“Thanks…” Lucy’s eyes dipped down to read the girl’s name tag. “…Harper. It smells heavenly in here.”
“The food’s even better.” Harper plucked up a menu. “Just one?”
Lucy shook her head, and removed her gloves. “I’m meeting a friend here.”
The girl lifted a sculpted brow. “Please tell me it’s not the hot guy in the corner.”
Following the girl’s line of sight, Lucy felt her breath hitch when she spied Cole sitting there studying his phone intently. “Yep, that’s him.”
“Ah, man. I was like already to flirt with him and everything.”
“Sorry to ruin your plans.”
Harper brightened. “But you said friends, so does that mean he’s still available?”
Lucy suddenly felt territorial. “We’re friends that kiss each other.”
“So off-limits.” She smiled and lifted a shoulder. “Glad I asked before I made a fool of myself.”
“For the record,” Lucy said unbuttoning her coat. “I don’t blame you. He is pretty cute.”
Harper sighed. “Love. It always happens to everyone but me.”
“Oh, I’m—” Lucy stopped herself from blurting out she wasn’t in love. Better to not give the girl false hope. “I’m sure it will happen when you least expect it.”
“Thanks,” she said unenthusiastically. “Well, let’s get you seated so you two can order.”
Lucy followed the girl, and could’ve kissed Cole the way his eyes lit up when he saw her. “Hey, you made it.”
He stood up and helped Lucy take off her coat.
“Thanks.” She draped the coat on the back of the chair, and took her seat. “Have you been here long?”
“No, I just sat down.”
Harper handed each of them a menu. “I’ll give you two a few minutes to decide what you want.” She glanced at Lucy. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Ice water, please.”
The girl turned to Cole and flashed him a bright smile. “And what would you like?”
“Ice water for me too, Harper.” Cole gave the waitress a smooth grin, and Harper’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink.
Did he really have to be so charming? Lucy wanted to kick him under the table. So she did.
Cole grimaced and shot her a questioning gaze.
“Oh, sorry,” she said sweetly. “I forget how long your legs are.”
“It’s…okay.”
Harper’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked between the two of them. “I’ll go get your drinks.”
As soon as she was out of earshot, Cole asked, “What was that for?”
“What was what for?”
“Lucy, you kicked me. On purpose.”
She tried to hide her grin behind the menu. “I said I was sorry.”
Cole pulled the menu down. “Why did you kick me?”
Lucy knew her explanation would give him the wrong idea. The room suddenly felt warmer as he waited for an answer.
She wanted to make something up, but ever since meeting this man she’d been telling more half-truths than the Whitehouse press secretary.
She really would end up on Santa’s naughty list.
“Harper has a thing for you, and you smiling at her like that was giving her the wrong idea.”
A slow grin spread across his handsome face. “Are you jealous?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Admit, it. You’re jealous.”
“I am not.”
“So you wouldn’t mind if I asked for her number?”
Lucy squirmed in her chair. “Go ahead.” She raised the menu again. “But at least wait until I leave. I told her we’re together.”
“Lucy?”
She continued to hide behind the menu. “What?”
“Look at me.”
“I’m trying to order here.” Couldn’t he just drop it?
There was silence, and she could feel his electric blue eyes staring at her.
“If you’re trying to order, then why is your menu upside down?”
Heat flooded Lucy’s face as she realized the menu was upside down. Slowly, she righted the menu.
Unfortunately, Harper came back to take their order. “Ready?” she asked, placing down a glass of ice water for each of them.
Lucy had no idea what she wanted. She lowered her menu. “I can’t make up my mind.” Her eyes flickered to Cole. “Why don’t you go first?”
Cole winked at her and ordered Granny’s pot roast. That sounded good to Lucy.
“I’ll have the same thing.”
“Coming right up,” Harper said, plucking their menus off the table. She pitched a curious gaze at Lucy, as if to ask if she’d been telling the truth.
Lucy smiled. “Thank you.” She wanted to add: “We are friends, and we have kissed.” Instead, she kept her mouth shut.
Knowing she couldn’t avoid Cole, she tentatively met his gaze. His eyes were full of amusement, and the smile curving his mouth came off as sexy and confident.
“Thank you for meeting me for dinner,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” She nervously tucked a blonde curl behind her ear. “So, you found someone who might need a little cheering up for Christmas?”
The sparkle in his eyes dimmed, as if someone turned the lights down. “They need more than cheering up.”
Cole proceeded to tell Lucy all about the small family, and the obvious dire circumstances. Lucy’s heart ached not only for the little children, but for the mother. She couldn’t imagine the burdens and stress she carried.
“I’ll call Pastor John to see if he knows anything about the Parkers. Did you happen to get their address?”
Cole took a sip of water, and nodded. “I got all the contact information on my phone.” He pulled out his cell and tapped on the screen a few times. “I plugged the address into my Maps app, and it looks like they live on the outskirts of town.”
He held out his phone to Lucy. During the transfer, their fingers touched, and she felt a zing of electricity from the brief contact. Ignoring the attraction, she studied the map and immediately recognized the area.
