The Murder in Skoghall (Illustrated) (The Skoghall Mystery Series Book 1) by Alida Winternheimer

and she wondered how she could ever imagine herself a writer.
    Pushing away dark thoughts of fraud and posing, Jess decided to fix one of her specialties: stuffed bell peppers. Tyler arrived as she busily sautéed garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. She moved the pan off the burner and went to the door, wiping her hands on a towel and smiling for her guest. Suddenly this felt like a date and Jess had her first rush of nerves. Tyler offered up a bottle of wine and kissed her cheek. His smile dropped as he moved into the house with a stiffness to his gait that Jess had not seen before. He set the wine on the kitchen table and turned around, his mouth forming a word, but instead of speaking, he winced and his hand shot to his lower back as his hip did a funny little bob.
    “Are you all right?” Jess touched his arm in concern.
    Tyler straightened up. “Yes. Just a back spasm.”
    “Oh, Tyler, I am so sorry. We never should have moved that desk upstairs.”
    “I insisted, didn’t I?” He tried smiling, but his lips only thinned into a tight line with a curl at both ends.
    “I should have refused. Does it hurt very much?”
    “Not too bad. I took something before I left. It should kick in any time now.”
    Jess brought one of the dining chairs into the kitchen so he could sit at the farm table. “I’m cooking tonight, so you just sit and keep me company.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Tyler grinned at her.
    Jess poured them wine and turned the flame up under her pan and stirred the vegetables. “Do you like bell peppers?”
    Despite her protestations, it wasn’t long before Tyler insisted on helping, claiming he felt useless watching her work. She let him fix a romaine salad and they talked about the day, ruminating about the old man, making up stories about how he had amassed the shed full of “junk,” as Tyler called it. “Hey, now,” Jess said, “I found some great stuff in there. I’d like to go back with more time to kill. In fact..!” She went into the living room and returned with the mixing bowls. The largest one filled her arms like a beach ball. “These are for you.” She set them on the table in front of Tyler.
    “No…” He pushed his hand through his hair. “Jess, you shouldn’t have. I mean, they’re great, but it’s too much.”
    Jess snorted. “Too much? You saw what I paid for all this stuff. You are a chef. These are really cool mixing bowls. Right?” She looked at Tyler, waiting.
    “Yes,” he said finally.
    She let out a breath of relief. “Good. Really? If you don’t like them, that’s different.”
    “No, I like them. I just. I’m not used to people giving me gifts. It’s, ah…it’s really nice.”
    With that settled, Jess slid the bell peppers in the oven and poured them a second glass of wine. They went out to sit in her new rocking chairs while Shakti roamed around the front yard. The house’s shadow fell over the base of the sugar maple and the tree’s shadow fell over the smokehouse. In the woods nearby, a woodpecker tapped away and Jess, having forgotten the cowboy for the moment, sighed at the pleasure inherent in rocking on her own porch with a glass of wine and a friend. Maybe more than a friend.
     
    Jess pulled the casserole dish out of the oven and set it on the stovetop. The juices bubbled away, the peppers’ shiny skins curled at the edges and the smell of the vegetables steeped in garlic and spices pleased the senses. She placed one of the red pepper halves on each plate and carried them to the dining room. Tyler followed her with the tossed salad and a basket of bread. “Everything looks delicious,” he said as they took their seats. Although the sun would not set completely for another hour, being surrounded by trees made it feel like the gloaming. The candles heightened the effect, adding a romantic soft glow over the table. Jess sipped her wine, watching as Tyler cut a piece from his bell pepper. She would allow him the first bite and watch his face to