by Abby Brooks
“I brought you a little something.” Jude hefted the bouquet and candy.
“I see that,” I replied, my cheeks warming with a blush.
His grin deepened into a full-on smile and for heaven’s sake, no wonder everyone went on and on about falling in love like it was the greatest thing ever. This felt amazing.
This connection between us, sizzling with an undercurrent of lust.
A gentleness.
An acceptance.
Jude set the vase on the counter and slid it my way, then looked down at the chocolates. “I guess bringing candy to a woman who owns a candy shop is kind of stupid.”
“That depends on what kind you brought me.”
“The best, of course.” His eyes glimmered. “That’s what you deserve. The best of everything.”
I melted a little as a mom studying the jellybean display caught my eye and swooned. “I bet you say that to all the girls,” I said with a giggle.
“Nope.” Jude folded his arms on the counter and leaned close. “Just you.”
The gleam in his eyes, the tilt of his head, the way his hand sneaked out to brush mine, it all felt so real, so personal.
Was this really the man I was going to marry? Was this just a preview of what our life together would be like? Flowers and flirting and everyone wishing someone looked at them the way he looked at me?
“I had an idea,” he said, leaning even closer.
“Oh, no. Is it a great idea?” I couldn’t help the little dig, but a thought distracted me.
Had he called his proposal a great idea? I sifted through the memories of that night, but all I got was some very sexy flashes of his naked body. Oh, shit. If I was in the middle of a giant mistake…
“Actually, it is a great idea,” he said with a frown, “but since I know what you’re implying, maybe now I won’t tell you. And believe me, it’ll be your loss.”
“I’m sure if I wait long enough, you’ll get impatient and tell me anyway. Just like you always do.”
His eyes widened. “That sounds like a challenge, babe. You know what that means.”
“I know, I know,” I said with a sad sigh. “It means you’re about to get real stubborn to prove a point.” I grinned as he eyed me, the two of us sizing each other up. The bells over the door jangled and another customer slipped into the crowded store. Jude turned out of instinct, but I couldn’t see who’d walked in because his oh so sexy body was in the way,
“Maybe I’ll take it easy on you,” he said. “Just for today. You know, since you’re kind of new to being my girlfriend.”
While I digested hearing him using that word in conjunction with me, he shifted, allowing me to see none other than the town gossip, Greta Macmillan staring us down. Jude lifted my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it ever so sweetly, and I smiled as my heart deflated. A little. I caught it before the air whooshed completely out.
I’d let myself get carried away with the fun and the flirting, and forgot that this very public display of affection was for, you know, the public.
Not me.
And certainly not because Jude felt strongly enough about me to warrant the behavior.
You’re gonna have to do better than that, Prescott. Or this whole thing is gonna implode sooner rather than later.
“Feel like dinner?” he purred, still nuzzling my hand. “Tonight?”
“I mean, I kind of have dinner every night, so that doesn’t feel like too much of a stretch for me.” The door swung open again, letting in a blast of cool air and a slice of sunlight.
“I meant together. At Overton’s. I’d like to take you somewhere nicer than Mike’s. They make a mean burger, but—”
“You took her to Mike’s?” Amelia appeared beside us and leaned in to smell the flowers on the counter. “These are gorgeous, by the way.”
“Thanks.” Jude shifted to make room for her. “And yeah, we went to Mike’s for our first…uh…date.”
Technically, it’d been a meeting, but considering Greta was listening, I was glad he had the instinct to improve on the truth.
Amelia put a hand to her heart as her lips parted and her eyes gleamed. “Alex took Evie to Mike’s for their first date and they’re married. Jack took me to Mike’s for our first date, and I swear, he’s gonna propose any day. And now…” She grinned as she waggled her fingers back and forth between me and Jude. “I bet it’s just a matter of time before you two are engaged, then married, then having a whole slew of children.”
She giggled as she dropped us a wink, then wandered over to the display of exotic sodas to check out the new arrivals.
