An Engagement in Seattle - Debbie Macomber [134]
“Trouble,” Pete greeted him.
“What’s going on?”
“Don’t know.”
“It isn’t going to take long, is it?” Chase knew the answer to that already. Nothing was ever easy around the pump station.
“I gotta tell you,” Pete said to him good-naturedly, “your arrival back couldn’t have been more timely.”
Chase released a four-letter word beneath his breath. He’d wait an hour or so, call Lesley and explain. This certainly wasn’t the way he wanted their lives together to begin, but it couldn’t be helped. Too bad she’d learn the truth so soon.
Lesley woke to blazing sunshine. That was how she’d gone to sleep, too. She turned her head toward Chase, surprised to find the other half of the bed empty. Swallowing her disappointment, she tossed aside the covers and sat on the edge of the mattress.
Chase had parked their suitcases by the bedroom door. Lesley decided to unpack first, and by the time she was through, she hoped Chase would be back.
She dressed, then looked in the cupboard for something to eat. As soon as Chase returned, they’d need to do some grocery shopping. Since he’d been gone for several weeks, they needed to restock the essentials.
The phone rang while she was munching on dry cereal.
“Hello,” she answered enthusiastically, knowing it was likely to be Chase; she was right.
“Lesley, I’ve run into some problems here at the station.”
“Will you be long?”
“I don’t know. Do you think you can manage without me for a while?”
“Of course.”
“I can send Pete if you’d rather not be alone.”
“I’ll be fine, and I certainly don’t need a baby-sitter.”
He hesitated. “Don’t go wandering off by yourself, all right?”
“Don’t worry. With bears and wolves roaming around, I won’t be taking any strolls.”
“I’m sorry about this,” he said regretfully.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Chase, stop worrying, I’m a big girl.”
“I’ve got to go.”
“I know. Just answer one thing. We need groceries. Would you mind if I took your truck and drove into town and picked up a few items?” She eyed her bowl of cereal. “We need milk, eggs and so on.”
She heard him curse under his breath. “Groceries. I didn’t think of that. Hold off, would you, for a little while? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I know.” She was lonely for him already, but determined to be a helpmate and not a problem.
Another hour passed and she’d completely reorganized their bedroom. She consolidated the things in Chase’s dresser to make room for hers and hung what she could in his cramped closet. When Chase had a few minutes to spare, she needed him to weed out anything he didn’t need.
The sound of an approaching car was a welcome distraction. Hoping it was Chase, she hurried onto the front porch—to see Pete driving toward the house in his four-wheel-drive vehicle.
“Howdy,” he called, waving as he climbed out of the truck. “Chase sent me to check up on you.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“He had me pick up a few things on the way.” He reached inside the cab and lifted out two bags of groceries and carried them into the house.
“I could’ve gone myself.” She was disappointed that Chase didn’t trust her enough to find her way around. Just how lost could she get?
“Chase wanted to introduce you around town himself,” Pete explained. He seemed to have read her thoughts. He set the bags on the kitchen counter and Lesley investigated their contents. For a bachelor, Pete had done a good job.
“What do I owe you?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Chase’s friend responded, helping himself to a cup of coffee. “Chase took care of it. He’s got an account at the store and they bill him monthly.”
“How…quaint.”
Pete added two teaspoons of sugar, stirring vigorously. “Chase said you like to cook.”
“I do,” she responded. Since he didn’t show any signs of leaving, she poured herself a cup of coffee and joined him at the kitchen table.
“There’s plenty of deer meat in the freezer.”
“Deer?”
“You never cooked deer before? What about caribou?”
“Neither one.” Didn’t anyone dine on good old-fashioned beef in Alaska?
“Don’t worry. It cooks up like beef and