“Anytime.” Charlene beamed like a proud mama. “I hope to see you around town.”
Working on the ice show was implied but not spoken.
Seriously, Berry Lake was no different from her hometown. In Wishing Bay, Phoebe McAllister appeared to have the same role as Charlene, though Phoebe preferred to call herself the town’s fairy godmother. The whimsical name suited the dress shop owner perfectly. More than once, she’d waved her figurative magic wand and helped Tasha. It hadn’t mattered that her youngest daughter no longer wanted to be friends with Tasha.
“Me too.” Tasha stood. She wasn’t an introvert, but she craved alone time.
Elias rose. “I’ll go with you to your car.”
Her heart bumped.
Oops. Not the reaction she wanted. Tasha enjoyed spending time with Elias, even after being interrupted on the ice. She was just peopled-out.
They left Charlene’s. A large Victorian house with a turret and front porch, reminding Tasha of the Wishing Bay Dress Shop only in different colors, sat across the street. She hadn’t noticed it on their way there. Wreaths hung in each window and on the door. Lights outlined the eaves and roofline. Garland wrapped around theHuckleberry Innsignpost.
Tasha motioned to the inn. “Pretty house.”
“The Huckleberry Inn has the best breakfasts in town.” Elias grinned, making him appear more like a college student than a lawyer. “If you want to eat there sometime, I’d be happy to join you.”
“I’d like that.” The meal would be her treat to thank him. Speaking of which… “Thanks for helping me.”
And getting her out of those horrendous skates. Talk about torture devices. If, and that was a big if, she ever skated there again, she would bring her own skates. To be honest, she preferred skating without a lot of people alone. Alone on the lake was the best.
They crossed the street toward the park.
“Anytime.” His brows came together. “Though I hope that doesn’t happen again.”
Her, either. But she wanted to tease Elias. “Skating?”
“Take-a-selfie-with-Tasha time.”
That made her laugh. “Most people were there because I’m Alek Ramson’s twin, but I’m used to it.”
“I always wanted a brother or sister, but today I’m glad I’m an only child.”
“Does all the parental pressure fall on you?”
He stiffened. “Yes, but it probably wouldn’t matter how many siblings I had unless they all became lawyers.”
Interesting how his posture matched his tone. There must be a story there but not today. She pointed to her car. “I’m over there.”
Elias reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to her. “My cell phone number is on this. Call or text me when you want to get breakfast.”
“I will.” She waited for him to mention the show.
Tasha wanted to help him. No, the fundraiser. She wasn’t interested inhim. But he could talk her into it if he used his lawyer skills.
So what if he’d been her hero earlier? She might have almost swooned when he removed her skates. But the deputy had said Elias was a nice guy. He hadn’t gone out of his way for her. He must act like that with everyone.
Her breath hitched. Tasha wished he’d gone to so much trouble because she was someone special to him.
Silly.
“Drive safely.” He glanced at the sky. “The temperatures have dropped. Watch out for ice.”
“I will.” The space between them crackled with tension. She didn’t know what had changed, but Tasha wanted distance. She hit the button on her key fob. “You too.”
Exploring the town was out, but she stopped long enough to order a to go meal from a quaint Italian restaurant. With the delicious aroma of the manicotti and garlic bread filling her car’s interior, the drive home flew by. The meal was amazing, but the rest of the evening dragged by slower than sitting in the kiss and cry area with the cameras filming and waiting for free skate scores to appear.