“Do you think she could be any more obvious?” Jude whispered with a grimace.
“Probably. This is Amelia we’re talking about. She doesn’t do anything halfway.” I folded my arms over my chest and leaned a hip on the counter. “What time do you want to meet at Overton’s?”
“Meet?” He stepped back and pretended to look devastated. “Oh, no. I’ll be on your doorstep promptly at seven this evening. Meet…” He shook his head as if I’d wounded his pride.
A little girl with her arms full of candy pushed in beside him, depositing it all on the counter with an excited shimmy. “Mommy said I could get whatever I wanted if I don’t tell Daddy how long she stared at your boyfriend’s—”
A woman appeared at her side, laughing. “You are too funny, Margaret.” Her eyes darted to Jude and lingered a tad too long. “Just too funny.”
As promised, Jude arrived promptly at seven. The collar to his black peacoat was pulled up around his neck and he had his hands shoved in the pockets. He looked downright edible and I wondered what he had on underneath the coat, hoping I hadn’t overdressed for the occasion. Feeling spicy after our afternoon flirting session, I’d chosen a little black dress with a plunging neckline and a pair of kitten heels.
Jude scraped a hand across his mouth as his gaze wandered up my legs, around my waist, then across my breasts, finally landing on my face with a wicked smile. “Score one for sexy Snow White.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Sexy who, now?”
“It’s the coloring. Your creamy skin and black hair. Those red lips…” His hungry eyes met mine. “It works for you.”
“I do aim to please,” I said as I grabbed my coat and stepped onto the porch to lock the door.
The drive to Overton’s was short and passed in relative silence. When we pushed through the entrance, Jude removed his coat and I was not disappointed by his outfit choice. He wore a white button down that gleamed against his tan skin. The cuffs were rolled up, showing off his forearms and a dark pair of slacks accentuated exactly what Margaret’s Mommy had been staring at earlier that day.
A bookish young woman with bright eyes and a name tag that read “Bridget” escorted us to our table. Jude pulled out my chair and scooted it back in, trailing a finger across my shoulder as he moved away. Shivers raced down my spine. It was a whisper of flame that started a forest fire and when he took his seat across from me, his eyes smoldering into mine, I combusted.
I’d loved Jude forever. Forever.
I couldn’t decide if it was brilliant luck or a cruel twist of fate that brought us here, but I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t settle in and enjoy it at least a little.
The meal was delicious. The flirting on point. He stroked my hand and made me feel like everything I said was intelligent and funny. We talked about growing up together and growing old together. Never in the history of being a woman had I enjoyed an evening as much as this one.
“I never knew you were hiding a sweet gentlemen underneath all that cocky charm,” I said as he paid the bill.
Jude looked genuinely enthused about the compliment. “You think I’m charming, Snow? As in…Prince Charming?”
“I think you’re hopeless,” I replied with a laugh, even though the nickname made me smile. “You do realize Prince Charming was in a different story, right?”
“Shhh…” He put a finger to my lips
. “Just roll with it, babe.”
We stood and he placed his hand on the small of my back as we made our way through the restaurant, then helped me with my coat before slipping into his. On the way to the parking lot, he threaded his fingers with mine, running his thumb along my knuckle. When we got to his car, he pulled to a stop, drawing me into his arms.
“I had a really nice time tonight,” he murmured.
Behind him, stars lit a cloudless sky. The moon shone brightly, scattering faint shadows along the ground.
But I didn’t see it.
All I could see was Jude.
His handsome face.
The gentle smile.
The way his gaze darted to my mouth as his arms snaked around me.
I tilted my head, ready to accept his kiss, to forget all this nonsense of fake dating and just give in to what had always been between us. To let myself have just a little taste of a dream come true.
I closed my eyes, pushing forward ever so slightly…then stumbled as Jude stepped back with a sigh.
