Page 24 of Cowboy Stolen Kiss for Christmas

CHAPTER 6: WHAT IS

Saturday

Ames often dropped by the toy store to bring Laura a shot of her favorite espresso on his way to Castellano’s. This morning, however, he texted to say he was heading straight to work today. He and his brothers were putting in some extra hours of practice before tonight’s rodeo performance, and he wanted to get an early start.

Unaccountable disappointment flooded her. Though he was under no obligation to bring her coffee, it felt like he was avoiding her. A few minutes later, a driver in a Gingerbread House uniform stepped into the store. He was holding a cardboard box, bearing two tall, familiar-looking cups. A swirl of steam rose from each of them.

“Morning,” he called cheerfully, glancing around the store. “I have a special delivery of espresso for a Miss Laura Lee and Miss Lucy Lee.”

Laura shyly raised her hand. “I’m Laura.”

“And I’m Lucy.” Lucy breezed up to the guy with an armful of wooden blocks to greedily claim her cup. “Wow!” She spun delightedly in her sister’s direction. “Ames is upping his game, huh?” She’d just finished disinfecting the armful of blocks in the back, and she was returning them to the children’s play zone. It was a gated off area in a corner of the room, paved with rubber mats in primary colors. This was the place where children could test out toys before their parents purchased them — blocks, rocking horses, dollhouses, and more. It was the most popular spot in the store, and it resulted in a lot of sales.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” After ensuring that they didn’t owe the delivery guy anything, Laura gave him an extra tip, knowing Ames had likely already done so. Then she followed her sister to help set up the play area for the day. She found herself smiling for no reason at all. Ames just had that effect on her. The sweet stuff he was forever doing for her never failed to put her in a better mood.

“Oh, I think you do.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “So, have you kissed him yet?”

“Just stop.” Feeling her face grow warm, Laura breathed in the delectable scent of espresso before taking her first sip.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Lucy made a face at her. “Seriously, what are you waiting for? You’re into him. He’s into you…” She let her voice trail off suggestively.

“Flint Carson is just as into you, and I don’t see you doing anything about that, either.” For weeks, Laura had been wanting to bring up the topic, but the right opportunity hadn’t come along until now. Their parents were in their glassed-in workshop, and the store wouldn’t open for another ten minutes, so the microphones weren’t turned on yet. It was the perfect time for a sister chat.

Lucy gave her an are-you-crazy look. “Flint Carson doesn’t have a serious bone in his body!”

“In his very tall, very ripped rodeo champ body, you mean,” Laura pressed in a teasing voice, watching closely for her sister’s reaction.

Lucy avoided her gaze. “I’m not denying that all three Carson brothers are hunks of burning ho-ho-holy hotness. But he’s got enough single ladies drooling over him. He doesn’t need to add me to that Santa-sized list.”

Laura could hear an underlying note of jealousy in her voice. “But he wants to.” She couldn’t resist pointing out that undeniable fact.

Though Lucy didn’t deny it, she shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “I think the only thing he finds fascinating about me is the fact that I’m not chasing after him like every other single lady in this town. I’m a puzzle he’s trying to figure out. Nothing more.”

“If you say so.” Laura was far from convinced that was the case.

“I do.” Lucy adopted a dismissive voice that told Laura she was done talking about him. However, that didn’t explain the flush staining her creamy features or the agitated way she was slapping blocks together to form a tower. Or how off kilter it was and how quickly it collapsed.

Laura took another sip of her coffee before sliding to her knees to help out. “Somebody’s off their game this morning. I hope my teasing about Flint isn’t what did the trick.” To drive her point home, she constructed a straighter tower that stood twice as tall as Lucy’s next one. It wasn’t half bad, actually. She rocked back a little to admire it.

Lucy zinged a block in her direction, sending it toppling to the floor. “Oops!” There was scant apology ringing in her tone. “Guess you’re right about me being off my game.”

Laura rolled her eyes and abandoned her mission to help get the play zone ready for the day. “Clearly, you don’t need my help here.”

“Clearly,” Lucy chuckled. She looked a little less grumpy than before.

They were on the schedule to take their lunch breaks in pairs today. That way they could attend the grand opening festivities of the newest shop in town, a jewelry store called All That Glitters. Their parents took the first lunch break at the crack of noon and returned with a shiny new gold bracelet on her mother’s wrist, one made of fourteen-karat gold beads in the shape of cats. She’d won it in some opening day drawing. Talk about luck!

“I love it!” Laura oohed and aahed over it while Lucy finished helping a customer. “I’ve always wanted a cat,” she reminded, nudging her mother suggestively with her elbow. “Now that we’re no longer traveling the country in a teensy tiny travel trailer, we should consider getting a pet.”

Her father grunted. “The poor critter would be home alone all day long. What kind of life is that?”

Laura pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Maybe we could bring him to the shop?” she suggested hopefully.

Her mother was shaking her head before she finished the question. “Too many people are allergic to cats, I’m afraid.”

“What if you and Dad kept him in the workshop with you?” There had to be a way to make it work. People adopted pets all the time. People who were busy. People who worked the same long hours she and her family did.

Lucy waited until they were on their lunch break at one o’clock to offer her input into the topic of adoption. “I can put a bug in Ames’ ear for you about that cat you want so bad. I betcha he’ll find a way to get you one. Or three. Or fifty. Maybe he and Flint would be willing to raise a whole herd of felines for you in their bachelor pad next door.”

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