“You can’t ever be too busy for a man,” her aunt pointed out. “And Shep is all that.”
He was, Nancee admitted, if only to herself. All that and more. The things he did to her body should be illegal. But more than that, he had a way of making her feel safe. She liked who she was when she was around him. He was funny and kind and...
“No,” she said firmly. “It’s not happening. He leaves. He can’t help it.”
She remembered her first summer with Shep, when they’d been so eager to know everything about each other. He’d told her about growing up in foster care but had glossed over the specifics. It wasn’t until their next incarnation that she’d learned the horrible details. How he’d been confined to a single small room with no windows and no light. How his foster father had left him tied up in a chair for days at a time. How he’d run away at fifteen and had never gone back.
She understood why he felt he had to keep moving, but that didn’t change the outcome. That she had been left standing in front of an officiant, waiting to become Mrs. Jesse Sheppard, while he’d taken off for parts unknown.
“So you’re over him?” Gladys asked.
“Completely.”
Her aunt handed her the bag of Cheetos. Nancee ripped them open and grabbed a handful.
“Mostly,” she said before taking a bite.
Gladys reached for the vodka. “If you’re sure.”
“I am. Well...almost.”
CHAPTER THREE
NANCEE STOOD AT the kitchen island and allowed herself a couple of minutes of sheer pride. She’d just finished a huge order for Flour Power—three dozen Christmas dinosaur cupcakes, a true decorating challenge—and she felt good. It reminded her of working her way through college at a bakery near the school. She hadn’t been given much more than “dinosaurs with a Christmas theme” as a guideline. In the end she’d used candy dinosaurs and added little upright Christmas trees, so every cupcake was a mini-forest.
She’d also had three shipping orders to fill, including one for eight dozen “assorted holiday cupcakes.” She’d worked for almost twenty-four hours straight, but it had been worth it. She’d used half-pint mason jars for the cupcakes being shipped, allowing her to create a popular cupcake-in-a-jar experience for her customers. The cupcakes were baked in the jar and then decorated. This allowed them to be shipped without being destroyed by being bounced around. Because they would be eaten with a spoon, she was able to make the batter extra moist without worrying that the cupcake paper would fall off.
The shipping boxes were fairly heavy. The mason jars, even the small ones, added weight. Nancee double-checked the contents, then the labels before sealing the boxes.
“Looks like I got here in time.”
She jumped, screamed and spun to see Shep standing in the doorway from the front of the house. He had on a heavy navy peacoat over dark jeans and a cream-colored sweater. His slightly-too-long hair was tousled. The man looked good, she thought, trying not to be bitter about the fact. Rested and showered. She, on the other hand, probably had batter, or at the very least frosting, in her short red hair.
“Don’t you ever knock?” she asked.
“Gladys gave me a key and told me to let myself in. I can knock next time if you’d prefer.”
If she said she did, then she would sound crabby and petulant. In truth, she didn’t mind him showing up as much as she was bothered by the fact that he seemed to cause the space around him to shrink.
Gladys’s kitchen was oversize by nearly every standard. Years ago, she’d decided to become a caterer and had had her kitchen remodeled to commercial specifications. There were huge double ovens, miles of counter space and all the bells and whistles required to make a health inspector happy. Gladys had grown tired of the business but had kept the kitchen. Nancee was now able to take advantage of that. But despite the openness of the grand work area, Shep’s presence made everything seem...small.
He was tall, but six-three wasn’t all that uncommon. A lot of guys had broad shoulders. Dark hair and green eyes completed the appealing package. She held in a sigh. Maybe it wasn’t him at all. Maybe it was her.
If only he hadn’t kissed her. Or if only he’d kissed her more.
“Nancee?”
“Huh?”
“Did you want me to knock?”
“What? Oh. No. It’s okay. I’ll get used to it.”
He shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the back of the bar stool by the island. “Gladys said you would need some help delivering your cupcakes today. I thought I’d offer.”
Seriously? After a night of Cheetos and vodka, that was her aunt’s takeaway? That Nancee should spend more time with Shep? Wasn’t avoiding him the best way to get over him? Not that she needed to get over anything. They hadn’t been a couple in years. She barely remembered anything about him.
Okay, that wasn’t exactly true, but no one had to know. She could pretend to be over him, and that would be good enough.
“Some of the boxes are heavy,” she admitted. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“No problem.” He moved around the island until he was dangerously close. He smiled when he saw the dinosaur cupcakes. “Creative. I like the little trees.”
“They’re made out of candy, so totally edible.”
He pointed to the small mason jars. “How’d you get the cupcakes inside?”
“You bake them that way. Makes the shipping easier. Cupcakes and delivery services do not go well together.” She picked up one of the closed mason jars. “The cupcakes are decorated, but the jars are plain. I can also decorate the jars. That costs more, because of the time, but it can be fun. Mostly people get the superdecorated ones for things like baby showers or a wedding rehearsal dinner.”
