“I’m not?” he asked with a sly smile. “Nic totally duped me.”
She laughed. “You will accept MJ’s culinary delights and be happy.”
Taking the tray from her, he took a deep inhale. “I’m already overpaid. Come on in,” he said, kicking the door wider and leaning his head toward the warmth of the cabin. “If I know your sister, there’s more than enough for two here.”
She hesitated, not sure what to do.
“Come on, Cin. Let’s catch up. I made a fire.”
She tapped the snow off her boots and slipped them off just inside the door, the bold aroma of fresh coffee mixing with the smoky pine in the fireplace.
His bed was made—sort of—and she could still see the imprint of his head on his pillow, reminding her that he always slept on his back. Always. He never turned all night, except to cuddle her.
Funny the things you know about your own husband.
He put the tray on the small two-top table near the kitchenette, grabbing a mug from a rack on the counter.
“Two sugars and no cream?” he asked.
“Nothing has changed.”
He poured the mug and grabbed two packets of sugar, putting them on the table and inviting her to sit down.
“Well, a lot of things have changed,” he said. “The ski shed’s been painted. The town has grown. And our daughter gets more beautiful and grown up every day.”
She smiled and met his gaze as she sat down. “That she does,” she agreed. “She told me skiing was, uh, challenging.”
“She’s still terrified.”
Cindy nodded, stirring in the sugar. “The fact that you got her out there at all was a shocker to me.”
“It was part of our deal—for me to come, I mean.”
Her heart dropped a little. “You needed to make a deal?”
“I’d have come without a deal,” he said as he took the warming dome off the waffles and made the appropriate cooing sounds at the sight and smell of MJ’s masterpiece breakfast. “I wanted to help. I thought she could conquer that fear and ski again. Now, I’m not so sure.”
Cindy sighed, sipping the hot coffee and looking at the crackling fire.
Jack poured some syrup over the waffles and lifted his fork, offering it to her. “Share?”
The intimate gesture made her heart flip. “I’m good, thanks. I wanted to talk about the sleigh rides,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as tense as she felt. “I’m getting inquiries.”
“Let’s get them up and running,” he said, taking a bite. “And deliver that Snowberry magic.”
She lifted the hot coffee and blew on the steam gently. “You think you can bring it back?”
“Hey.” He leaned back in the chair and ran a hand over his silver temple. “I might be ten years older and a bit more gray than the last time I did a Snowberry sleigh ride, but I can hold the reins, handle the hills, and take everyone’s breath away.Benny found the old carriage driver outfit, too, which always…slays.” He winked as he took a bite. “Sorry,” he added with his mouth full.
She tried to laugh, but she just sat like a fool drinking in the sight of him and getting a little tipsy from it.
“You okay, Cindy?” he asked after he swallowed and dabbed his mouth with a napkin as if he might have dribbled syrup.
She had to get it together around him, so she slid right to her happy place: work.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ve spent the morning wrestling with finances and, I can confirm, we’re on shaky ground. I’m hoping the sleigh rides will be enough to get our December bookings increased, but…who knows about next year? And the year after that? I just can’t see a good way out.”
Jack winced as he cut into the waffle. “I hate that it got this bad.”
