Read Online Mountain Sanctuary by Lenora Worth - Free Book Online Page A

painting. It had been a long time since Stella had even thought about her own artistic hobby.
    The kitchen sure smelled good, she reasoned, her earlier distorted displeasure with Adam’s kindness evaporating. She reasoned she was trying to ignore the good in the man for her own safety and protection. She didn’t want to get used to depending on Adam Callahan, or any man, ever again. When she heard his footsteps behind her, she whirled and almost collided with him. He took the bag from her and set it on the counter.
    “Hello,” he said, looking sheepish and unsure since their earlier disagreement.
    “Hi,” she replied as she busied herself with putting away the milk and butter, the scent of something good tweaking her nose and her curiosity. “What’s cooking?”
    He gave her a long look that indicated a whole lot more than just whatever was bubbling on the stove. “Spaghetti. Kyle said it’s his favorite. That is, after pizza and hamburgers, of course.”
    That made her smile. “That boy can put away some food. And he does love spaghetti, even if it’s just from a jar.”
    “Uh, I made this sauce from scratch.”
    “Of course you did,” she retorted, her jealousy flaring up with a green-eyed ugliness that instantly made her feel ashamed of herself. Adam was being way too kind and she just wasn’t used to that. When had she become so jaded and cynical, anyway? Probably the day she watched her mother pack up and drive away. Or maybe after she’d found out her husband had whittled away most of their savings.
    Adam gave her another long look. This one a tad more chilled than the last one. “You don’t like homemade spaghetti?”
    “No, I love anything homemade.” She stopped stocking the pantry and turned to face him. “It’s just that I should be cooking for you. I didn’t hire you to come in and take over all the duties.”
    He frowned down at her. “Is that what you think? That I’m taking over around here? That in spite of what we talked about, I’m steamrollering you?”
    She heard the hurt in his words, and wished she didn’t have such a snarly mouth. “No, I appreciate you. You know that. But you need time off, too. I mean, you babysat my son all afternoon—”
    “It wasn’t babysitting. I had fun. Kyle’s a special little boy.”
    She nodded on that account. “True, but he can be tiring, I know. And in the meantime, you managed to whip up a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce, too? See what I mean?”
    He leaned his hands down on the counter, then lowered his head to give her a hard stare. “Well, no, Stella, I don’t see what you mean. Either I take over some of the cooking duties, or I don’t. You tell me.”
    She slammed canned beans on the counter. “You cook for the guests. That was our agreement. I don’t recall ever telling you to cook for us.”
    “Oh, I get it. You’re mad because I cooked something just for you and your family? And that means I’m pushing the envelope, right?”
    “I’m not mad, exactly.” She looked down at the animal crackers she’d bought for Kyle. “I just seem to be having a hard time accepting your kind deeds. I’m sorry.”
    Adam leaned close, then whispered. “Why don’t you just relax and enjoy having some help for a change? It won’t kill you, will it?” Then he managed a smile. “I didn’t poison the spaghetti.”
    “It doesn’t smell poisoned,” she reasoned, mustering up a little smile of her own. “I’m just tired. It took forever with the doctors, then we had several prescriptions to fill.”
    His gaze turned soft with understanding. “How’s your dad?”
    “About the same. His heart is old and ornery. Two surgeries and several medications keep him ticking, but I still can’t help but worry about him. His heart is basically shot. We do what we can, but it’s not easy.” She shrugged. “And that keeps me on edge.”
    He nodded. “Then I won’t be offended by your crankiness. Now, why don’t you go rest, too. I’ll