“This is the old Carpenter house.” She frowned and returned the phone. “And when I say old, I mean old.”
“Was it for sale?”
Lucy shrugged. “I don’t know. The house is near Lance’s ranch. Maybe he’d know.”
“Are you comfortable contacting him?”
“Sure. Despite how obnoxious he is, we are friends.” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll text him and ask if he knows anything.”
While Lucy typed out the message, Harper delivered their meals. The food smelled as incredible as it looked.
“Can I get you anything else?”
Lucy paused long enough to see Cole smile and give the girl a quick shake of his head. “Not right now, but thanks.”
“Just let me know if you change your mind.” Harper gave him a decidedly flirty smile, and backed away from the table. She glanced at Lucy briefly before turning and leaving them alone.
Lucy quickly finished the message and sent it. “Hopefully Lance will know something.”
Cole studied her for a few seconds. “I want to do more for this family than just get them a few Christmas gifts.”
The conviction in his voice made Lucy like him even more as well as respect him. “I agree.” She pulled a notebook and pen out of her purse. “Let’s brainstorm while we eat. Since Christmas is less than a week away that needs to be our first priority.”
“How do we find out what the kids want?” Cole started in on his meal while Lucy answered him.
“I’ll talk to my mother, and see if she can put some kind of welcome basket together with Christmas goodies and breads, along with some oranges and apples.” Lucy shook out a cloth napkin and laid it across her lap. “Trust me when I say my mother will be able to get the information we need.”
Lucy cut into the tender meat with her fork, and took her first bite. “Mmm
, this is good.”
Cole agreed and took a forkful of meat and mashed potatoes in one scoop. “I might be coming back here for more than a few of my meals once I move into my house. I’m not really that great of a cook.”
Lucy took another bite of food, and studied Cole. Did he want to come back here to get to know the cute waitress as well? Ignoring the twinge of jealousy, she took a drink of water and then wrote gift basket and her mother’s name down on the paper.
“I’ll bet they don’t have a Christmas tree,” Cole said. “We could get a fresh tree with a stand and put the lights on. Then we can anonymously leave it on their porch with some ornaments.”
“Good idea.” Lucy wrote it down.
“We also need to get them a Christmas CD so they can listen to music while they decorate it.”
Lucy glanced up at him and smiled. “You remembered.”
Warmth filled his blue eyes. “I was listening to everything you said.”
His words sent a ripple of pleasure through her. Lucy ducked her head, hoping to hide the heat in her cheeks. “Okay, what else?”
They discussed several other ideas, including buying the Parkers tickets for the Winter Carnival on Saturday. Hopefully both of the kids would respond to the medication Cole started them on and would be well enough to enjoy the outdoor activity. Lucy and Cole decided if the family went they could use that time to put lights on the house.
Just as Lucy and Cole finished dinner, Lance texted her back.
I asked Mom and she wasn’t aware of anyone moving into the place, but I did see smoke coming out of the chimney when I drove home today. Mom said she’ll see what she can find out and I’ll get back with you.
Lucy read the text to Cole, and then thanked Lance. A few seconds later he sent her another text.
I guess you’re still seeing that guy?
It wasn’t fair to use Cole to avoid Lance, but technically she was seeing him. And they’d be spending a lot of time together over the next week until she went home. She quickly typed a reply.
I’m with him right now.
Figures.
“Is everything okay?” Cole asked.
“Yes. Lance is just being Lance.” Not wanting Cole to ask more questions about Lance, she tucked her phone into her purse and gathered up her notebook and pen. “So I’ll talk to Pastor John this evening, and then tomorrow you and I are Christmas tree shopping, right?”
“Sounds like a plan. The office is closed tomorrow, and I’m not on call this weekend so we can go anytime.”
Lucy had absolutely nothing to do tomorrow. “How about I meet you at Dove’s at ten? They sell most everything there, and we can get the ornaments, lights and tree stand in one stop.”
“How about I just pick you up at ten and we’ll go together?”
“And let my mother see you?” Lucy shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Your mother doesn’t scare me.”
“She should.”
“My name doesn’t start with an L so she probably wouldn’t want you to date me anyway.”
Lucy smiled. “Your name has an L in it and that might be enough for her.”
Harper suddenly appeared. “Would you two like any dessert?”
“No thanks.” Lucy and Cole both spoke at the same time.
“Okay, here’s the check. Just bring it to the register when you’re ready.”
Lucy went to reach for the bill, but Cole snatched it first. “I’ve got this.”
“Are you sure?”
Cole gave her a slightly annoyed look. “Yes.”
“Okay, but I’ll leave the tip.”
“Lucy, let me just take care of this, okay?” He removed his wallet from his pocket, pulled out a ten dollar bill, and laid it on the table.
This wasn’t a date, but Cole didn’t look like he’d back down so Lucy just smiled at him. “Thank you, Cole.” She scooted her chair away from the table and stood up to put on her coat.
Standing, Cole slipped on a dark gray, wool jacket that accentuated his broad shoulders. They walked toward the register, and Lucy caught the yummy scent of his cologne.
