Page 26 of Fall at Once

He bustled around in my kitchen while I ran over everything he had just said in my mind.

That was flirting, wasn’t it?

The winking? The compliments about my freckles and tree-climbing skills? He thought I was brave and not dumb for climbing that tree—that was the best part.

I heard the coffee start bubbling as it brewed into the pot. Then the toast popped up. The scratch of the knife across thebread told me he’d be in here again real soon.

Nervously, I bit my lip.

Cole Sutter was totally flirting with me, and I didn’t know how to feel about it.

Lie.

I was thrilled that the sexy Cole Sutter had flirted with me and was already contemplating how to get him to do it some more.

He liked my freckles?From now on this girl lived in freckle city—no more concealer.

I should bake him another batch of brownies. No, a strawberry rhubarb pie was my specialty. I’d bake him one of those, I decided, while mentally preparing a grocery list.

Warmth surged through me when he appeared in the living room carrying a steaming mug and plate of toast. “I noticed some grape jelly in the fridge. I could add some if you like?”

“No, thank you. Just butter is fine.”

It wasn’t quite breakfast in bed, but it felt almost as intimate because of the way he looked at me as he set the toast on the coffee table and handed me the mug. His eyes were warm on mine, crinkling at the corners as he smiled at me softly, saying without words that he was worried.

“Here you go. I want you to eat every bite of that. You need to get your strength back up.”

“Thank you.” I breathed.

He sat on the chair perpendicular to the couch. “My pleasure. Make sure you’re feeling one hundred percent better before you go downstairs.”

Reaching out, he placed his hand against my forehead and drew it back like it was on fire. “Oh god, I’m sorry. It was a force of habit. I check for a fever when my kids don’t feel well.”

“It’s okay. Your dad instincts are strong.”

“Yeah. Usually, when I’m delivering food to a coffee table, it’s for a sick kid laid up on the couch watching cartoons. My mind must have subconsciously forced my hand to your forehead.”

“My dad was not like you at all. If we were sick when it was his turn with us, he’d ship us off to Gigi for her to deal with. My mother was like you, but she kissed our foreheads to check for fevers. Then, after, she’d get the thermometer to make sure she was right. Um…” My voice trailed off when I realized how much I had given away about my life and the fact that I had some major daddy issues I was still dealing with. “She read somewhere that lips are more sensitive to heat or something like that. Uh, not that I expect you to kiss my forehead or anything. I mean, obviously, I’m not sick or feverish, and that would be um…”

His watch started beeping, distracting him. “I’ve heard of that.” He flicked his wrist to turn it off. “I have to get to my meeting. Please make sure you’re back to one hundred percent before you go downstairs, okay?”

“I will. I promise.” I took a bite of toast and chased it with a sip of coffee. I held the mug aloft for emphasis.

“Good. Don’t make me rat you out to Gigi. We both know how she can get. Unless you’d like to spend the day in bed being fussed over with chicken soup, Sprite, and a stack ofGood Housekeepingmagazines.” He paused to grin at me. “That soundspretty good right now, not gonna lie.”

“I’m already feeling better. I’ll save a sick day for later.”

“I’ll see you soon, Madi.”

After he left, I finished getting ready for the day, forgoing a bath for a quick shower. It was funny how, since arriving here, my accident-prone ways had led to good things rather than eye rolls and annoyance.

While contemplating my face in the mirror, I used a light touch with my makeup so my freckles would show through. Then, I chose my prettiest yellow sundress and a pair of high-heeled strappy sandals. I wanted to look like Belle if we ran into each other again today, a sexy Belle who wasn’t afraid to show a hint of cleavage. I wanted him to remember our moment on the couch, so maybe I’d get another one.

And if I didn’t see him, I felt beautiful and needed to feel good about myself again. I’d spent the last few weeks before arriving in town doing some serious moping and lying around in my apartment. I think I’d watched almost everything that existed on Netflix and was on a first-name basis with every Door Dasher in Colorado Springs. It was time to pick myself back up again.

I fed the cats and ensured the windows were closed tight before heading down to the Confectionery to work.

Chapter 9

---