I can’t help but scowl at Sabrina. “Why are you being so nice to her? You’re not nice to anybody.”
He glances her way, then back and sighs. “Because she saved the factory. It turns out, I’ve reached out to a few of our suppliers, and every single one of them is interested in samples. Sabrina Jarrett has been an answer to prayers all along.”
A heavy sigh comes from the door, and we look to find Sabrina shivering. “Fine,” she hisses as if talking to herself. “Missy may have had a little more to do with it than I first let on.” She growls over at me, “But she let me have that idea in order to impress you. It was strictly her doing. In no way did I steal anyone’s bad pie concept.”
Tanner inches back. “What about those suggestions at the factory? The new uniforms to boost moral? Christmas music in the dining hall? The mural on the side of the building with the company logo?”
“All mine,” Sabrina beams with pride. She steps in close to Tanner. “And I still think delivering them in a mini wooden crate would be a great idea, too.”
My brother looks to me and nods. “I looked into it, and I can get them at a decent price.”
“It sounds great.” I can’t seem to get enthused about any of this, though.
Sabrina jumps into my brother’s arms. “I have a few I can bring over tomorrow. That is, if the offer still stands.”
“What offer?” I’m suddenly deeply concerned for my brother.
He looks to me with those sad eyes and slowly a guilty grin emerges. “I invited her to dinner. I figured if the two of you were dating, it was a no-brainer, but now that you’re not”—he looks to her—“the offer still stands. You can be my guest.”
“Oh, thank you!” She hops up and offers him a kiss right on the lips. It’s safe to say her Holiday plans are still up and running full throttle—only this time I’m not the Holiday in question.
“I guess I’ll see the two of you tomorrow.” I step out into the ice-cold night and wonder if I’ll ever see Missy again. Judging by this heaviness in my heart, it may not be an answer I want to hear.
* * *
I drive for an hour,making a loop to the bakery, to her home, and back to the bakery in the event I missed her in the interim. I called and texted before I left, and she didn’t pick up, didn’t respond in any way. At this point, it’s clear she has no intention of being found—at least not by me. So I just keep driving until I end up at the tree lot and pull in next to Nick’s truck. I hop out and spot him on a ladder taking down the sign.
He looks over his shoulder at me. “Go away. We’re closed.”
“I guess I’m the last person you want to see.”
“You guessed right.” He hops down from the third rung, wincing as he wipes the sweat from his forehead. “And I bet you’re looking for my sister.”
“I am, but you were next on the list of people I wanted to speak with.”
Nick strides forward, his jaws set tight, still clearly ticked as ever. “Get it over with, dude. And make it quick before we both freeze.”
“I love your sister.” There. I said it, no warm-up, no warning.
He closes his eyes and bucks as if I shot him point-blank. “Why?” He comes up for air and glares my way.
“Why not?” I pick up a stray pinecone off the ground and chuck it over the trailer. “Missy is everything I’ve ever wanted. She’s perfect.” My heart aches because I’m afraid a part of her perfection is decoding the fact I may not be perfect for her.
“She’s not your type.” His chest flares out as if he’s still up for a fistfight. “You like ’em fast and loose and out of your bed by morning.”
“That’s not me anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time.” I take a few steps out and stare up at the sky. I hate that it was me for so long.
“Yeah, right. Until the next woman you stumble upon.”
“That’s not happening,” I snap. “There’s just one woman for me, and it’s Missy.” I meet up with his heavy stare. “Nick—you’re more of a brother to me than Tanner ever was. You know I wouldn’t treat your sister like that. You have to believe me.”
Nick glances toward the woods and lets out a roar. “Why did it have to bemysister?” He shoves me hard in the chest and sends me stumbling back a good six feet. “You could have had any other girl in this entirestate!” His voice ricochets off the mountain. “Did I piss you off last year? Is this some vendetta to get back at me for not returning a phone call? What the heck were you thinking?”
A thousand thoughts sail through my mind, a thousand different ways to convince him that Missy is the one for me—and yet I doubt he wants to hear any of it, so I turn to leave.
“Where are you going?” he shouts after me.
“Anywhere but here.”