“Okay. They’re gone. No need for a goodnight kiss.” His eyes gleamed with wicked humor and he shoved his hands into his pockets, looking way too proud of himself.
I blinked in surprise as a pair of taillights disappeared down the street. “Right. Who would want something like that?”
“Now don’t look so upset, Sweet Snow. You’re the one who made the rule. I’m just following it.” The quirk of his smile told me he’d intended to drive me wild then leave me cold.
All right then, Malone. If that’s how he wanted this game to go, I’d be happy to play along. One of us would leave our next date all hot and bothered, and it wouldn’t be me.
With a sweet smile and a pat on his cheek, I lowered myself into his car and plotted my revenge the entire way home.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Izzy
The next weekend, Jude and I made plans to go to Light Up the Night, a charity event at Wildrose Reserve to raise funds for the local library. With food stands, mason jars filled with lights sparkling in the trees, and gentle music piped in through Bluetooth speakers hidden in the woods, they promised an “Enchanting Twilight Experience Like No Other.” Under normal circumstances, I’d have pulled my hair back into a loose bun, swiped on some mascara, and called it a day.
But this wasn’t normal circumstances.
This was war.
I chose my outfit as carefully as I would a weapon and applied lipstick like warpaint.
The weather forecast said tonight would be chilly, but instead of bundling up for warmth, I pulled on a black, high-necked crop top and paired it with some high waisted boyfriend jeans. Over that went a knee-length sweater-jacket the color of falling leaves. I studied my footwear choices long and hard, debating over which was more important this evening: form or function.
Did I wear sensible shoes to tromp around in the woods? Or risk rolling an ankle in the cute boots with heels?
Eventually, sensibility won out and I chose a pair of hiking boots—which somehow still managed to look cute. Score one for me. After spending a lot of time on my hair to make it look like I’d spent no time at all, I appraised myself in the mirror.
Did it make me a bad person to admit I liked what I saw?
I didn’t think so. Though, purposefully choosing not to wear a warm coat might—but only because it was part of my diabolical five-phase plan to get back at Jude for almost kissing me at Overton’s.
Phase 1: Look amazing when he picked me up.
Phase 2: Flirt like my life depended on it.
Phase 3: My lack of coat would mean I’d get cold after the sun went down, leading to…
Phase 4: Me nuzzling up for warmth. He’d throw his arm around my shoulders and I’d snuggle in close, laughing at his jokes while I placed my hand on his chest and peered adoringly into his eyes.
And finally…
Phase 5: He’d be primed for a serious make out session and I’d close the door on that with a sweet smile.
“You are so done for, Jude Malone,” I whispered to my reflection. “You’re not even gonna know what hit you.”
The bing-bong of my doorbell had me wiggling happily before racing downstairs to greet the man I planned to torment with my sexuality. I smoothed my hair, fixed my smile, threw open the door, and paused to pick my jaw off the floor.
Holy handsome hotness. This was the guy I’d said I would marry?
His hair hung playfully in his eyes, the collar of his black peacoat once again pulled up around his neck. His hands were in his pockets and his stance looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine called Sexy, Smart, and Successful.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one dressing for war.
All right then. Time to turn up the heat, Prescott.
“You look amazing,” I purred, smiling into his handsome face as I stepped onto the porch to lock up. “And you smell so nice too.”
Jude cocked his head. “No one can see us, Iz. You can just be normal.”
“So you can compliment me for no reason, but I can’t compliment you? That doesn’t sound fair.” I put a hand on his arm, then laughed like he’d said something hilarious.
Though, since I was the one who’d just spoken, the effect wasn’t quite as flirtatious as I intended. It’d been a while since I’d tried to seduce anyone and boy was the rust showing.
“Is everything okay?” Jude asked. “You’re acting a little weird. Is the baby making you feel nauseous or something? Because we can just stay in if you need to.”
I all but batted my eyes as I ducked my chin and bit my lip. “I’m just excited about tonight.”
“Are you sure? Because it feels like maybe you’re mad at me for something.”
