Elias led Tasha and Higgins across the street and onto the curb in front of the Huckleberry Inn. Despite Penelope Jones’s actions these past months, Elias appreciated her care of the inn, aka the Crown Jewel of Berry Lake.
“Behold Main Street at night.” The business lights and decorations were theme park-worthy. He hoped Tasha enjoyed seeing it as much as he did. “One of my favorite sights any time of the year, but December is extra special.”
“I love everything. The lights. The decorations. The air even smells like Christmas.” Tasha’s head swiveled as she looked from one side of the street to the other, reminding him of someone seeing snow falling for the first time. “The town is so quaint, especially with the Christmas decorations. I thought Wishing Bay had the small-town quaintness factor wrapped up, but Berry Lake is a serious contender.”
Elias stood taller. Despite his work issues, he couldn’t wait to see his hometown through fresh eyes. “We can walk down this side, then grab a warm drink at Brew and Steep on our way to the park.”
Tasha shimmied her shoulders. “Sounds like a plan.”
Her excitement was infectious in the best possible way. She was, in a word, adorable.
As they passed the Huckleberry Inn, Tasha pointed to it. “That’s the place to have breakfast, right?”
“Yes. I always order theaebleskiver.”
“Oh, I’ve had those. When I skated at a competition in Denmark, I kept hearing about these little pancake balls. So good.” She glanced from the inn to him. “Want to have breakfast there this weekend?”
“Yes.” Elias didn’t blurt the word, but it was close. Keeping himself from making a fist pump was easier thanks to a lesson learned during a mock trial competition in college. “Thanks to Higgins, I won’t be going into the office on Saturday or Sunday.”
“Do you usually?”
“Most weekends. But sometimes only for a couple of hours.”
“Well, I’m glad fostering Higgins lets you have some free time.”
“Me too.”
Their gazes met. Locked.
Something shifted in Elias’s chest. He’d better be careful if he didn’t want to fall flat on his face. But that would be a small price to pay to focus all his attention on Tasha.
Higgins barked.
Tasha startled. “My Saturday will be full of practices for the ice show, but they don’t start until ten.”
“At the rink?”
“Not for the first ones. I’ll be using the community room at the town hall.”
“Higgins and I have to be at the rink when it opens. After that, I’ll drop him at home and head over to help you.”
“Higgins goes with you to the rink?”
“He hates being left alone.” That was the only reason. If Elias could leave the dog at home, he would. “There’s not much I can do during the week when I’m at work, other than spending my lunch hour with him, but I can let him tag along on weekends.”
Her eyes twinkled. It must be the lights. “You like Higgins.”
Elias’s shrug was automatic. “What’s not to like? He’s a chill dog.”
“Sounds like Sunday will be better than Saturday to have breakfast, then.”
He nodded. “It’s a date.”
She rubbed her chin as if considering what he’d said. “A date.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Even though she’d asked him to breakfast, Elias didn’t want to send her running. “Loveaebleskiver.”
Her expression relaxed. “I’m ordering them too.”