“Special events,” he said.
“Exactly.”
She showed him how the mason jars were carefully packaged inside the shipping boxes. “I use gel cold packs to keep everything fresh.”
“It’s a big operation.”
“I’m not sure I’d say that, but it’s interesting.”
“Do you miss practicing law?”
“Not yet.”
She thought he might ask if she was going back to DC, but he didn’t. Good thing. She had no idea what she was going to do with her life. She was still in piece-picking-up mode.
“What about you?” she asked, leaning against the counter. “Gladys said you’ve been in town for a year. That’s a long time for you. Ready to move on?”
One eyebrow rose. “You were talking about me?”
She felt herself flush. No doubt her cheeks were a delightful shade of scarlet. Blushing easily came with the red hair and green eyes. She also couldn’t be in the sun without burning and had about twenty freckles on each cheek. Which probably sounded exotic but was mostly pretty ordinary.
“I, um, we...” She cleared her throat. “You might have come up as a topic, but only briefly.” If one ignored the evening she and her aunt had spent talking about the past. Which she was happy to pretend had never happened. She cleared her throat a second time. “A year. That’s a personal best.”
“It is. I like it here. I’m staying.”
Was he really? Shep had never stayed anywhere. Or maybe what he’d been so busy leaving had been her rather than any location. She’d never been sure. She often wondered if there were other women he’d left behind, other broken hearts that had never fully mended. “Want me to start carrying boxes out to your car?” he asked.
Oh, right. He wasn’t there to see her. “That would be great. I’ll get the last of them sealed.”
It took a few minutes to get the rest of the boxes ready. Shep carried everything to her car. She collected her coat and followed him outside only to realize two things. It was snowing, and there was no vehicle beside he
r late-model Subaru Outback.
“Did you walk here?” she asked.
“I left my truck at the HERO office. It’s only about a mile from here.”
She would have commented on his walking a mile in the snowy, cold afternoon but instead had to ask, “HERO?”
“Help Emergency Response Operations. The local search and rescue building.”
“Okay, that makes sense. Kind of a strange acronym, though.”
“Not for this town.”
They got into her car and drove to the bakery. After several years in DC, Nancee was happy to be in a small town. Especially over the holidays. She liked how all the storefronts were decorated with twinkle lights and wreaths. There were seasonal banners hanging from light poles and lots of wooden nutcrackers guarding business doors.
“It’s so pretty,” she said.
“This is a town that celebrates. There are festivals nearly every weekend, especially in the summer.”
“I remember a few of them,” she said. “I enjoyed the book fair the most. Gladys would take me there all three days. A couple of times a favorite author of mine came to town and I got my books signed.” She glanced at him. “I’m sure you think that’s nerdy.”
“No, I think it’s charming. I like that you enjoy reading.” His gaze met hers. “You still twist your hair around your finger when you get involved in a story?”
She felt herself blush again. “I’ve tried to break myself of the habit.” Mostly because Sean had found it annoying.
“I hope you weren’t successful,” Shep told her.
There was a husky quality to his voice. It made her think of late nights and tangled sheets. All dangerous images. She was in Fool’s Gold to figure out what to do with her life—not to get distracted by a hunky guy from her past.
“Oh, look. The town square.”
A pitiful attempt to change the topic but the best she could come up with under pressure.
“The tree is huge,” she added.
“They put it up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They wait until dusk, then turn on the lights. The whole town turns out.”
“I only missed it by a couple days. I wish I’d been here to see that.”
“I wish you had been, too.”
Ack! She shifted in her seat, both uncomfortable and pleased. Which was a very strange combination. Fortunately, she was saved by the close proximity of her destination.
Flour Power was on Second Street. Nancee was able to nab a parking spot close to the bakery. Shep helped her carry everything inside.
Shelby, a pretty, petite blonde, greeted her with a smile. “You’re early! I love that. I’ve been receiving frantic calls about the dinosaur cupcakes. Apparently turning six is a very big deal.”
“They’re here,” Nancee said as she put the first box on the counter.
Shelby opened it carefully and studied the decorations. “Oh, wow! They’re better in person than in the design. These are wonderful. I’m so excited!”
Nancee allowed herself a moment of pride. “I’m glad. I like how they came out, as well.” She pointed to Shep. “Do you know—”
Shelby cut her off with a quick laugh. “Shep and I go way back. My brother is his boss.”
Shep put the mail-order boxes on the front counter. “She’s right. I work with Kipling Gilmore.”
Because Shep had a whole life here in Fool’s Gold. It was no longer her special place. Nancee turned the idea over in her head and found she didn’t mind sharing the magic of the town. Not with Shep. He would take care of the memories.
Funny how she was so quick to be comfortable with him here when she’d never once brought Sean. There was probably significant meaning in that fact, but she wasn’t going to deal with it now.
