IF YOU DON’T LIKE MY

COOKING, LOWER YOUR STANDARDS.

Katie sighed. “What happened?”

“Nothing. Nothing happened. Which is my point. Why shave my damn legs and wear uncomfortable clothes if nothing is going to happen?”

Exactly. “He didn’t notice you?”

“He yelled at me because he said I ruined his painting.”

“Did you?”

“Sort of.” She grimaced. “I ignored the KNOCK FIRST sign and brought in a whole bunch of snow with me. I ruined whatever he was working on. He got all pissed off before he even looked at me.”

“And let me guess,” Katie said. “In return, you were sweet and kind and understanding.”

“Yes!” Annie sagged. “Okay, no. I snapped. I snapped and yelled and stalked off.”

Yeah, She could relate. She’d snapped and stalked off on Cam as well. “Before he got a look at you?”

“Before I even took off my coat.”

“Well, then, it doesn’t count,” she said firmly. “Look, someone should get things right today. You have to try again.”

“No.” Annie shook her head. “No way. He had one shot at me, and that was it.”

“Are you saying then that you only deserve one shot too? Because what if that was yours, Annie? Wouldn’t you want another chance?”

She sure as hell did.

And yet it wasn’t up to her and she knew it. It was up to a man who had no positive experiences with relationships, a man who may not ever want a positive experience, a more stubborn man than she’d ever met.

Chapter 19

At five o’clock, Katie left the lodge and stepped into the lightly falling snow. Her car was parked out front with no note and no sign of how it’d gotten there.

Cam?

Given how she’d left things with him, she sort of doubted that. Stone? Maybe. Unfortunately, she had no one to ask because both brothers were out on a cross-country ski trip to Stone Creek.

And Annie was nowhere to be found either.

Hoping that meant the chef was busy seducing Nick, Katie got into her car and drove back to Wishful to thank Harley, and also to pay her. She took the lightly covered roads slowly and carefully, letting out a breath of relief when she made it to town with no problem. Driving down the main street, she realized she had no idea where Harley’s garage or shop was, so she pulled up to Wishful Delights. Serena was just turning the CLOSED sign around on her front door, and she didn’t look overly thrilled to see Katie.

“I’m only going to let you in if you buy something,” she said. “Something big.”

Katie hadn’t come for anything to eat, but at the scent of the place, she decided that her mind could be changed. “I wouldn’t turn down some more cookies.”

“There’s a three dozen minimum.”

“Since when?”

“Since you came to town.”

“Serena,” Harley said mildly from a barstool at the counter, “that shade of bitch doesn’t go with your Prada.”

Serena rolled her eyes and moved aside for Katie to come in. Harley waved at her and Katie smiled back, her gaze locked in on the fresh delicious cookies in the glass displays.

Serena moved back behind the counter. “You know, typically women having great sex don’t need as many cookies as you do.”

Katie left that statement alone and looked at Harley. “What do I owe you for fixing and delivering my car?”

“I’ve already been paid, and I didn’t deliver it.”

“What? Who paid you?”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” Serena bent behind the counter and came up with a bottle of vodka and three shot glasses. “I’m going to need reinforcements for this.”

“Me too.” Harley nodded in appreciation. “I smashed my finger with my own hammer and I got a C-minus on my test. In fact, make mine a double.”

“You and me both, babe.” Serena doubled each of theirs, and then on second thought, tipped more into Katie’s as well.

Katie had never had a shot of vodka in her life, much less a double. She wasn’t a big drinker. In fact, on the few rare occasions she imbibed, she’d gone with a pansy-ass wine cooler.

But today she figured she could use a little heat.

“Cheers.” Harley lifted her glass.

Serena clicked hers to Harley’s. “Cheers,” she said, waiting for Katie to lift her glass.

Katie then watched as both women tossed back their drinks in one swallow. While in Rome…She tossed hers back as well, and nearly choked to death when the fire burned its way down her throat.

Harley slapped her on the back a few times. “You okay?”

When she could breathe, Katie nodded, eyes streaming. “Yikes.”

“Don’t worry.” Serena poured them all another. “The second goes down easier.”

Katie wrapped her fingers around her glass. “Who paid you?” she asked Harley.

“Oh, please,” Serena said. “We all know it was your knight in shining armor.”

“Cam?”

Serena lifted her second shot. “What, you have more than one boyfriend in town?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“So you’re not sleeping with him?”

“You didn’t ask that.” The vodka seemed to be making thinking a slower process. “You asked if he’s my boyfriend.”