I pull out the cookie sheet from the oven and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. Once I locate a Christmas platter, I plate a few already cooled iced snowman sugar cookies and grab a beer from the fridge. By the time I return to the living room, Travis already has the snowman half torn apart. I hope he can put that shit back together again.
“Here,” I say as I set the refreshments down on the coffee table near him. “Well, how bad is it?”
“Thanks, my man.” He pauses to cram a cookie in his mouth. “That’s fucking amazing. You made those?”
“Yup.”
He devours another one and then says, “The wiring is cheap, but I can easily replace the area that’s come loose. You’ll want to unplug this thing before bed or if you leave. Not entirely sure it’sthe safest, but I’ll do my best with what I have to work with. Most stuff like this is made with shitty parts. Total fire hazard.”
I go back to work in the kitchen, and shortly, he saunters in to steal more cookies.
“All done?” I ask, arching a brow.
“Works like new.” He grins at me. “If you have any extras, Savvy would die if I brought her some.”
I chuckle, remembering the girl from Smoke & Sugar, and set to loading him up with a freezer bag full of cookies. I’m about to send him on his way when my phone rings.
Clara.
“Hey,” I say as I answer, putting her on speaker. “Travis is here. Came to fix your snowman and eat all my cookies.”
She laughs. “Thanks, Travis.”
“No problem. Your boy’s hooking me up with the goods.”
“He’s awesome like that,” she says, a smile in her voice. “Hey, actually, do you think you could do me another favor?”
I bristle, not liking all the favors this guy has to give her. It should be me.
“The weather’s gotten worse. My car slid off the road and into a ditch—”
“Clara!” I bark out. “You could have led with that. I’m getting my shoes on now. Where are you?”
“I’m a couple miles from the house. I’ll send you a pin. But your little car won’t be any better than mine. Your truck four-wheel-drive, Travis?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll drive Eric to come get you. Give us ten minutes.”
I bolt past him to throw on shoes and grab my coat. “Stay in your car with the heater on,” I command to Clara. “It’s too nasty to be outside.”
“I already tried to dig myself out. Didn’t work.”
I grit my teeth and shake my head. “We’re on our way.”
As promised, ten minutes later, we’re pulling up in Travis’s truck to where Clara’s car hazard lights are flashing. Before he even gets the truck stopped, I climb out and race over to her. I fling open her door and yank her out into my arms. She hugs me tight and giggles.
“What’s so funny?” I growl. “You’re in danger.”
“Danger?” She tilts her head up and smiles. “Nah, I knew you’d save me.”
I rub my gloved hand up and down her back. Now that she’s safely in my arms, I feel like I can breathe again.
“Go sit in the truck,” I instruct. “I’ll get your car turned off.”
A few minutes later, we’re on our way back, Clara sitting between us. I don’t like that her thigh touches his, but we’re in closed quarters and there’s no avoiding it. I’m grateful when he pulls up to the front of her unit so we can escape his presence.
“Thanks, Travis,” Clara says. “I owe you one.”
He chuckles. “Consider it a wash. Those cookies are amazing. I’d pay good money for them.”
