Like this morning when he stepped into Bitter Cold Coffee Bar and glimpsed her standing in line, pretty wool coat belted around her middle and her long, wheat-blonde hair spilling down her back in loose curls. His breath caught not from the surprise of seeing her there, but from her beauty that always seemed to make his thoughts stutter.
She spied him almost immediately, waving Lance over with a flapping hand.
“Looks like we both had the same idea this morning,” she said, stepping up in line.
“Can’t start my day without proper caffeination.” He stood next to her rather than behind, because when it came time to order, he planned to pay for her drink, too. He pulled his billfold from his pocket, getting ready. “What’s your go-to?”
“Usually the Fireside Frappe, but it’s”—she laughed before she said it—“bitter coldout there this morning, so I’m looking at their hot drinks.”
He chuckled at her play on words. “My personal favorite is the Snowbank Breve. Can’t go wrong, especially if you add a pump of vanilla.”
“That sounds delicious. I don’t think they had that on the menu last time I was here.”
“It’s new for this season. I’m hoping it sticks.”
As Lance spoke, his gaze locked with Sarah’s, and something unspoken passed between them. Perhaps she could sense the depth of hope that his words held meaning not only for the coffee drink, but also for her. He longed for Sarah to stay in Snowdrift permanently, knowing it would require her library job to become a full-time position, something that might not be possible with their current budget constraints.
“How’s retreat planning going?” They moved closer to the register as the line dwindled.
“Great. I secured another author this morning, so I’m up to five. I’d love to have at least double that, and at the rate they’re signing up, I don’t think that should be a problem at all.”
“That’s amazing.” He grinned. “I’m really proud of you, Sarah. You put your mind to something, and you make it happen.”
She paused, just looking up at him as if his words rendered her momentarily speechless. “Thank you, Lance. That really means a lot.”
The words,‘you mean a lot’were so close to the tip of his tongue he could taste them. But the barista waved them forward with a big smile and enthusiastic greeting, and that confession died in his mouth before he had the chance to utter it.
They ordered their drinks, and Sarah only protested once before letting Lance pay for hers, too.
He hadn’t planned to stay at the coffeehouse to consume it—he typically sat on his tailgate with his coffee to watch the sunrise—but when Sarah led the way to a small table in the back of the shop, he followed, unwilling to leave her side just yet.
He could show up a few minutes late to work, although he didn’t like to make a habit of it. Even though he was part owner and had control over his schedule, he liked to lead by example.
This morning, however, he seemed to lead with his heart.
“Where’s Laney?” Lance asked, removing the plastic lid on his cup to let the contents cool. He set the lid upside down on the table and cradled his drink with both hands.
“With my mom. They’re trying out a toddler gymnastics class down at the church later this morning. I’m actually sad to miss it because it sounds absolutely adorable. But I’ve got work at eight. Too bad I can’t be two places at once.”
“It’s good for Laney to have grandma time. Some of my favorite memories are from the time I spent at Nana Jo’s as a kid.”
“Some ofmyfavorite memories are from Nana Jo’s.” Sarah smiled. “You’re in most of them, too.”
Was it too forward to say he wanted to be in the new memories she created at Snowdrift? He lifted his drink to his mouth in an attempt to keep from saying things he would surely regret.
“What are your plans for the day?” Sarah licked a foamy dollop of whipped cream from the surface of her drink. “Anything exciting?”
“Just working at the shop. Last week, I would have called that exciting, but since I’m currently only allowed to do boring office stuff, I can’t quite label it that anymore.”
“You’ll get back out there,” Sarah reassured.
But Lance wasn’t so certain, and it was a reality he would need to come to terms with, sooner than later.
“How’s the book you checked out?” she asked before taking another sip from her drink.
“I have to be completely honest. I haven’t started it yet.”
“Lance Major.” Sarah’s inflection verged on a reprimand. This had to be her mom voice. “You haven’t started reading it? You know you’ve only got two weeks before you have to turn it back in, right?”
