Lily stopped, hearing herself. “I’m sorry. I’m whining about my problems, as if that mattered when people were dying.”
“People you wanted to save,” Chase said matter-of-factly. “Must’ve made you a little crazy.”
Lily almost laughed, the relief was so unexpected. How refreshing, not to hear the sympathy she’d gotten so often from so many. “It practically did. After a while I just got numb to the frustration.”
“I don’t believe that,” Chase said. “If you did, it wouldn’t still be eating at you.”
“It isn’t,” Lily said quickly.
“Okay,” Chase said softly, as if she didn’t believe her. And of course, she was right not to.
Lily appreciated she didn’t push, didn’t try to make her feel better. “I’m sorry that you’re getting saddled with a summer that you’re not looking forward to.”
“There are some positive aspects,” Chase said. “I’ll get to see more of you, for example.”
Engage, ignore, deflect. The last two were impossible. Chase was too persistent, too direct, too damn attractive. “I’m flattered. But—”
“It wasn’t meant as flattery,” Chase said. “I don’t expect you need it or like it. It was a statement.”
“And one I appreciate,” Lily said. “And in the spirit of directness, you should know I’m not interested.”
“In women?”
“In anyone. The only thing I’m interested in this summer is…” If she actually knew what she wanted, she could’ve said so. But the pictures wouldn’t come. “Something…not what I had before.”
“So it’s not that I’m female.”
“No,” Lily said and couldn’t help but laugh. Really. Did Chase really not know she exuded sexy with every breath? “Very much not that.”
“Then, like I said, there are definitely some positives.”
“Are you always this tenacious?” Lily said.
“Yes,” Chase said instantly. “When I set my mind to something.”
“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”
Chase shrugged. “I’ve been disappointed before, but so far it hasn’t kept me from trying.”
Engage, ignore, deflect.
Lily said, “Is our trip into town still on for tomorrow?”
“Yes. Are you an early riser?”
“Always.”
“Good. I’ll be by around seven, if that works for you.”
Engage, ignore, deflect.
It was only a bit of shopping. Lily smiled. “I’ll see you then.”
Chapter Four
Lily, alone and at loose ends after Sarah disappeared to her office and Chase drove off, decided to drag her luggage to the second floor of the lodge and find her room. Someone must know which was hers. She hadn’t packed all that much, considering she was going to be away for an entire summer, but she’d covered everything on Sarah’s list, including a rain poncho. She’d considered substituting a raincoat and then thought better of it. Sarah was the meticulous type. She’d said poncho, she must mean poncho.
Somewhat like sturdy footwear did not equal running shoes.
Smiling to herself at the sound of Chase’s voice teasing her about that, she lugged her new canvas duffel up the broad stairs. She hadn’t been teased about anything for a very long time. That must be why she enjoyed it—that awakening of a little humor in her life. Not that Chase actually had anything special to do with it. Besides, there was the part about the snakes. Chase wouldn’t have made up that part. Of course, she didn’t know Chase at all. Odd, that someone she’d met so recently could occupy so much of her thoughts.