Read Online Second Chances (Nugget Romance 3) by Stacy Finz - Free Book Online
Authors: Stacy Finz
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, California, Reporter, Stories, Family Saga, Women's Fiction, Personality, small town, commitment, Future, Temptation, secrets, neighbor, cabin, mountain town, recession, Dream Job, Woodworker, Curiosity, Exclusive, Solitude
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finger comb his thick, shaggy hair. “Come on in. He’s friendly.”
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” Harlee said, crouching down to pet Max, who sat at her feet, swinging his tail.
“Uh . . . He’s new. I found him at a job site. So far, no one’s come forward to claim him.” He tugged the dog by his collar to a spot near the cast-iron stove. “Lie down, boy.” Max did a few turns and plopped down on a corduroy doggy bed that looked brand-new.
With the fire going, the room felt thirty degrees warmer than it did outside. Colin had clearly shed some layers. A ski jacket dangled from a hook and a thick sweater hung over a chair, leaving him to work in a pair of cargo pants and a snug, long-sleeved waffle-weave T-shirt that stretched across his broad chest. Harlee had always known Colin was fit. But until now, she’d never realized just how ripped Grizzly Adams was. Besides truly impressive shoulders and washboard abs, his arms bulged with muscles.
He caught her gaping and self-consciously brushed away specks of sawdust. She introduced her mom, who’d been too busy browsing through the furniture to notice that her daughter was having a moment. An OMG-my-neighbor-is-hot moment.
Colin turned his attention to Leigh. “Nice to meet you.”
She glided over to where he was standing and gave him a big hug. Harlee would’ve liked to have caught Colin’s stunned expression on camera.
“Thank you for being such a wonderful neighbor to my daughter. Harlee told me how helpful you’ve been. Harvey and I wanted her to move home when she lost her job. But she insisted on coming here to the mountains.”
Thanks, Mom.
Besides Darla, Harlee didn’t need the whole town knowing that she’d gotten canned from the paper. News in these parts traveled faster than an avalanche. By tomorrow, all of Nugget would know she was a loser.
Colin seemed to sense that Leigh had given away more than she should have, because he looked at Harlee with those caramel brown eyes as if to say, “Hey, it happens to the best of us. Don’t sweat it. Your secret is safe with me . ”
“Your furniture is absolutely exquisite,” Leigh continued, examining a row of rocking chairs. “And your house . . . Harlee says you built it yourself.”
“Would you like to see the inside?” Colin asked, and you could’ve knocked Harlee over with a feather. Other than the generous—yet slightly bizarre—shower offer, he’d never invited her in.
“I would love to,” Leigh gushed.
They followed him through the back door into the mudroom, a generous space off the kitchen with built-it cubbies and racks that held snow boots, cross-country skis, and fishing equipment. The kitchen was equally impressive with inset cabinets and stone countertops.
As he guided them into the dining room, Leigh oohed and aahed over a pine sideboard and a massive trestle table Colin had built.
“Do you entertain a lot?” Leigh asked.
“Nah.” He let his gaze fall to the floor.
“With such an amazing place like this, you should show it off.”
“Mom”—Harlee nudged—“let’s see the rest of the house.”
Colin flashed her a faint smile, which she took for gratitude, and led them into the great room. The homey scent of wood smoke filled the air. The stone fireplace was so big that Harlee could stand up in it. She noticed there was another dog bed in front of the hearth and earlier had spied stoneware crocks in the kitchen for food and water. Lucky Max had found a good home.
Harlee ran her hand over the interior walls—massive hand-hewn logs, dovetailed at the corners. When they walked into the entryway, she stared agog at the winding staircase. “You did this?”
“I had some help from my stepsister’s husband. He’s a master carpenter.”
“And the beautiful paint colors. Did you pick those, Colin?” Leigh asked.
“That was Fiona . . . my stepsister,” he said, and Harlee heard affection in his voice. She had a feeling that Fiona was important
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” Harlee said, crouching down to pet Max, who sat at her feet, swinging his tail.
“Uh . . . He’s new. I found him at a job site. So far, no one’s come forward to claim him.” He tugged the dog by his collar to a spot near the cast-iron stove. “Lie down, boy.” Max did a few turns and plopped down on a corduroy doggy bed that looked brand-new.
With the fire going, the room felt thirty degrees warmer than it did outside. Colin had clearly shed some layers. A ski jacket dangled from a hook and a thick sweater hung over a chair, leaving him to work in a pair of cargo pants and a snug, long-sleeved waffle-weave T-shirt that stretched across his broad chest. Harlee had always known Colin was fit. But until now, she’d never realized just how ripped Grizzly Adams was. Besides truly impressive shoulders and washboard abs, his arms bulged with muscles.
He caught her gaping and self-consciously brushed away specks of sawdust. She introduced her mom, who’d been too busy browsing through the furniture to notice that her daughter was having a moment. An OMG-my-neighbor-is-hot moment.
Colin turned his attention to Leigh. “Nice to meet you.”
She glided over to where he was standing and gave him a big hug. Harlee would’ve liked to have caught Colin’s stunned expression on camera.
“Thank you for being such a wonderful neighbor to my daughter. Harlee told me how helpful you’ve been. Harvey and I wanted her to move home when she lost her job. But she insisted on coming here to the mountains.”
Thanks, Mom.
Besides Darla, Harlee didn’t need the whole town knowing that she’d gotten canned from the paper. News in these parts traveled faster than an avalanche. By tomorrow, all of Nugget would know she was a loser.
Colin seemed to sense that Leigh had given away more than she should have, because he looked at Harlee with those caramel brown eyes as if to say, “Hey, it happens to the best of us. Don’t sweat it. Your secret is safe with me . ”
“Your furniture is absolutely exquisite,” Leigh continued, examining a row of rocking chairs. “And your house . . . Harlee says you built it yourself.”
“Would you like to see the inside?” Colin asked, and you could’ve knocked Harlee over with a feather. Other than the generous—yet slightly bizarre—shower offer, he’d never invited her in.
“I would love to,” Leigh gushed.
They followed him through the back door into the mudroom, a generous space off the kitchen with built-it cubbies and racks that held snow boots, cross-country skis, and fishing equipment. The kitchen was equally impressive with inset cabinets and stone countertops.
As he guided them into the dining room, Leigh oohed and aahed over a pine sideboard and a massive trestle table Colin had built.
“Do you entertain a lot?” Leigh asked.
“Nah.” He let his gaze fall to the floor.
“With such an amazing place like this, you should show it off.”
“Mom”—Harlee nudged—“let’s see the rest of the house.”
Colin flashed her a faint smile, which she took for gratitude, and led them into the great room. The homey scent of wood smoke filled the air. The stone fireplace was so big that Harlee could stand up in it. She noticed there was another dog bed in front of the hearth and earlier had spied stoneware crocks in the kitchen for food and water. Lucky Max had found a good home.
Harlee ran her hand over the interior walls—massive hand-hewn logs, dovetailed at the corners. When they walked into the entryway, she stared agog at the winding staircase. “You did this?”
“I had some help from my stepsister’s husband. He’s a master carpenter.”
“And the beautiful paint colors. Did you pick those, Colin?” Leigh asked.
“That was Fiona . . . my stepsister,” he said, and Harlee heard affection in his voice. She had a feeling that Fiona was important
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