I process this information, wondering if this explains why he was alone on New Year’s Eve in Burlington. Why he seems so cautious sometimes. “Thank you for telling me,” I say softly.
I’m about to tell him that I think we hooked up on New Year’s Eve when he turns my head a little to face him, leans down, and kisses me, soft and sweet at first, then deeper. When we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine, and I lose the courage to tell him.
As much as I’m certain it’s him, what if…he’s not?
“So,” he asks, his voice low and rough, “what’s for dessert?”
I shift in his arms, turning until I’m straddling his lap, my hands resting on his broad chest. “I made spicy chocolate brownies.” I lean in close, letting my lips brush against his ear. “But that can wait.”
“I should warn you—I might not be around much the next few days. We’re short-staffed, and I need to cover some assessments in other areas.”
“Then we should make tonight count,” I whisper, standing and offering him my hand. His eyes darken as he takes it, letting me lead him toward my bedroom.
CHAPTER 23
NATE
The crunch of snow under our boots echoes through the crisp morning air as Amelia, Jason, and I make our way from the forest toward the Moon Meadows Maple Farm shop. The sun glints off the fresh powder, making everything sparkle like diamonds. It would be beautiful if I wasn’t so concerned about the damage report we need to deliver.
“The good news,” I begin, watching Jason’s expression carefully, “is that most of your trees weathered the storm well. The infrastructure you have in place protected the majority of your collection system.”
Jason nods, his hazel eyes—almost golden in the winter light—showing relief and lingering worry. “But there’s bad news too, right?”
Amelia adjusts her clipboard before speaking. “We found some stress fractures in about fifteen percent of your older trees. The weight of the ice, combined with the strong winds, caused more damage than usual.”
“Shit.” Jason runs a hand through his brown hair, disturbing the few snowflakes that settled there during our inspection. “That’s what I was afraid of. The weather patterns have been getting more extreme every year.”
We pause as we walk past the entrance to the sugar shack, and I can smell the distinctive sweet aroma of maple syrup wafting from inside. “Your thesis focus on diversification couldn’t be more timely,” I tell him, thinking about the detailed plans he’d shared earlier about tapping different species of trees.
“Yeah.” Jason leans against the wooden railing of the porch. “I’ve been researching birch and beech particularly. Their syrup production is different, but they’re hardier against climate fluctuations.”
Jason’s sister Brie comes out of the shop as we enter. “Hey, guys, how was the assessment?”
Jason sighs. “Looks like it could be worse.”
“I’m on my way to the farmhouse,” Brie says. “Dad’s in the office, and he’ll want to hear about the report.”
I nod.
“Actually, I have a meeting right now,” Jason says, checking his watch and then turning to Amelia and me. “But you two should definitely go in. If you’re lucky, Sheila might have made her chocolate chip cookies.”
Amelia’s eyes light up at the mention of cookies. “Oh. Count me in!”
I reach out to shake Jason’s hand. “I’ll email you the detailed report later today.”
As we follow Brie out, movement at the bottom of the steps catches my eye. My heart flips when I see Caspian bundled up in my coat. Seeing him in my coat will never not make my heart skip a beat.
“Oh hey, everyone!” Caspian’s bright voice carries through the cold air, his cheeks pink from the winter chill.
“Caspian!” Amelia practically bounces down the steps to hug him. When she pulls back, she eyes the coat with a knowing smirk. “That’s a nice coat. Looks familiar somehow…”
I feel heat creep up my neck that has nothing to do with the temperature. It’s been days since I’ve seen him, since that night at his place, and just the sight of him wearing my clothes makes my pulse quicken.
“Does it?” Caspian’s eyes meet mine briefly, a playful glint in them that makes me want to grab him and kiss that teasing smile right off his face. “I think it suits me.”
“It definitely does,” I manage to say, my voice rougher than intended.
Jason clears his throat. “Hey, Caspian, thank you for coming. Do you want to come inside? I’ve got the samples all ready for you.”
