He doesn’t even look at her. Just sips his cocoa, then leans down and mutters, “I like the first one better.” His voice is so low I feel it in my teeth.
The vendor pouts. ““Guess mountain men aren’t sweet tooths,” she teases, pouting so aggressively I worry for her lip filler.
“Never met a sugar I couldn’t handle,” Ethan deadpans, and I want to high five him for the perfect delivery. The vendor pouts harder. She’s gorgeous, much more Ethan’s type, and that makes it even better. I step closer, sliding my hand up Ethan’s arm, feeling the warmth of him through all the layers.
“Next?” I say brightly, maybe a little too brightly.
He glances down at me, unreadable, then gives a subtle nod. We move to the next booth.
“You okay?” Ethan asks quietly.
“Fine.”
“You’re drinking too fast.”
“I’m evaluating the cocoa,” I lie.
By the time we reach the last booth, my nerves have calmed. I glance up at Ethan beside me. There’s a soft look in his eyes that wasn’t there an hour ago.
“I didn’t like how she touched you,” I admit before I can stop myself. He stops walking. I stop walking. He tilts his head slightly, reading me.
“Good,” he murmurs. “Because I didn’t like it either.”
That one statement he just made is all I needed to completely erase the entire thing from my mind. Ethan makes me feel like we’re on the same page with things … so far.
We barely make it past the last cocoa booth when Ruby pops out from behind a display of peppermint bark like an over-caffeinated Christmas elf.
“Harper! Ethan!” she squeals, rushing over and pulling me into a hug that nearly sloshes cocoa down my coat. Beckett trails behind her, moving with the energy of a man who needs ten more hours of sleep and a snowplow to clear his thoughts.
Ruby leans back, eyes sparkling as she studies my face. “Well, someone’s glowing.”
Before I can respond, Beckett gives Ethan a slow once-over. “You look like a man who finally slept,” he says. Then he adds, “Or like a man whodidn’t.”
Ruby elbows him so hard he nearly drops his cocoa. She turns to me, mouthingDid you two…?with a level of subtlety only Ruby Garland could fail at.
I choke on my sip. Ethan’s ears turn a very telling shade of red. Ruby squeals again, bouncing on her toes. Beckett pats Ethan’s shoulder sympathetically. “Good luck, man. Love’s basically an extreme sport in Cady Springs.”
I’m blushing. Ethan’s blushing. Ruby is radiating pure chaotic joy. Beckett already looks exhausted on Ethan’s behalf.And even though I’m normally a loner and shy, I honestly wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.
♥♥♥
Still holding hands, we move into the community center. This is our last scheduled stop tonight. Inside, each table is stacked with graham crackers, gumdrops, candy canes, and bowls of frosting that look like snowdrifts.
“I’m bad at this,” I warn Ethan as we take our place among the other couples.
“I’m worse,” he replies.
“You literally build things for a living.”
“With lumber. Tools. Not candy.”
“Same concept.”
He gives me a look that says It absolutely is not. We’re given a timer, a theme (“Cozy Christmas Cabin”), and a wide table that feels far too small for his shoulders and my nerves.
“Walls first,” I coach, grabbing the crackers.
Ethan nods but grabs the frosting too forcefully, sending a blob splattering across the table. I yelp. He mutters something about “sticky nonsense.”
