool hands. “Adam MacIntyre is no more than an assignment. An assignment I can’t afford to botch.”
Lisa turned into the third room on the right and found her luggage in the middle of the floor. She glanced at the window and forced herself to ignore the sound of Adam chopping wood. Without thinking, Lisa moved her clothes into the beautifully refurbished oak dresser and set a fresh outfit on the dusty blue plaid bedspread. The six-foot-high mission-style headboard matched the frame of the vanity mirror. A pair of armchairs and a table sat in front of the window.
The rhythmic sound outside was like a lariat around her, pulling her toward the bay window. She eased the coordinating tab-top curtains open, feeling like a teenager peeking at the boy next door. I thought it was just the tux. I never dreamed Adam would be this handsome in everyday clothes.
Toby was tied to a fence post, well out of danger from flying wood. And wood was flying. Each swing of Adam’s ax went straight through to the stump below. He neatly stacked the split logs, then repeated the motions.
She recalled Adam’s strong arms guarding her from the playful pup. His fingers gently untangling her stringy hair from the button of his shirt. She felt her cheeks flush again and forced away thoughts of romance. She was here to do a job. Nothing more.
Adam was the subject. She was the journalist. Oil and water. And the two did not mix. Lisa had learned that lesson long ago, along with a few others. There wasn’t time to meet, let alone develop, any sort of meaningful relationship when your life was on the road.
That was what had drawn her to Dale. They were both wanderers—lured by adventure for nothing more than adventure’s sake. They were a team. He was the photographer, she the journalist. Now she was both. Alone and on her own.
Which was just the way Lisa liked it. It was much less painful that way. She’d come too far in the past year to let anything or anyone slow her down. Especially not the last available MacIntyre brother. Nothing against her sisters’ husbands, but she wasn’t interested in making the Guinness Book of World Records for most sisters to marry into the same family.
Now she knew why they’d been so anxious for her to come visit. It had nothing to do with seeing them. They wanted to set her up with Adam. Nice try, gals.
Francie’s words taunted. “Romantic Getaways. Loveland. Valentine’s Day—get it?” Lisa again admired Adam. “Gullible and naive—that’s me.” How had Emily and Katarina managed to convince her editor to arrange this?
To Francie’s credit, she had been there when Lisa was at her lowest. She’d been a friend when Lisa was trying to pick up the pieces of her life and struggling to find work. Francie didn’t
