Page 8 of Mistlefoes

Oh, shit. “Uh, actually…”

She shook her head, holding up her hand as she walked away from me and this long overdue conversation. And I had a phone call to make.

“I’ll be at your shop with lunch,” I called after her. “If nothing else, we’re neighbors. And in a small town like this, we help each other, right?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not helping you shovel all your snow.”

“I have a feeling that’severyone’ssnow, but okay. I won’t ask for help with that in return for the favor.” I could think of a whole lot of other things I’d rather ask.

Jill didn’t reply as she shook her head and walked away. She hadn’t said no, so I took that as a yes.

Four

Jill

Lunching the Enemy

Jack wasn’t fooling me with his congeniality. Somehow, he’d sussed out I’d arrange for the snow mountains in his yard. He knew I’d snow bombed him.

Still, if he wanted to help me work out my computing woes, who was I to turn him down? I was his pissed off and still smarting ex, that’s who. Could I trust him to help me with a website? Knowing my luck, I’d end up with a landing page that popped up a loop of Ned fromJurassic Parklaughing at people for coming to my cyberspace home. I didn’t believe Jack would let the snow thing slide without payback, but deep down, I trusted he wouldn’t sabotage my business. He’d also help me for free. And free was the biggest selling point here—I’d just watch him like a hawk.

The store’s phone was ringing as I unlocked the front door, and I ran to answer the extension behind the counter.

“Hello,” I panted into the receiver, out of breath from the dash.

“Jill,” Beya gasped. “I’m…so sorry. I’m not… I can’t come in. I… I think I have the flu.”

“Oh, no. Yeah, keep that at home. Do you need me to bring you anything at lunchtime? Soup or anything?” Beya was far more than an employee. She was like a sister, and I’d help her however she needed.

“No. Zain’s staying…here. God, this is awful. I’m sorry—”

She hung up, but I could guess why, and I sure didn’t want to hear that. Shaking my head, I went over to relock the front door since I wouldn’t open the shop for an hour yet. Then I headed into the back to switched on the Christmas playlist that would play through the overhead sound system all day, a festive backdrop for shoppers. Wasting no time since I was flying solo today, I grabbed a cart of the books to be shelved in the historical romance section then wheeled it back out front.

And nearly jumped out of my skin when atap-tap-tapsounded on the front window. Turning, I saw Jack standing there with two cups fromBrewly Yoursin his hands.

My brow furrowed, my lips twisting to the side as I stared at him. What on earth…?

There was no way I find out other than to open the door.

“What’s up?” I asked after I let him inside.

“Brought you coffee. I know Beya usually brings it, but Carlos told me that Zain was home with her today because she’s sick, so I figured…” He held a cup out to me.

I eyed it as if it were an asp from one of the Egyptian romances I’d been about to shelve.

“If you want, you can have the other one. They’re both the same.”

“No, it’s fine,” I conceded. “All else aside, I doubt you’d poison me.”

“Not this week.”

“Ha. Ha.” Taking the cup he’d originally offered, I sipped the frothy foam and got a flavor orgasm of a caramel brûlée latte, rich and buttery with just a trace of the cinnamon he’d had added for me. I groaned. Only Jack knew exactly my favorite drink, and I kind of hated that for me.

“Good?”

“Yes. Thank you. This was nice of you.” It was, and it killed me to say it. Jack had always been thoughtful which was the main reason I’d been so blindsided and gutted by him cheating on me.

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’d do anything for you, Jill.”

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