Page 29 of A Taste of Whiskey
“No, but it’s fancy.”
“Okay. I’ll go shopping for a dress.” She wasn’t in the mood to shop, but at least it would get her away from the ranch.
“Well, you have plenty of time to find one. I’ll have Maya email you the details.” Maya Martinez ran the offices and kept the schedules for the ranch. She’d worked there for a few years, but she didn’t live on-site.
“Colorado Springs is so nice, and you never know who you’ll meet at the dinner. If you want to make a night of it, a hotel room is a write-off.”
“Thanks. I might do that. I could use a night away. Doc said the guys are doing a Reindeer Ride and toy drive for the kids at the hospital and that you and Dad are going to dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Is that true?”
“Yes. I wanted to talk with you about that, too.”
“Ilovethe idea. You and Dad will be so cute. The kids will go crazy for it.”
“We’re hoping to brighten their day. Alice and I were thinking you girls might want to dress up as elves or reindeer or something.”
I need something to keep my mind off Ezra.“Sure. That sounds fun.”
“Wonderful.” She looked at her watch. “I’d better get back for breakfast. Are you coming?”
“I think I’ll enjoy this view for a little while longer.” At least until Gus and Ezra were safely inside the big house for breakfast. She didn’t want to chance running into them on her way back.
“Okay. Should I have Dwight hold a plate for you?”
Sasha shook her head. “No thanks. I’m not hungry. Thanks for coming out here to find me.”
“I’ve missed having alone time with you.” She hugged her again, then pushed to her feet.
“Do you need help getting down?”
“Baby, I’ve been doing this since before you were born.” Her mother climbed down, and as she got into the ATV, she said, “I’m going to talk to Ezra about speaking on behalf of our side of the business at the networking dinner. Maybe you two can drive over together. See you later, honey.”
Sasha’s stomach sank.
A week ago, driving to Colorado Springs with Ezra would have been like a dream come true. But now? She couldn’t even sit through a meal with him without hurting. As her mother’s ATV disappeared down the trail, she tried to pull her thoughts together. She didn’t really want to move away or avoid Ezra forever. The idea of a life without him and Gus in it, even as friends, was worse than trying to pretend she wasn’t walking around with a hole in her heart.
She’d just have to pull up her big-girl panties and figure out how to move forward. It was hard to believe only three days ago he’d been on the verge of pulling those panties down.
SASHA POPPED ANOTHER piece of candy into her mouth Friday evening at Divine Intervention, Birdie’s chocolate shop, listening to Birdie sell the benefits of truffles to a middle-aged health-conscious customer. Divine was right. What was it about chocolate and peanut butter that made everything better?
“Truffles are low fat and cholesterol free,” Birdie raved. “They’re also loaded with fiber and protein,andthey contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. You really can’t go wrong.”
Unless you eat a dozen, like me.
As Birdie and the customer headed up to the register, Sasha bit into another piece of candy and carried the nearly empty sample tray to the far end of the counter, away from Birdie. She heard the door to the kitchen open and saw Quinn Finney, Birdie’s chestnut-haired bestie and employee, carrying another tray of chocolates toward the display case.
Sasha put the rest of the piece of candy in her mouth and hurried over, blocking Quinn’s way. “Mm, fudge,” she whispered. “My favorite.”
Quinn cocked a brow, looking more like a hot disapproving librarian with her black-framed glasses and pencil skirt than a full-time chocolate pusher. “I thought the chocolate-peanut butter truffles were your favorite.”
“Theywerefive minutes ago. What kinds of fudge are these?”
Quinn giggled, pointing out the flavors as she said, “Rocky road, Kahlúa and cream, potato chip pretzel, which is amazing when you have your period or you’re in a bitchy mood, and my favorite, sugar cookie.”
The bell above the door jangled as Sasha plucked a few off the tray. “I’ll just try one of each.” She bit into a piece of sugar-cookie fudge, and the sweet treat melted in her mouth. “Holy cow. This is amazing.”
“Sasha Whiskey, back away from the fudge.”
Sasha’s eyes widened at Birdie’s serious tone. She shoved the rest of the fudge into her mouth.