“I saw a few Christmas tree lots in town advertising fresh trees,” Cole said as they reached the cash register which was devoid of Harper or any other employee.
“Please don’t tell me you buy your Christmas trees from a lot.”
“Where else would you get them?”
Lucy took a mint from a basket on the counter, and removed the wrapping. “We need to go to a Christmas tree farm and cut one down ourselves.” She popped the mint in her mouth.
Cole was in the process of unwrapping a mint. He stopped and lifted a brow. “Seriously? You cut your own tree down?”
“Once you experience the joy of getting a fresh tree, you won’t ever buy another tree from a lot again.”
He shrugged, and popped the mint in his mouth. “My parents never took me to buy a Christmas tree, anyway. My mom hired a decorator to do all that.”
She looked at him incredulously. “You’ve never decorated your own tree?”
“Nope.”
Harper came out of the kitchen, and hurried to the register. “Sorry, we’re short today and my boss needed some help.”
“No problem.” Cole flashed that winning smile of his again, and handed over his credit card.
Lucy scooted closer to him so their arms touched. Even with their coats as barriers, she still felt a zing of electricity shoot through her.
A tall guy with a gut as round as Santa himself came out of the kitchen. “How was your meal, kids?”
“Fantastic,” Cole said. “I promise I’ll be back.”
Lucy nodded her head. “Definitely. It was really good.”
The guy beamed. “Did Harper point out you all are standing underneath the mistletoe?”
“Jerry,” Harper said sharply. “Leave them alone.”
Cole tipped his head back and Lucy did the same, spying the mistletoe hanging directly above them.
“You don’t have to kiss,” Harper said, handing Cole his credit card back, along with a pen to sign the receipt.
Cole ignored the items, his attention focused solely on Lucy. He had a teasing glint in his eyes, but there was also something else there that made Lucy’s stomach flutter.
“It’s bad luck if you don’t kiss when you’re under mistletoe,” he said in a low voice.
Bad luck? Lucy had never heard that before, but she wasn’t about to argue. “I try to avoid bad luck whenever possible.”
Cole smiled as his gaze dropped to her lips and he leaned toward her. Lucy lifted her chin, her breath catching as she waited for their mouths to touch. A fire blazed inside her the moment his lips met hers. She returned the kiss with an intensity she’d never felt before. What she wouldn’t give to not have an audience at this time so she could further explore these incredible feelings.
The kiss was brief, but so powerful it nearly stole her senses. It was difficult to form a coherent thought, let alone breathe.
Cole hardly seemed affected. “Thanks for pointing that out,” he said to Jerry, making the man chortle.
“I aim to please.” Jerry went back into the kitchen, still chuckling.
Dazed, Lucy watched Cole sign his name, and return his credit card to his wallet. He offered Harper one last smile. “Have a good evening.”
The girl’s shoulders seem to droop, but she smiled and thanked them for coming in. Cole took Lucy’s hand and led her outside. The cold air burst her warm little bubble. She pulled her hand out of Cole’s and searched inside her purse for her keys.
Although she immensely enjoyed the kiss, and wanted to do it again, Lucy decided she better not kiss Cole anymore. He scrambled her brain, giving her all kinds of crazy ideas like staying in Montana might not be so bad with him around.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said, heading for her car. “I’ll let you know what Pastor John says.”
Unlocking her door, she opened
it and slid in behind the wheel. She closed the door, knowing Cole probably wondered what was wrong with her. Just as she started the car, a knock on the driver’s side window made her jump.
Cole stood there watching her, his face reflecting both a mixture of confusion and amusement. Lucy lowered the window, and he leaned down so they were eye level.
“Are you running away from me?”
Why did he have to be so direct?
“Yes.”
He grinned. “That’s the second time you’ve done this. I’m beginning to think you don’t like me.”
She snorted an unladylike laugh. “Right.”
“Don’t laugh. I’m getting a complex.”
“If it’s any consolation, it’s me not you.”
That earned her another perplexing look.
“That’s a little cliché. I’m sure you can do better than that.”
Yeah, she could, but she didn’t dare blurt out how much she liked kissing him, and admit that that was what scared her.
Inadvertently, her gaze dropped to his mouth. She noticed the faint shadow of dark whiskers along his jaw, and she suddenly wanted to kiss him again.
“Aren’t you freezing?” she asked, hoping to distract him as much as herself.
“Yes.” He unexpectedly rounded the car, opened the door and took the passenger seat. “That’s better.” He held out his bare hands in front of the vent, which blew mildly warm air.
The scent of his cologne permeated the air, and having him so close started a slow burn inside Lucy’s belly. Who needed heating systems with this man around?
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to get warm.” He looked her way, that smile back on his face. “And trying to get a straight answer out of you about why you keep running away from me.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Is it about that kiss we just shared?” His blue eyes twinkled. “Or about the ones in the airport?”
Both. “I said I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
She laughed. “I never said I wanted to talk about anything.”
Cole studied her silently, like he was really trying to figure her out. Lucy felt the intensity of his gaze, and was unable to pull her eyes away. The interior of the car seemed to shrink, and the air pulsed with an electrical energy that prickled her skin with goose flesh.
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