Was he trying to be funny?
“Excuseme? I’ve never broken a law in my life!”
“Oh, really? Never broke a law?” The burr in his voice was stronger than ever. “From what I see, you keep snooping around and getting in my way. I don’t know if this is your normal way of doing things, but it’s not a good way to get to know your neighbors.”
He crossed his arms over his massive chest, and I couldn’t help but stare. Why did he have to be so dang handsome? It was hard enough having to compete with my beautiful sisters and stepsisters, and now Holly had Max who wasgorgeouswith his black hair and blue eyes. Why did this stranger have to be so attractive as well?
I quickly reminded myself that this wasn’t about him being attractive or not. It was business.Allbusiness. I gave myself a mental shake when I heard him clear his throat.
“Sorry?” I croaked.
“Isaidyou’ve broken the law at least twice in the two times I’ve met you. Unless you don’t consider trespassing a law-breaking offense?”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my apron, hating that my emotions were getting the better of me. “Listen, I’ve heard you’re making your own ice cream, and that’s great. Our ice cream shop closed down last year, and we haven’t found anyone to open a new parlor. The tourists will be really happy.” I cleared my throat. “But I think I also saw you bringing in a coffee machineandan oven for making cakes.”
I waited for him to apologize, to give an excuse.
Something. Anything.
Instead, he shrugged. “And?”
I narrowed my eyes and looked up at him. “We have non-compete agreements in this town. I’m sure Dad told you that.”
Connor grinned, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Worried your products aren’t up to snuff, Ms. Bell?”
He didnotjust say that to me!
I inhaled deeply, ready to give him a piece of my mind. Leaning forward, I raised my finger and opened my mouth, when the Scotty dog growled at me. Shocked, I stumbled backward. “Is your dog always so aggressive?”
Connor frowned at his little dog. “Angus is particular about who he likes.”
Was that a challenge… or did I hear humor in his tone? I couldn’t tell with this man.
Angus let out another growl, as if to agree.
“I don’t understand why he growls at me.” The near-whine in my voice made me cringe. What was wrong with me? “Animals usuallyloveme. Even Rudy, the town reindeer, loves to come to the back of the bakery and beg for treats.”
Connor arched a dark eyebrow. “You feed a reindeer sugar?”
“Of course not! I feed him pecans and dried fruit.” I bit my lip. This was not going how it was supposed to go. I should have let Ella come with me, after all. I was making an even bigger disaster of the mess I’d already created, and it looked like itwas only going downhill from here. I did my best to pull myself together, ignoring the cranky dog at my feet.
“I’m not here to trespass or break the law,” I said. “I’m here to make sure we’re both on the same page. We didn’t get off to a good start. You had no idea who I was, and I never officially got your name.” He didn’t argue back, so I carried on, softening a little, though my babbling was back, and I recognized it almost immediately, even though I couldn’t seem to rein it in. “I mean, Iknowit’s Connor MacDowell because I asked my dad about you last night during dinner, but I—”
“Why would you ask your father about me?”
I blinked in surprise at his question. “No reason, really. I just—you know. I just asked him about you and your store.” I tried a wavering smile that barely stuck. “My sister is Joy, the town manager. Have you met her yet?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, no big deal. Um,anyway,I thought maybe you should know that the town has this rule that all businesses support one another. When a coffee shop was needed in the town, my friend Ella and I took classes to learn how to run the espresso maker and make all the drinks. We already fulfill that need for the town, right across the street.”
Connor snorted. “You never heard of healthy competition?”
“You think competition is healthy in a small town?” I realized that was how things were done in bigger places, but we were different in Jingle Junction. “I mean, shouldn’t everyone just get along and—”
Connor threw back his head and laughed. “No, lass. That’s not how business works.”
I frowned at him. “Well, it’s how business inJingle Junctionworks.” I let him absorb that for a moment before speaking again, with more confidence this time. “Christmas spirit.Supporting each other. You know: all that jazz,” I said, waving a hand at him. “We all want to get along and be good neighbors.”