She confirmed the delivery information with Shelby, showed her how the cupcakes in a jar were packed and then got her work orders for the next few days.
“We’re getting crazy busy,” Shelby told her. “I need you to let me know when you’re officially overwhelmed. Your baking is so incredible—I don’t want to scare you off.”
“I don’t scare easily, but I’ll be sure to let you know if it’s too much.”
She and Shep said goodbye to Shelby and walked out onto the street. The snow had stopped, and there was just a hint of sunlight. The combination of blue sky, clouds and fresh snow made the town look like a postcard.
She pointed to the tall mountains to the east. “I like this view a lot.”
“You don’t miss things like the Washington Monument or the White House?”
“The monument, yes. I never spent much time at the White House.”
Shep’s eyes brightened with amusement. “I’m very disappointed our president didn’t have you over more.”
“Or at all.”
“Want to get a coffee? I don’t think you’ve been back since Patience opened Brew-haha. She serves great lattes and pastries. Of course they’re all from Shelby’s bakery, so nothing you couldn’t make better yourself. Still, I think you’d like the place. Or we could get a late lunch at Fox and Hound. I have to warn you, though, Wilma’s on a tear this week. She’s making everyone order salads because we’re all going to eat badly over the holidays.”
Nancee stared at him. Not only was that an incredibly long speech for Shep, it was filled with information on actual people in the town. As if he were involved.
“You really have settled in here.”
“I meant what I said, Nancee. I’ve changed. I’m staying here.”
People passed by on the sidewalk. Cars drove down the street. Yet she and Shep seemed to be in their own little world. It was a perfect moment, and she found herself desperately wanting to believe him. To be able to trust that this time was different. That he wasn’t going to walk away and break her heart yet again.
Three times she’d believed in him, and three times he’d betrayed her. The last had been the worst. The last time he’d promised to marry her. So many I love yous. Too many to count.
The need to accept his words was powerful. She wanted to smile and say of course she would love to have lunch with him. To slip her hand into his and be with him again. Nancee and Shep. The way they were supposed to be.
But although her heart was willing, the rest of her wasn’t. The rest of her remembered the pain, the shock. No matter how many times she told herself he wasn’t the kind of man who stayed, she was always stunned when he disappeared. She’d graduated at the top of her class in both college and law school, but when it came to Shep, she was an idiot.
“Thanks for asking,” she said firmly, “but I need to get back home.”
“Next time.”
She didn’t say anything because what she wanted to say was “Of course,” and what she knew she should say instead was “Never again.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“ARE YOU GOING TO the gift bazaar?” Gladys asked Saturday morning.
Nancee looked at the baking schedule she’d written up based on the orders she had from Shelby, then glanced outside. It was a perfect winter day—cold, clear and sunny. While, yes, she could spend several hours baking, she hadn’t had a day off in the week-and-a-half she’d been in town. And she did have some Christmas shopping to get done.
“I am,” she said firmly. “I’ll go this morning, then work this afternoon. What about you?”
“Oh, Eddie and I have plans. I don’t think I’ll be home for dinner.”
Nancee appreciated that her great-aunt had given her a place to stay while she figured out her life. Even better, Gladys didn’t feel the need to hover or explain too much. They could spend time together or not. But then her aunt had always been pretty cool that way.
Nancee put on a bit of makeup and changed into a cheerful red sweater with a big reindeer on the front.
She drove to the convention center and found there were already several hundred cars parked there. Apparently she wasn’t the only one who wanted to get in some holiday shopping.
She parked and started toward the convention center. She needed to get something for her dad and Gladys. She and her girlfriends back in DC didn’t exchange gifts, and she didn’t know anyone else in town well enough to have to buy them something. She immediately thought of Shep, but there was no way she was going to—
“Hello, Nancee.”
She turned to find Shep walking up behind her. “Why do you keep doing that?” she demanded. “Creeping up on me. I swear, if I see a bell today, I’m buying it and putting it around your neck.”
She frowned as she stared at him. “Hey, what are you doing here? You’re a guy. You don’t like to shop.”
“Gladys texted me and told me you were going to be here. I wanted to see you.”
“What? I am so going to have to have a talk with her.”
Her aunt was supposed to be on her side, not his.
Shep shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “I’m not stalking you, Nancee. I’m trying to spend time with you. But if you don’t want that, tell me to go away and I will.”
His gaze was steady. Sincere. And darn it all, she believed him. She only had to say she wasn’t interested and he would be gone. No more unexpected appearances. No more hanging out.
Heart and brain battled, but in the end, even her sensible side admitted than being with Shep was better than being with anyone else. She just had to remember not to get emotionally involved. They could be friends. Right now she needed a few new friends.
A Kiss in the Snow (Kindle Single) (Fool's Gold) Page 2
