“Dang, that could be us one day. Bringing the little one out to Duckdale, letting him watch as beauty and the beast make pizza behind the glass.”
Maddie glanced over at him, surprised by the way he’d said it. Like they’d been dating for years or something. She liked that he was comfortable enough around her to say things like that. Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t tease him. “You do know we’re making pizzas in here, right? Not babies.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay. I like both.”
Maddie did too.
As the evening went on, their small audience grew, then waned as the guests got their own food. Soon, Maddie and Bear were escorted to a quiet table in the corner of the seating area to wait for their pizzas to finish baking.
Bear, instead of sitting directly across from Maddie, picked the seat adjacent to her. His large stature blocked them from lingering onlookers.
Their conversation had flowed with ease. Not a whole lot of getting to know you chat; more remember when talk. And talk about fun—Maddie had been smiling so hard her face hurt.
“Okay,” Bear mumbled, huddling a little closer than he’d been. “We covered the cafeteria food fight, and we both agree it was Billy who started the whole thing.”
“Definitely.” A small jar sat in the center of the table, a candle flickering from within. If she wrapped her fingers around the beveled glass, Maddie knew it’d be nice and toasty. Being with Bear had done that to her insides tonight. Brought new warmth that hadn’t been there before.
“We rehashed the fire alarm debacle until you understood that I was right and you were wrong about who pulled which alarm when …”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “You just hung out with more hoodlums than I did.”
“True.” He flashed her an unrepentant grin, revealing that lady-killing dimple. “Now I think it’s time to talk about homecoming game. Senior year. Under the bleachers.”
A rash of heat filled Maddie’s face. If she hovered it over the candle it wouldn’t feel so warm.
“Here we go, kids,” Brady said, coming up from behind them. He slid the pizzas onto the table, one after the next. “I’ll set these each in the center so you can try them both. Not trying to pick sides, but Maddie’s looks way better.”
“Thanks a lot,” Bear said.
“Napkins are on the table. Holler if you need anything,” Brady said as he strode away.
“Mmm.” Maddie breathed in the rich scent of tangy pizza sauce and wood-fired pizza. “This smells amazing. I’m starving all of a sudden.”
He gave her a genuine grin. “I love how you’ll admit stuff like that.”
She thought about that. “Shouldn’t I?”
“I’m not saying that. I just said I love that you do, remember? There are just a lot of girls out there who don’t.”
“Hmm.” It quieted as they dragged the fresh cheese-covered pieces onto their plates. Bear had made a combo, while Maddie decided on ham and pineapple. A few bites into it, and Maddie had a confession to make.
“Okay,” she said. “The combo …”
Bear’s brown eyes widened as he leaned in a bit.
“It’s amazing.”
“Woo-hoo!” he cheered, lifting a triumphant arm in the air.
She hadn’t been kidding. The blend of peppers and mushrooms. Not to mention the pepperoni and olives.
“So,” he said, wiping a napkin over his mouth, “we going to talk about that moment under the bleachers?”
In Maddie’s mind, it was labeled the almost kiss. A moment that had tormented her for years. “Okay,” she said, lifting her chin to catch a piece of stringy cheese with her napkin.
“I liked you. I really did.”
Maddie gulped. She’d liked him too. She set her slice of pizza back on her plate and twisted her napkin as he continued, hoping it would sedate the twisting and turning in her gut.
“I just …” Bear shook his head. “I had a good friend who liked you too. He kept trying to put dibs on you, and I started getting a lot of crap from the team for all my flirting, since everyone knew he liked you.”
“Who was it?” She couldn’t imagine. The only guy Maddie was interested in was Bear.
He shook his head and looked over his shoulder. “He hung out with me and Brady a lot.”
No light went on in Maddie’s mind with that hint, so she gave him the subtle shake of her head.
“Lyle Carter.”
“Oh,” she said with a nod. Of course. He’d asked her to the homecoming dance, in fact. She’d told him yes, and was set to go with him the very next day. The day after her and Bear’s almost kiss. “I guess I didn’t realize that you guys were that close.”