“Mad? At you? Why would I be mad?” I laughed again and this time I sounded just as easy breezy as I hoped I would. “Come on, Charming. Let’s get this show on the road.”
The first few minutes of the drive to the reserve disappeared while we discussed the bar and the candy store and came to the conclusion that running a business wasn’t at all like either of us had imagined.
Jude gave me the side-eye. “It’s kinda nice, being able to vent about work with someone who gets it.”
It was more than nice. It was refreshing. Inspiring. And hearing him talk about the energy he put into Cheers ‘n Beers helped me appreciate his intelligence and dedication in a way I never had.
I put a hand to my stomach. I know I suggested you take after Daddy for his looks, Little One, but maybe grab some of his drive, kindness, and ambition too.
“I don’t know why we’ve never put our heads together like this before,” I said to Jude. “No one else understands how all-encompassing being a small business owner is. I mean, Amelia will soon, but right now, she’s still in the honeymoon phase where everything is amazing.”
Jude scoffed. “I can tell you exactly why we’ve never had this discussion,” he said, with a quick glance my way.
“You mean there’s an actual reason?”
“Of course there’s a reason. We’d have to spend more than zero minutes of quality time together for us to have a meaningful conversation. About anything. You’ve turned avoiding me into an artform over the years.”
I had definitely developed a skill in that area, but didn’t want to talk about why, so I changed the topic. “When do you think we should get engaged?”
Jude was silent for a long time, before he finally sighed, lightly shaking his head. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he figured out I was dodging the subject and didn’t like it. Not one bit.
“I was thinking around Thanksgiving,” he finally replied. “It’d be super easy to bring it up at dinner with our families since everyone would be there.”
Was he kidding? He just wanted to tell our families we were getting married and be done with it? What happened to the list we made at Mike’s Burgers? Had that whole planning session been a complete waste of time?
“Come on, Charming. We agreed
on a public proposal. You know, one I didn’t assume was a joke when it happened.” I considered punching him in the arm but settled on a light shrug. “We need to come up with something so passionate, so romantic, so memorable the entire town will be talking about it for years.”
His jaw pulsed as he flipped on the indicator and waited for a left turn. “For someone who wasn’t all that interested in getting married, you sure do have lots of demands.”
He could get grumpy all he wanted but this whole marriage thing was his idea in the first place. I hit him with a serious look. “And for someone who has a really good reason for people to think this is real, you sure aren’t taking it very seriously.”
Jude frowned. “Why does everything turn into a thing with you?”
“With me?” I shook my head and dropped my jaw. “You think I’m the one who’s making this difficult?”
“Nothing has ever been this hard with anyone else, Snow. Nothing.” His eyes met mine with a flicker of heat. Lust? Anger? I wasn’t sure where one started and the other began with us.
I gave my attention to the view on the other side of the window. “Maybe I’m just the first one to call you on your bullshit.”
“Maybe.” He didn’t sound convinced.
We made the turn into the reserve, and I let out a delighted sigh as the first row of lighted trees came into sight. “The mason jars look like fireflies. It’s so pretty.”
Jude was a little quiet while he parked and paid, and quiet some more as we wandered through the booths, looking at the crafts and snacks until we finally found some hot cocoa. He bought two large servings and I gripped the cardboard cup with both hands, inhaling the scent of warm chocolate, then turned to him and lightly punched his arm like I should have done in the car.
“Thanks for the cocoa.”
He smiled down at me. “Thanks for the company. I’m sorry I’m quiet; I just keep thinking about what you said. The whole engagement thing.”
I linked my arm with his, staring at my feet as we headed toward a path. “We don’t have to do a public proposal if you don’t want. It would need a lot of planning and then there’s the whole thing about a ring.” I glanced up and lost myself in the warmth of his eyes. “I don’t really think we can get away without one of those, but maybe we could go halves on it. Find a cheap one at a pawn shop or something.”