Page 11 of Double Booked

Was this a bonding moment for them? He was all for smoothing things over with her, since they were going to be living together for quite some time. “My parents were the opposite. My mom hated cooking—still does—and she fed us whatever was easiest. I ate Pop-Tarts for breakfast almost every day before school.”

“Us?”

“My younger brother and I.”

“Is he your only sibling?”

“Yeah.”

“I have a younger sister, Hope.”

“My brother’s name is Tyler.”

“Does your whole family live in Arizona?”

She leaned against the counter and rested her chin on her hand, looking genuinely interested.

All because of a box of Pop-Tarts. Go figure. “My mom and brother do. My dad lives in Denver. My parents are divorced.” It still pained him to say it, even after all these years.

Her eyes widened, drawing his attention to them. They were light blue, with a darker blue center, and expressive, especially when she was excited or irritated. He liked that she didn’t wear a lot of makeup because she was naturally pretty without it.

“Denver is only an hour away. Are you going to visit him while you’re here?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t really thought about it.”

Her eyes bugged out even more.

“It’s complicated.” Then, desperate for a change of subject, he said, “What about your family? Do they all live in Michigan?”

She nodded. “We’re really close. I talk to Hope every day.”

Based on that, he guessed she’d filled her sister in on their situation. He wondered what she had to say about it, but he didn’t ask. He could imagine Eden giving her an earful though. He returned to unpacking the groceries, pulling a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips out of the bag.

She laughed, a sweet, tinkling sound that caught him off guard. “Another guilty pleasure?” she teased.

“Don’t tell me you bought these too?”

She shook her head, her silky blonde hair falling over her shoulder. “I bought barbeque chips.”

“I’ve never been a fan,” he commented as he put away the chips.

“Then I won’t have to worry about you sneaking them.”

“If I run out of Pop-Tarts, watch out,” he joked.

She laughed again, and he felt the remaining tension drain out of his body. Cole hadn’t been sure what he’d encounter when he returned to the cabin. He half thought she’d have packed up and gone, but it appeared she was settling in. He shouldn’t care either way, but it would make things easier if they got along.

After he put away the last item, he said, “Should we review your list now?”

Her tongue flicked out and she licked her lips, almost as if she were nervous. “Are you hungry? Maybe we should eat first.”

Glancing at the kitchen clock, he saw it was almost six o’clock. “I could eat.”

“Me too.”

She came around the counter and joined him in the kitchen. It was a small space, and he caught a whiff of her scent. It was a combination of vanilla, cinnamon, and the woods, which perfectly complemented their environment. She opened the fully stocked pantry and peered inside.

He tried not to look, but his gaze drifted down her body. She was wearing a long, cable knit sweater over a pair of black leggings and fuzzy socks. She looked warm and cozy in keeping with the cabin.