He shrugged. “Mostly because the three of us were like neighbors.”
Maddie nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Then I started dating Candy and you dated Dave Carlisle and suddenly the year was over and … and life just took over, I guess.”
“Yeah,” she said with a sigh.
“I just wanted you to know that I did like you, and that I was dying to kiss you that night. And I’m, uh, also very glad that you didn’t marry Dave.”
Fireworks might have gone off in her chest. It felt like they had. She felt as if they were back beneath those bleachers, flirting and touching and moving blessedly closer with every breath.
“Anyway,” he said with a shrug. “I always wanted to let you know.”
Should she admit that she’d wanted that moment back too? A million times over she’d replayed the lead-up to something so close one minute, then gone the next. She’d always thought it had more to do with Candy, the girl Bear started dating shortly after their almost kiss. The girl who reminded Maddie of Kristen Grandy, actually.
As for Dave Carlisle, she’d come close to marrying him. They’d talked about buying rings and setting a date. But in the end, it hadn’t been right. Some said they didn’t believe in mutual breakups, but Maddie was living proof that they existed.
“Now for another confession,” he said, lifting a second slice of ham and pineapple off the pan. “I think yours is better.”
Chapter 11
Maddie quietly popped her knuckles on the way home, considering the way Bear had come right to the school to ask her out. The way he’d spoken up about the almost kiss while they were at the pizza place.
Bear wasn’t wasting time, and he wasn’t playing games. She liked that. Wondered if she could do the same. The truth was, Maddie didn’t want to spend the next few days or weeks wondering when she’d see him again.
Snow crunched beneath the Jeep tires as he pulled into her driveway. “Do you have a shovel?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said, feeling embarrassed for doing such a crummy job. “I just try to make a little path for Ms. Kingman to bring the mail, get the walk the best I can, and ignore the rest. That’s what garages are for, right?”
Bear only scowled at the porch. “Is that the shovel you’ve been using?”
She nodded. The green metal shovel was dented, misshapen, and looked as if it had been chewed by a werewolf on one side.
“Hmm.”
“Well … thanks again for tonight,” she said. “I had a great time.”
He turned to face her, resting an arm on the steering wheel. “Me too. Thanks for coming. I’ll walk you to the door.”
Maddie took in his impressive stature as he rounded the Jeep. Invite him to dinner, Maddie. Easy peasy.
He opened her door, cradled her hand in his, and escorted her to the front porch. She couldn’t help but replay some of the images that still lingered in her mind. GQ spreads, major billboards. The way he’d handled William in the teachers’ lounge.
She’d often told herself that Bear had possibly liked her back in the day. Almost enough to kiss her. And now, having him back in Cobble Creek, asking her out and holding her hand and telling her he’d really wanted that kiss too … all of it was like a dream.
He stopped walking and faced her,
his expression serious in the yellowed light. Kate was right; he smelled good—like tall trees in the forest, freshly wet with rain.
Bear trailed a solid hand along the side of her neck, his cool skin raising goose bumps over her arms.
In her mind they were back at the homecoming game. Him in his football gear. Her in her cheerleading uniform.
His gaze dropped to her lips.
She brought a hand to his waist as he lowered his head, tilted hers as he neared, and sighed as his mouth reached hers at last.
With a firm press of his lips, Bear kissed her long and slow—perfect. It had taken years to get to this moment; why rush it now?
She gave in to the sensations he roused in her. So worth the wait.
Bear pulled back, pressed a gentle, breathy kiss to her forehead, and murmured against her skin. “Good night, Maddie.”
He took the keys as she pulled them from her coat pocket, then unlocked her door and shoved it open. “Sweet dreams,” he said, a hint of insinuation on his tone.
Maddie cleared her throat. “You too.”
Bear gave her one last nod and headed down her steps. She watched as he became a silhouette in the glow of headlights.
“Hey, Bear?” she hollered.
“Yeah?” Man, she loved that masculine voice.
“Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?” She’d told herself to ask for later that week, but Maddie didn’t want to delay it.
Bear took a few steps back toward her, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the porch light. “Tomorrow night?”
“Yes. Six o’clock.” Her heart was so loud she feared she might miss his answer.
Holy dimple of gorgeousness. “I’d love to, Ms. Maddie. I’ll be here. As long as you promise to serenade me again when I show up.”
Maddie shook her head as she closed the door, laughing at his joke. She floated on the night’s high all the way to her room. Steam filled the bathroom as she showered, but it was nothing compared to the haze in her head. That kiss—it was heaven.
While settling into her bed, her hair still damp from the shower, she heard a nearby engine roar to life. Really nearby. Maddie scurried across the dark room to the window. Wait, was that Bear’s Jeep?
But then she saw it—as he backed onto the street, the Jeep’s headlights lit up her yard. A thrill shot through her chest at the sight; Bear had shoveled her driveway.
Kate stirred creamer into her coffee and brought it up to her lips, the steam fogging her glasses as she sighed. “Sounds like the perfect night.”
Maddie nodded. She hadn’t figured out how to wipe the grin off her face yet, but she hoped to figure it out before the rest of the teachers showed. She sunk into the corner of the teachers’ lounge couch, wondering if there was anything she’d left out.
“Can’t believe he brought up your almost kiss,” Kate said. “It totally shows that he’s been regretting that moment this whole time.”
“Yeah.” Maddie nodded, brought her own mug to her mouth, lingering in the warmth it lent. “And hearing about the reason behind it—just shows loyalty, you know? Which I love.”
“True.” Kate sighed. “You know me and Cam celebrate our ten-year soon?”
“Wow,” Maddie said. “That’s awesome. We should throw a party for you guys here.”
She shook her head. “No thanks. All I want is a cruise. And I’m pretty sure the school district can’t afford more than a few dozen cookies.”
“You’re right about that. But I still think we should celebrate it. Us singles need a little hope, you know?”
Kate shrugged. “So when do you think you’ll see him again?”
Maddie bit at the corner of her lip. “Tonight. I asked him to come over for dinner.”
“Whoa, this is moving fast,” Kate said.
“Not really. I just … I didn’t want a day to go by before I saw him again.” She barely got through the sentence without laughing. “I’m in trouble …”
“Maybe.” Kate said it like it wasn’t such a bad thing. “So tell me this: Bear mentioned the almost kiss earlier in the evening, so at the doorstep, did he go in for a goodnight kiss?”
Maddie performed a slow and smiling nod. She’d been waiting for her to ask.
The squeal that shot from somewhere in Kate’s throat caused Mr. Jenkins to flinch, the newspaper he held crinkling as he readjusted it and turned a page. “Was it good?”
Maddie’s grin grew. “There aren’t words for how good it was.”
“Oh my gosh. This is amazing!”
“Yeah,” Maddie agreed. “I feel like it is too. Oh, and do you want to know one last thing?”
William walked into the room, his eyes shifting to Maddie and Kate’s little powwow. “Hello, ladies.”
“Hi there,” Maddie said.
Kate waved. “What’s up, Will?” She spun back to Maddie. “What’s the one last thing?” she whispered.
Maddie’s heart was already floating with the snowflakes in the brisk Cobble Creek breeze. “After we said goodbye for the night, Bear stuck around and shoveled my driveway.”
Kate’s brow furrowed. “You’re kidding. I’m telling Cam about that one. I’ve been shoveling the walks for the last six years of our marriage.”
Cam strode in then, and Kate lifted a hand, giving him a wave. She patted Maddie on the leg and came to a stand. “I want the details from tonight, okay? Promise?”
Maddie nodded. “Promise.”
Chapter 12
“Hey, thanks again for lunch, Bear!”
“Yeah, thanks, man!”
Bear gave the logging team a wave as they exited the restaurant. “Sure thing,” he said, turning his attention back to Ethan. “You did a dang good job while I was gone, man.” The smoky aroma of grilled steaks hovered in the air. Though he couldn’t imagine eating another bite, the scent was still appetizing.
