Free Genesis: A Harte's Peak Prequel by Maria Michaels

to Lexi, and not the other way around. For kissing her mother.
    First, Maggie had dressed like a beekeeper, wearing gloves and a long sleeved shirt to sort through boxes. Seemed like overkill. But she’d really had his attention with the spider dance. The woman appeared to be deathly afraid of spiders, and she’d tossed that wavy mane of hair around like a white flag.
    He’d tried to help but didn’t expect her hair to feel like spun silk in his hands. Or to enter a staring contest, but he’d been taken in by those eyes. His hand had touched that porcelain skin, and unable to break away, he’d stood and stared like a fool until Lexi’s voice broke the trance.
    The hours continued to pass with only occasional breaks for the iced tea Maggie offered, and before either of them realized it, dusk had arrived. And according to every box that he offered to Maggie for perusal, they hadn’t found any of the missing items.
    “I owe you dinner for all this work you’ve done,” Maggie said.
    He remembered the lasagna, and hungry though he was, he couldn’t handle more of Maggie’s cooking. “You don’t need to go to any trouble for me.”
    Behind Maggie, Lexi eyed him, a smirk on her face. Did she really think he would criticize her mother’s cooking and hurt Maggie’s feelings?
    “It’s no trouble.” Maggie smiled.
    “I can grill,” Jack offered. Today had been a warm spring day, and summer grilling seemed just around the bend. And even though his mind told him he should get home and prepare to fight sleep again, his body kept him tethered there.
    “You don’t have to do that.” Maggie shook her head.
    “I really don’t mind,” he insisted.
    “Well, I think I have some steaks,” Maggie said.
    “I want hotdogs,” Lexi said.
    He followed them inside through the house to the outside patio filled with green potted plants hanging from hooks. A placard read: “One is nearer to God’s heart in the garden than anywhere else on earth.” Maybe Maggie couldn’t cook a lick, but she did have a green thumb.
    “I’ll go get the steaks and hotdogs,” Maggie said, walking back into the house.
    The grill sat in the corner, a dusty and forgotten beast. Maggie probably didn’t know how to light the charcoal, either.
    His chest constricted as he thought of Kimberly and wondered if she’d ever learned to start the lawn mower or light the grill. He should find out. If he’d had the guts to stick around he would have been the one to take care of those things in Robert’s place.
    Lexi handed him some matches and directed him to the lighter fluid. She continued to glare as though he might steal the family silver. “What are you doing?”
    “I’m preparing the grill, kid. What does it look like?” He poured some coals out of the bag.
    “Why don’t you just tell my mother that you hate her cooking? We both know it’s true.” Lexi folded her arms across her chest.
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “You didn’t have to. Why are you really here?”
    “I’m helping your mother look for the missing boxes of your dad’s things.”
    “She told you about my dad?” Her eyes widened.
    “That’s what this is all about—your mother, trying to make it better for you.”
    Lexi was about to say much more, of that he was certain, but Maggie walked outside carrying a plate of meat and wearing a floral sundress that showed off the best pair of legs he’d ever seen. He averted his eyes before the kid could notice. Too late.
    “What are you wearing?” Lexi asked, her voice dripping with hostility.
    “I found this in one of the boxes. I can’t believe it still fits me.”
    “I can’t believe you’re wearing it.”
    “Lexi, you’re being rude,” Maggie warned.
    Jack tightened his jaw harder with each of Lexi’s words, but he kept quiet. Not his problem, but he wondered if Maggie’s husband had allowed the kid to talk to her that way. He assembled the coals and poured on the lighter fluid.
    “Fine. I’m sorry, but