Page 91 of First Bride to Fall
Misty stared at Nell and Grant, observing their saturated clothing. Then she looked down at the running hose. “What the heck?”
Charlotte waved her arms, capturing their attention. “Something’s burning.”
Grant shut off the spigot and darted into the house ahead of the group.
Black smoke spewed from the oven, emitting a noxious smell.
“Oh no!” Nell groaned. “The Brussels sprouts.” She switched the oven setting to “off” and popped open the oven door, pulling out the cookie sheet using an oven mitt. Charred black balls sizzled and rolled sideways, sending their stench exploding into the air like a stink bomb.
Nell covered her nose and mouth.
Grant chuckled. “So much for multitasking!” he called above the noise. The glimmer in his eyes showed he was teasing. Still, Nell felt bad about smelling up the kitchen—and the cabin. More than ever. Ugh.
Grant shoved the kitchen window open farther, then pulled the front and back doors open wide, before reaching up to silence the blaring smoke alarm positioned over the back door. Charlotte and Misty helped clear the air by waving dish towels around while coughing and choking and covering their mouths.
“Ew,” Misty said. “Smells awful in here.”
Charlotte wrinkled up her nose. “Um, yeah. Nasty.” She shoved her dish towel under the kitchen sink, dampening it, and then waved it around some more. She turned her gaze on Nell and Grant, examining their sopping clothing. “What were the two of you doing?” Her eyebrows arched, and she got a mischievous look in her eye like she could guess.
Cold trickles ran down Nell’s back. She was drenched, and Grant was, too, but he was more soaked on his front side. She giggled at the wet splotch on his jeans and the saturated stripes on his shirt. Droplets dripped from his hairline, ears, and chin. They were both leaving puddles on the floor.
He wiped his jaw with his hand, staring at Nell, and Nell flushed, turning to Charlotte.
“I was cleaning off Grant’s fishing boots, and things got…out of hand.”
Grant cleared his throat. “Nell attacked me with the hose.”
“Me?” Her face burned hotter.
Misty glanced down at Nell’s ankle. “Wait a minute. I thought you were hurt?”
“I was. Am.Argh.” Pain shot through her ankle, reminding her of her injury. She’d been so high on adrenaline earlier—first in her waterplay with Grant, and then during her fear over the fire—she’d nearly forgotten. “Maybe I moved around too much.”
Grant nodded. “Or ran into the cabin too quickly.”
Nell eased herself back toward the kitchen table and sat. “Maybe.” She shivered, and Grant strode into the living area, retrieving the sofa blanket. He returned to Nell and draped it around her shoulders.
“Thank you.” She stared up at him, and warmth flickered in his eyes. This was the Grant she knew and remembered. The one outside was one she’d like to get to know better, too. He hadn’t even kissed her, and her whole body had been about to combust in flames. Given that she’d been doused in icy cold water beforehand, that was an outstanding feat.
“Aww,” Charlotte said. “You two are really cute together.”
“The cutest lovebirds,” Misty crooned. “But wet ones. Water birds.”
“Funny, Misty,” Nell said, a bit embarrassed in front of Grant. She blushed, feeling conflicted. If she was trying to get him to ditch her, sexy water play probably wasn’t the best way. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed it.
Grant’s neck turned red, and he cleared his throat. “You’re freezing,” he said to her. “You should probably get out of those wet clothes soon.”
Nell tugged the blanket around her tighter. It had been folded over the arm of the sofa near the woodstove, and its heat warmed her through and through.
Grant went back to the woodstove, stoking it with a few more logs and giving her a second with her sisters.
“Sean and I are getting close,” Misty said, keeping her voice down. “Maybe not as close as you guys, but, you know…” She shrugged. “Maybe soon.”
Charlotte smirked, then whispered, too. “Misty’s not the only one with a dating life. I just don’t go broadcasting mine.”
Nell’s pulse fluttered nervously. Were Misty and Charlotte hinting that they were close to winning the bet? She scanned their eyes, and each sent her a self-congratulatory little nod.
Nooo. Not now.Not when I’m onOperation Ditch Me.
