My brows narrow instinctively. I never thought of yard work as work before, always thought of it as breathing room, but I guess everyone has different views. “Town’s got its charms too, I guess. Never far from the bakery, for one.”
“You’re going to be late,” she says, her lips curved up into a half smile.
I don’t bother glancing at the time. “I know. I’m worried about you, though. You going to be okay?”
“For sure. Thank you for caring. You made my day a lot better.” She glances toward the croissant. “I mean, call me simple, but caffeine and carbs are kind of my diamonds.” She laughs sweetly, then reaches toward me for a hug.
Folks hug folks around here. It’s not out of the norm. Folks also bring folks coffee and pastries when they’re asking for a favor, like I did this morning. None of these things are out of the ordinary. So, I lean in and wrap my arms around her curved frame, holding her close against my chest.
It was all normal until this…right here.The part where I breathe her in. The part where I smell the strawberries in her hair and want more. The part where I want to bend her over and feel every inch of her inside and out.
Fuck.
When the hug has clearly lingered far too long, I let go and step back slowly. “I guess I’ll see you in a couple weeks then.”
“See you then.” She grins and takes a sip of coffee. “Oh, and today's cut is on me. Sorry about all the drama.”
“Don’t apologize.” I nod once on the way out, tucking cash next to the register before opening the front door. “I’ll see you later.”
I’m not the kind of guy that sits around with‘what ifs.’If I want something, I take it, but clearly, this is different. Sara belongs to someone else. Her thoughts, her heart, her well-being are someone else’s to care for.
Not mine.
She’s made that choice, and she makes it every day.
I’m ruminating on the thought when Ryker, the oldest of the Wilder brothers, pulls up to the distillery.
Shit!He’s early for his walkthrough. I should’ve banked on that. The man has been early for every meeting we’ve ever had.
“Mr. Wilder,” I jog across the street and reach out my hand to greet the guy who hopefully hasn’t been waiting long, “how was your ride in?”
He nods once and glances back toward his truck that’s parked against the snowy curb. “I’ll be glad when the snow melts and I can get back on the bike again.”
The wind blows sideways, reminding me that the sun is not an indicator of better weather, but rather a tease.
“You and me both. If you’re ever looking for good roads to ride up here, I’m your guy. Then again, the view you’ve got at the old mill is pretty impressive with the wild horses and all.”
“I got my stuff moved in late last night. Can’t wait to get settled in.” He nods toward the building. “How are the finishing touches going?”
I open the front door and follow him inside, where the thud of the nail gun echoes. The guys are putting some last-minute moldings in place. “Great. We should be done this afternoon, and the place is all yours. You ready to hit the ground running?”
“First delivery is set for tomorrow morning. My brother’s taking care of that so I can ride in this rodeo tomorrow night. Fingers crossed I take the prize. The jackpot is huge.”
“If I remember correctly, you took the prize out in Montana, right? Sure you’ll do well out here too.” I nod and cross my arms over my chest. “The arena is full, so people are excited to watch. I know a lot of folks in town are making the trip up.”
“It’s good to see local support. I was worried the distillery would cause some friction in town. I know how hard it is to get small-town folks invested in something new.” He scrubs his hand down over his beard. “You coming out to the show?”
I nod. “I’m still looking for tickets for a few friends, but I’ll be there.”
He leans up against the back counter and readjusts his hat. “How many do you need?”
I want to tell him two. One for Sara and one for Jasper. If Pete doesn’t like rodeos, he can stay home.
“Three.” I clear my throat. “I’ve got a friend whose son is really into cowboys right now. His birthday is coming up, so I was hoping to surprise her.”
“Don’t worry about it, man. I’ve got you covered. You did an amazing job on this place. It’s the least I can do.” He stands taller and kicks the heel of his boot against the pine wood floor as he grins. “This friend sounds special.”
I glance down at my boots, then up again. “Yup, but she’s just a friend.”