Ethan smoothed a hand over one side of his hair and grinned. “I know, I know.” He laughed. “No, really. I appreciate you saying so. We’ve really got a great set of employees. They work hard.”
Bear grabbed a pen to sign the receipt as the host gave him his card back. “They sure do,” he said, scribbling his signature on the line. He gave the woman a nod. “Thank you.”
“So you’re really liking this teacher, huh?” Ethan held open the door for him.
“Yep.” Bear lifted his chin to breathe in the cold air as he exited. The sun was out today, but the air still had a bite to it. “She’s the real deal, that one.”
“Unlike Kristen,” Ethan said under his breath.
The comment made Bear sorry he’d ever said anything about Kristen. He’d done a fair share of griping over the years and Ethan had been his soundboard. “You know, Kristen has a lot of great qualities. She’ll be good for some guy one day. Just not me.”
As they walked to the Jeep, Ethan told him about a bad blind date he’d been on the other night. The woman had been on her phone throughout the entire evening. Texting her ex-boyfriend, no less. Poor guy. Perhaps if Ethan was still single down the road, he could set him up with Brenda, assuming she’d be ready to move on. At least he’d know how to treat his sister right.
Still, all the talk of texting caused Bear’s mind to wander back to the text he’d gotten from Kristen. It’d been late. Really late. Hours after he shoveled Maddie’s walk. She’d sent a suggestive photo of her in a nightdress. Nothing too scandalous, but suggestive all the same. Attached to the image were a few short words. Hey, want to talk?
Bear wasted no time texting her back: Actually, I do think we need to talk, in person. Are we still planning to meet on the 17th?
Kristen must have caught on to his intent, because she’d answered him with just one short word: Fine.
He hated to admit it, especially after the progress he’d made during the talk with his mom, but the interaction had tapped into the fear he faced, giving it new life. Visions of Kristen’s ugly Youtube rant about Martin LaShea caused his heart to r
ace. She’d damaged reputations before. Made it difficult for people to clear the mud she’d smeared over their names.
Just why did Bear want to have this discussion in person? Couldn’t he just have texted, Hey, I’m interested in someone else—thanks anyway?
No. Waiting would be better, like his mom said. And one way or another, things would be fine. Just a few weeks to go, and hopefully his fears would be put to rest.
Bear looked at Maddie’s warmly lit house, a contrast to the dark night. It might be one of the smaller homes in the neighborhood, but he could swear it was the brightest spot on the block.
They’d received a decent amount of sun earlier, which explained why the snowflakes melted as they hit the cement, making it appear as if it was simply raining. Of course, the grass and mow strips told a different story. The seasonal snow mounds had already formed, assuring the folks of Cobble Creek that winter wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
He grabbed the flowers he’d picked out on Main, checked his reflection in the mirror, not that it could’ve changed much since he’d showered, and stepped out of the Jeep.
He hoped she liked calla lilies. They reminded him of her. Slender, elegant, beautiful. The funny thing about the flower was that, compared to some blossoms, they seemed to make graceful look effortless. While several types of flowers boasted different shades of bright colors, frilly petals, and scalloped leaves, lilies were simply green and white, a bit of yellow in the center. It was a more sophisticated look, which seemed to fit Maddie. She had a similar quality. Beauty that appeared natural and effortless.
That went for her personality too. While a lot of women he’d met were preoccupied with impressing others, Maddie was comfortable being herself. Serving up soup in her classroom with cartons of milk. And though she was poised and collected, she knew how to joke about making babies in the pizza-making room. The mere recollection caused him to chuckle. But the porch, that reminded him of something even better—their kiss good night. So dang good.
Throughout the day, Bear had wondered if he’d moved in too quickly, but he dismissed the idea with ease. He’d been waiting years for that kiss. And heaven help him, he hadn’t thought of much else since. In fact, it was the very image that took his mind off his unpleasant concerns regarding Kristen.
The Lumberjack's Yuletide Bride Page 6