Yoshiro brought two cups of tea over as well as a large plate of bagels. He set the plate in the middle of the table and placed a steaming cup in front of me. “Do you like cream cheese with your bagel or do you want something else for breakfast? I make some decent pancakes.”
“I. . .” A smile spread across my face. “I’m fine. This is more than enough.”
He sat across from me. “I’m not used to hosting. Allow me the pleasure.”
“Giving us a room to stay for the night is above and beyond—”
He quirked his brows. “The night?”
“What?”
“You think you’ll only be here for one night?” He grinned. “Have you seen outside?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be here longer than that.”
I bit my lip.
Yoshiro sipped his tea. “Mother Nature has extended your visit.”
“How long do you think it will be before the roads clear up?”
“Possibly a week.”
I sighed. “We can’t stay here that long.”
“You can and you will.” He shrugged. “What else could you do? I’m surely not going to let the kids and you drive off with a wrecked vehicle in four feet of snow. It would keep me up at night and what type of man would I be? What type of human?”
“When I get paid, I can give you—”
“Keep the money for the car’s repairs.”
“But—”
“Those rooms were there before you all came. They will be there afterwards.”
“What about food?”
“Food?” Grinning, he rose from the table and gestured for me to follow.
I rose and walked off with him to the end of the kitchen. He opened a door in the corner, stepped back, and pointed in.
I peeked inside.
The space could’ve been another bedroom. It was big enough to fit a bed and dresser. Instead, shelves of jarred preserves and boxed food products crowded the area.
“If the end of the world comes, you’re best bet is to drive to my house. We could eat for years.”
My smile widened.
He closed the door and headed back to the table. “So, pancakes or bagels?”
“The bagels are fine.” I did my best to not stare at his chest and keep my gaze leveled with his face.
He must’ve noticed because he looked down and shook his head. “Sorry. I’m used to being here by myself. I’ll put a shirt on.”
“Oh no. . .that’s fine. It’s your house.”
He smirked. “Oh. You like me with the shirt off?”
I opened my mouth.
The smirk left. “Sorry. It was a joke. I’m not good with them.”
“No. That was funny.”
He headed off. “I’ll be right back.”
The dogs rose and trotted after him.
Stunned, I sat in my seat.
I’d been worried about us being stuck here. Yoshiro appeared to accept our fate and even welcome it. A little bit of my anxiety went away. I didn’t know how long we could all live here under one roof. I had no idea how bad the car had been wrecked or where we would go next week. But at least for today, I could push my worry to the side.
If we’re snowed in, then Wyatt is too. That has to be another blessing.
It would give me a week to figure things out. Give us another head start.
I sipped my tea and almost moaned. This hadn’t been some store bought blend. It was as if he grew the tea leaves himself and added some special magic to them. I gulped more, braving through the heat. The tea was liquid silk on my tongue and so sweet, I could become addicted to it.
I stared at the fire. The flames twirled and twisted along the huge logs. Comfort wound around me like a warm blanket.
When I can finally buy a house, this is what it will be like—warm and far away from the noise of the world. . .and I’ll have tea like this.
I took another sip.
Yoshiro appeared with a shirt over those delicious muscles. Salt and Pepa flanked him. Once he sat down, the dogs returned to the fire and collapsed onto the floor.
“Did you sleep good?” He sat down.
“Yes. The bed was comfortable. So much that the kids are still knocked out.”
“Hmmm.” While he wrapped his big hands around his cup, he didn’t lift it. “We should have a conversation.”
“Okay. About what?”
“Your face.”
Embarrassment came. I’d forgotten about the bruises. “My. . .husband did this. We’ve been separated for three years, but. . .”
Yoshiro’s face went neutral. “He doesn’t want be separated?”
“Yes.”
He traced his finger along the rim of the cup. “If you don’t mind, I would like to ask more.”
I sighed. “You have that right. We’re in your home. You should know about any threats or—”
“He won’t be a threat to me.”
“I don’t think so.” My voice came out shaky. “Wyatt shouldn’t know that we’re here and the snow is on the roads. It’ll stop him.”
“I would stop him too.” Anger passed over his face. His jaw tightened as he turned away. “Sorry. I’m not a fan of men who hit woman. It makes me want to hit them.”