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He gives me that crooked grin that I’ve come to love. “It’s a surprise. You’ll see.”

“I don’t like surprises,” I grumble, wondering what he’s got in store. I’m usually the planner, and I’m not used to people planning things for me. But I have a feeling that I’ll love whatever he’s got up his sleeve.

“You liked all of your surprises in Vegas.” He smirks, interrupting my thoughts.

He’s not wrong. I absolutely loved all of his surprises in Vegas. And boy did he have a lot of them.

“That was different,” I say smugly, trying to play it cool. But he’s grinning at me with that black cowboy hat on, his black Carhartt jacket, and he looks so hot. But the way he looks at me is what gets me.

Yeah, I definitely love his surprises.

He laughs. “I think you’ll like it. First, we’re stopping for coffee. Then, Tucker let me in on some things going on in town I thought you might like. Some might have even been on your list.”

“I already love the coffee part. Not sure on the rest,” I say as I watch the town go by out the window.

If you’d asked me a month ago whether I’d be in Bridger Falls for Christmas and doing the Christmas traditions I used to do as a kid, I’d have said no way. I wouldn’t have even listened to Christmas music willingly. But here I am, and surprisingly, I love it.

He glances over and raises an eyebrow. “I heard something about there being a bookstore, too.”

“Coffee, a bookstore, and a handsome cowboy? Okay, I’m in.” I grin. “Now that I can do.”

“I never said the handsome cowboy part. But it’s nice to know you think I’m handsome.”

I roll my eyes, unable to hide my smile. “Ty, you know you’re hot.”

He reaches over the center console and squeezes my knee. “You’re a goof.”

I get butterflies every single time he touches me and looks at me. And yeah, I am a goof. It’s just who I am.

Steamy Sips, the new brick-and-mortar coffee shop and bookstore, comes into view, and I can’t help but smile. “I can’t believe she actually did it,” I whisper.

My sister-in-law Cami had a mobile coffee trailer for a long time, and then she helped set up the Wilder Ranch when she and my brother got together. Her dream was always to open a brick-and-mortar shop in town, and she finally did. The cherry on top was that she had a bookstore too. So cool.

The bookstore is lined with garland and twinkling lights. Red bows hang from the lampposts in front, and an evergreen wreath decorates the old wooden door. Snow dusts every surface, making the entire town look like it belongs on the front of a Christmas card.

He parks in front of Steamy Sips. The old silver bullet coffee trailer sits beside the building like a badge of honor, but now the main event is the cozy brick café with big front windows glowing with warm light.

The second we step inside, the smell of espresso, cinnamon, and fresh pastries wraps around me like a hug.

“Oh...”

I stop just inside the door. One entire brick wall is lined with books and a huge section of romance books. The shelves stretch from floor to ceiling, decorated with little Christmas lights, evergreen garland, and handwritten recommendation cards.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is gorgeous. I’m about to do some damage. I need more books.”

Ty laughs behind me. “I figured you’d love this place. Tucker told me to take you.”

I grin. “You have no idea. Coffee and books are my favorite things other than movies and TV.”

“I can see that,” he teases, smiling, placing his hand in mine.

I drift toward the shelves, running my fingers along colorful spines until one catches my eye. “No way. I’ve seen this one all over social media.” Ty looks over at me to see what I’m looking at.

I pull it free. “It’s June Jule’s Budgie Bay series. I love her books.”

Ty drifts off a few rows down and picks up a book.

I flip it over to read the back. “I’ve been wanting to read this forever.”