Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Your favorite. Blueberry pancakes, bacon, and I cut up some fresh fruit.”
“Wow! I should have been coming up here for breakfast every day if I had known you would spoil me.”
A soft laugh came from Sally. “I’ve missed cooking for people. Now, get Cadie and tell her breakfast will be ready soon. She’s going to need to warm herself up.”
With a salute, I replied, “Yes, ma’am!”
Sally grabbed a dish towel and attempted to hit me with it, but I was too quick, and she missed.
When I opened the French doors, Cadie turned and smiled up at me. “Morning. How did it go? The repair guy wasn’t here for very long.”
“How are you not freezing out here?”
She looked at the fire. “The fire is keeping me warm.”
I looked from the fire to her and then back to the fire. “The wind alone is making it feel frigid out here, Cadie. You are obviously made of heartier stock than me. By the way, breakfast is done, and Sally is insisting you come back in.”
“The fire?”
“It will be fine,” I insisted as I held my hand for her to take. “My gosh, how many blankets do you have wrapped around you?”
Cadie laughed. “Two. Plus, I have a long-sleeve shirt on, a sweatshirt, and gloves.”
“All that for a bit of fresh air?”
She nodded as she took off each blanket and quickly folded them. Tucking them under her arm, she started for the doors.
Once we walked back into the kitchen, Cadie let out a moan that I desperately tried to ignore.
“That smells so good!”
Sally beamed. “It’s Kian’s favorite.”
Cadie looked at me. “Really? Pancakes, huh?”
“Not just any kind of pancakes,” I replied with a wink. “Blueberry pancakes. And bacon.”
“Don’t forget the fruit!” Sally added.
Cadie chuckled. “Spoiled much?”
“Oh, he was so spoiled as a young boy,” Sally added, handing me a plate piled high with pancakes and a side of bacon and fruit. “The maple syrup is on the table, nice and warmed up.”
When I stole a peek at Cadie, she was biting back a smile as she made her plate.
After sliding into her seat beside me, she leaned in and whispered, “She made your plate?”
I shrugged. “She likes taking care of us kids. Who am I to argue with that?”
Her mouth fell open at the same time her eyes went wide. “Let’s see, maybe a grown-ass man who can make his own plate?”
Picking up the syrup, I poured it over my pancakes while giving Cadie a shit-eating grin.
“What are your plans for today?” I asked.
“I’m covering this afternoon at the bakery, so I didn’t have to be there this morning. Which was kind of nice that I was able to sleep in.”
“Especially after I woke you up last night.”
She shook her head. “Oh no, I was reading. I had difficulty falling asleep even before you showed up talking to yourself and looking for hot chocolate.”
I laughed. I loved how Cadie wasn’t afraid to dish it out as well as she could take it.
After chewing, she asked, “What about you?”
Sighing, I sat back. “I’m not sure. The heater won’t be fixed anytime soon, so it looks like we’ll be roomies for a bit.”
Her brows lifted. “Really?”
“You okay with that?”
She cleared her throat and wiped her mouth. “Of course. Like I said last night, it’s your house. If you have a problem with it, I can go back to the inn or–”
“Absolutely not! You will not go back there!” Sally interjected. “It will be fine, and if you’re worried about town gossip, don’t be. I’ll be here.”
Cadie and I both looked at Sally. Did she really think that her being here would stop anything? Not that anything would happen.
“All due respect, Sally,” Cadie said. “But I don’t think people who like to gossip would give two iotas that you’re here. But I’m not worried about gossip.”
“You’re not?” Sally and I said at the same time.
“No. Are you?”
I looked at Sally, who promptly turned away. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked at Cadie again. “Of course not. No one is even going to notice.”
The lie slid off my tongue so easily that it concerned me. Sally started to cough to hide the laugh that had slipped free. Cadie smiled and said, “There you have it then. And don’t worry, I won’t bother you with your writing. You won’t even know I’m here!”
My eyes fell to her soft pink lips, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like against my mouth. Or my skin. Or my…
Clearing my throat, I shook away my thoughts. “Same goes for me. You won’t even know I’m here.”
The smile that appeared on Cadie’s face was, most definitely, forced.
Oh. Shit.
Cadie
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since Kian moved back into this parents’ house, and I swore people looked at me differently. I hated working the front end. Not that I hated dealing with people, I loved people, but when you’re hiding out, the last thing you want is attention being drawn to you. And for some reason, I felt like I had a blinking sign over my head that said, I think Kian Carter is hot as fuck, and I want to jump his bones.