Page 30 of Finally Moore

“You should leave the cooking and prepping to me. It’s what I do.” He grins before dropping his voice an octave. “It’s what I live for,” he says, quoting the famous sea witch.

I shake my head and throw a palm to my face. “Really, Scott?The Little Mermaid?”

“Disney was a family favorite in our household.” He shrugs as if that’s all the explanation I need. “So, what do ya say?” he prompts.

“I don’t know, Scott. It’s one thing for me to invade your life. Which I already know sounds wrong, but to bring your whole family in on it? Yeah, that’s asking way too much.”

“What’s a few more people?” Scott waves me off.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he says with a certainty I don’t share. “Let’s plan on everyone coming over Christmas Eve for the big dinner, then we can do the presents in the morning at the inn,” Scott suggests, then frowns.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” he insists, but for some reason, I want to know what is making this usually happy man so sad all of a sudden.

I cover his hand with mine. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

He takes a deep breath and blows it out. “We’ve always done Christmas morning together, all the Moores, even last year after everything that happened.” He doesn’t say more and he doesn’t have to. He means the car accident that took his parents’ lives and left Tilly with a broken arm. “But now, all of them have their own families to wake up with in the morning, at their own homes. I guess it’s just a strange feeling, realizing how different things are now, how I don’t have anyone…”

“You have me,” I tell him and I don’t know why. It’s not true. Not really. But it felt like the right thing to say. Iwantedto say it. Scott turns his palm so that his fingers lock with mine. “So you won’t be alone this year,” I attempt to clarify.

My mistake is evident the second he lets go and pulls away.God, Scar, does your foot just live in your mouth?

“Look, I’m going to stop by my place and take a quick shower.” He throws his legs over the side of the bed and stands. “Then pop into the café to make sure everything is running smoothly. Why don’t you and your mom stop in for lunch and then I can join you both for shopping?”

“Really?” I raise a brow at his offer. Besides the fact I’m totallyMood-killer Jane, the fact remains… “You want to come shopping with me and my mother?”

“I want to go shopping withyou. Your mom is just a bonus,” he teases. “Besides, I need to get a few last-minute gifts myself.”

“If it’s not too much of an inconvenience—”

“None at all.” As though whatever awkwardness there was from before has disappeared, Scott leans down and presses a kiss to the top of my head. Then he pulls back with a smile, grabs his jacket and keys, and crosses the room. “I’ll see you later.”

He slips out of the front door and I’m left stunned.Was that real?I know I was drunk last night and thought I imagined him doing the same thing. But now I’m more sure than ever that what I felt wasn’t simply déjà vu.

Chapter thirteen

Scott

“So,”Loganpromptsthemoment I enter the kitchen.

“Nope. Don’t want to talk about it,” I grunt as I set my stuff down on the counter and go to wash my hands.

“Come on, you’reengagedto one of the hottest chicks in town.” He pauses midthought as Gia enters the room and walks over to the shelf for some extra cups. “Secondhottest chick in town.” He winks at Gia.

She tosses a paper cup at his head and misses by a long shot. “In your dreams,” she huffs as she stomps back up front, but adds an extra waggle to her step that even I notice.

“God, that ass. What I wouldn’t give to…” Thankfully Logan stops himself short. “Sorry, now, where were we?”

“You were getting back to work. Proving to your boss that you deserve your paycheck this week.”

“Oh yeah, I remember!” He misses the hint entirely. “Come on, spill already!”

“Logan, if and that’s a bigifanything were happening between Scarlett and me, you’d be the last person in this town I’d ever discuss it with.”

He picks up a knife and pretends to stab at his own chest. “Ouch, you’re killing me, chef.”

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