Page 87 of Forbidden Flame

“So you’re staying for a while?” Daphne asked as we moved to the backyard.

“Cole was gracious enough to let me stay with him. I’ll be working on the farm until I can find a new job.”

“What field do you work in?” Daphne asked as she sat on one of the chairs.

“My major was communications, but I’ve worked mainly marketing kind of jobs.”

“I work for myself, and it’s really nice being my own boss.” They started talking about business and marketing Daphne’s pies. I listened with half an ear while I kept an eye on the food. When it was cooked, I placed it on the table. It felt good to have everyone I loved eating dinner together.

My heart twinged. Was I in love with Daphne?

After dinner, we played a card game with Izzy. When it was time for Izzy and Daphne to leave, I walked them out.

Daphne got Izzy settled in her car seat, shut the slider door, and turned to face me. “Does this mean we won’t have as much alone time together.”

I moved closer, knowing we couldn’t kiss in front of Izzy yet. “We’ll figure something out.”

“That’s the theme of our relationship.”

“This isn’t too much for you, is it? The sneaking around, the secrecy?”

“It’s not ideal, but it’s what we need to do. When we think things look solid, we can talk about being more open with our families.”

I felt like things were solid now, but I didn’t have a kid. I kissed her cheek, wishing we had more time together.

It was starting to feel like these stolen moments weren’t enough.

Chapter 19

Daphne

Now that Charlotte was staying with Cole, we had less time together. My trial periods with Max at the restaurant and Violet at the coffee shop went great, and I was now tasked with providing them with set orders of pies each week.

As word spread, Max increased his numbers, and I needed to drop pies off more often. I didn’t mind. I was ecstatic to have standing orders, and I hoped I’d get a few more.

With Thanksgiving coming up, I’d be inundated with individual orders. It was the first thing that I started out with, and I wasn’t willing to part with that income. Plus, my family loved having it as an option on the farm when people came to get their trees.

The one bright spot on our calendars was the long weekend both of our families would spend at the Wilde Ski Resort.

I was hoping to have some time to sneak off with Cole. But I was worried that someone would figure it out. Was it worth the risk? A part of me was ready to tell everyone the truth.

Today was the day that Cole had promised to come over and take the training wheels off Izzy’s bike. He wanted to have her ride on a grassy field before she tried the pavement.

I was nervous. But she was so excited to show off in front of Cole.

When he arrived, she ran outside to greet him. He lifted her into his arms, her legs dangling at his side. “Are you ready to get rid of those training wheels.”

“Yes.”

He set her down and used his tools to remove the smaller wheels. “Remember, it’s all about balance, and you might not get it at first. But you will. I promise.”

“Will you stay with me?” Izzy asked, her voice wobbling with nerves.

“I’ll be next to you the whole time.”

“Okay.” Izzy put on her helmet, and Cole held the handlebars for her in a grassy area. “It’s the same as when you had the wheels on. You’ll just need to find your balance. Tilt your body to avoid falling.”

Izzy nodded, her brow furrowed with concentration.

---