Page 34 of Solitude

I clear my throat and frown. “Winnie? Winnie Carmichael?”

What is she doing at the family dinner?

And why the hell hasn’t she texted me once?

Beth lights up. “Yes! You know Winnie?”

Before I can answer, Beth grabs me and guides me inside toward the kitchen with her arm looped through mine.

Cole whispers to his dad, “Better watch that one, Dad. He’s tryin’ to make moves on your woman.”

“He couldn’t handle her,” Calvin replies confidently, dodging the random towel Beth chucks at him.

When we clear the swinging door to the kitchen, Winnie is bent over the counter, concentrating on her cupcakes. She never lifts her head as she pipes perfect icing swirls onto the strawberry cakes, and I take a moment to look her over.

She scrunches her nose up as her hands move slowly in a repetitive circle, and she has flour all over her apron thesame way Beth does. Unlike Beth and her collection of sundresses, she’s wearing another version of her work uniform—denim cut-off shorts and a ratty t-shirt. She’s tied her blonde hair up lazily at the nape like she did it in a rush.

Fuck.

She’s beautiful.

Has she always been this beautiful?

“Winnie, baby, those look just wonderful. Cole is very sorry for eating so many last night. Right, Cole?” Beth says as she breezes into the kitchen and looks over her shoulder with a pointed look at her son.

“Right. Absolutely.”

Winnie huffs, still concentrating. “Sure. You’re lucky I’m making more.”

Cole licks his lips and rubs his belly. “For me? How sweet, Win.”

“I don’t know,” Beth interjects, smacking Cole’s arm before wrapping her arm around my shoulders, “if you’ve met Beck yet, Winnie, but he’ll be joining us for dinner.”

As soon as my name leaves Beth’s mouth, Winnie’s head snaps up so fast I’m shocked it doesn’t physically hurt her. Her golden eyes meet mine for only a second before they’re trailing down my body from the top of my worn ball cap to the toes of my scuffed boots, and I warm all over at her perusal.

“We’ve met a few times,” she mumbles, eyes returning to her work.

I can see her swallow as she pipes the frosting again, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my stupid smile at bay as her hands tremble.

Instead, I clear my throat and add, “We’re neighbors, actually.”

Beth seems to love that tidbit of information because she holds a hand over her heart, practically beaming at the two of us. “Small world, huh.”

Cole snorts behind me. “Magnolia Hollowisa small town, Mama.”

“Iknowthat.” She huffs and rounds the island to check whatever she has in the oven. When she grabs a potholder, she threatens her son. “Don’t make me send you out to check cattle with your brother.”

But Cole snorts again, shaking his head as he grabs a cowboy hat from the counter. “I didn’t want to be in the kitchen, anyway. You know I’m better with the cows than I am with a stove.”

“When are you going to get a wife?”

Cole stares at her like she’s grown a second head. “Damn, mama. I guess when a lady comes around that I actually fuckin’ like.”

“You’re so picky.”

“I’mnot picky. No one wants damaged goods.”

Winnie lifts her head, frowning. “Hey, stop that. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”

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