Page 57 of Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop

“Whatcha staring at?” Meredith asked at my side, and I blinked down at her. Tonight she wore a jumper that said she liked themreal thick and sprucywith a drawing of Christmas trees.

“Nothing,” I said. “Just enjoying the party.”

“Really? It looked to me like you were watching Rosie get hit on by that cute lad from Boston.”

Boston? An American? Even more annoyed now, I grimaced.

“Nope, not at all,” I lied through my teeth. “Just happy the windows all came together. When will we know the scores?”

“The judges will post them tonight so we can start preparing for next week. I think Estherwants us to stay after when this wraps up in a bit so we can pick next week’s theme.”

“No problem.” It wasn’t like I had anything else to do tonight. Other than to go home and talk to Tattie who was becoming increasingly trusting of me. I’d been able to expand his pen a bit, but I was still working on securing his outdoor enclosure. I hoped he’d be happy with the home I was creating for him. If he could never fly again, at the very least I wanted to give him a good life.

“You could ask her out as well, you know,” Meredith said, following my gaze to where I was staring at Rosie again as she laughed with a customer. Damn it. I’d meant to look away.

“We’re just friends.”

“Uh-huh.”

“We are. We agreed on it and everything.” And then had the kiss to end all kisses, the taste of her searing a path through to my very soul.

“Och, lad. Why would you go and do that?”

“Because neither of us want to date. I’m happy in my simple life and she just left a relationship. It’s better this way.”

“Bloody eejit,” Meredith muttered.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, nothing. Well, enjoy your lonely nights not chasing after a good thing. You know that friendships make the best basis for relationships, right?”

“Relationship? Who is in a relationship?” Esther skidded to a stop in front of us and I closed my eyes,wishing I was anywhere else. Except that would mean I wouldn’t get to see Rosie in her soft jumper and silky skirt.

“Alexander and Rosie agreed to just be friends, but he just looked like he wanted to belt the handsome lad who just asked her on a date.”

“Shite or get off the pot, mate,” Esther said, succinctly, giving me a sour look before breezing over to the drinks table.

“There is no pot,” I called after her, but she didn’t look back. “There’snopot. There’s no shitting required.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Meredith clucked her tongue and wandered away, leaving me to try and put the image of shitting in a pot out of my head.

By the time the party wrapped up, I’d nursed two beers and had used up a month’s quota of social interactions—in one night. I was ready to go home to my quiet cottage by the sea and do my best to not think about Rosie and her potential date.

“Right, team, gather round. I just got a text that the scores were up.” Esther pulled reading glasses onto her nose and tapped wildly at her phone like people who aren’t comfortable with technology do. “Somewhere on here…”

“Would you like me to look?” Rosie reached out a hand, but Esther elbowed it away.

“I got it, I got it.”

Rosie shot me an amused look, sending warmth to my gut. She had a habit of doing that,looking to me, as though we shared our own little private jokes. I supposed it was because we were the youngest of the Winter Windows team, so it was easier to commiserate on some topics than others.

“We won!” Esther crowed, holding the phone up, and Rosie surprised me with an excited hug.

Her jumper was as soft as it looked, the fabric sliding beneath my hands and over her curves. Being this close to her took me back to the kiss from the other night, and how much I wanted another. I’d replayed the moment over and over in my mind, unsure what had made me lean into the kiss other than the desire that clawed for more. More ofher. And now that I’d had a taste, I was like an addict. I wanted more. More smiles, more shoulder bumps, more kisses. Anything she was willing to give me, I’d take, her smiles like a twenty-pound bill in a beggar’s cup.

Realizing I was holding her a touch too long, I released her and caught Meredith’s knowing smile. Annoyed, frustrated, and uncertain of what to do next, I stepped back and cleared my throat.

“What was the point difference between St. Andrews?”

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