"You didn't have to go to all this trouble."
"It wasn't any trouble," she said, reaching for a second plate. "You know I enjoy baking. These days, it gives me something to do with my hands when my mind is restless."
"I know that feeling." Jude leaned against the counter, and Angela felt him watching her as she carefully transferred another cinnamon roll to the plate. "Though I tend to take my guns apart and clean them when I need to occupy my hands."
"I'm not sure that would work for me," Angela said with a small smile. She slid one of the plates toward him. "I hope you like it."
Jude picked up the plate and leaned in slightly to breathe in the scent. "This smells incredible. I haven't had homemade cinnamon rolls like these since…"
He paused, and something flickered across his face—a memory, perhaps.
"Since?" Angela prompted gently, still wanting to know more about him.
"Since I was a little kid," he finished. "My mom wasn’t much of a baker, though she did make some great chocolate chip cookies. But there was this older woman who lived next door to us—Mrs. Patterson—and sometimes she'd bring us freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Iced, just like these."
Angela felt a small thrill at this glimpse into his past. "You grew up in New York City?"
“Yes. In the Bronx.” Jude took a bite of the cinnamon roll and closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he looked almost surprised. "This is amazing."
"Thank you." Angela felt warmth spread through her chest at his approval. She gestured toward the small breakfast nook by the window. "Why don’t you sit at the table? Would you like some coffee?"
“Sure. That would be nice.”
Angela quickly made Jude a cup of coffee, glad that she’d finally mastered the fancy coffee machine.
“Did you want cream or sugar?” Angela asked, noticing that he’d taken his plate to the table, and judging from the contents ofhis plate, it looked like he’d helped himself to another cinnamon bun.
“Nope. I just take it black.”
It was only as she carried his mug to where he stood by the table that she noticed that he’d also transferred her plate there. It wasn’t until she sat down that he took the seat across from her.
He might not have the wealth of Duncan, but Jude Kessler had stellar manners, just like her father. It was an oddity in her world… her old world. Jim and Craig had never shown her and Kiara any level of respect.
As they settled across from each other at the small table, Angela willed herself not to say anything dumb. She’d wanted him to decide to eat there, but now that he had, she didn’t know what to say.
The murmur of conversation had her turning toward the entrance to the kitchen. Her heart sank when Duncan and Elizabeth appeared. The couple came to a halt, then exchanged glances before advancing further into the room.
“Hello there, Jude,” Duncan said.
Jude had gotten to his feet and greeted his boss with a nod. “Angela invited me over to have a cinnamon roll since I missed out on the last batch, and I thought it would be a good time to review the week ahead.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Duncan said.
“Would you like some?” Angela asked as she moved to slide from the breakfast nook.
“I can get it, darling,” Elizabeth said, waving her off with a smile.
Angela sank back down, then scooted over, knowing someone was going to have to sit beside her. Her eyes widened when Jude shifted his plate and mug over to her side of the nook.
She moved over further to make sure he had the room he needed, but Jude didn’t sit back down until Elizabeth and Duncan had joined them. His arm pressed against hers since there wasn’t a lot of room in the nook, but Angela didn’t mind. His strength and warmth called to her, making her want to lean against his arm. To rest her head on his shoulder.
Sunlight streamed in through the windows next to her, casting them in a softening light as the day inched toward twilight. Outside, the snow-covered landscape gleamed white, and though she hadn’t been out in it, so didn’t know for sure, it looked cold.
But sitting there next to Jude, she was warm and happy.
“So how are things for this week?” Duncan asked. “Everything ready for Tuesday?”
“Yes. I’ve made arrangements for a car for Jill, as well as a suite at the resort.”
