Page 22 of The Runaway Bride's Vow

“I’ve tried.”

“Tried? What does that mean?”

“He doesn’t like me.”

Selena stopped working. “What? Why not?”

Brooke shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I don’t believe you. It isn’t every day you’re in my kitchen at six thirty in the morning to talk about your work. Come to think of it, I don’t think you’ve ever been here at this hour. So, to my way of thinking, you have something, or should I say someone, on your mind.”

She sighed. Maybe she’d feel better if she told someone. Then maybe he wouldn’t take up so much of her thoughts.

She took a sip of the hot coffee. “I ran into him last week at Lacy’s.”

“You wouldn’t believe how many couples I know had their meet-cute at the coffee shop.”

“Selena, we’re not a couple.”

“Oh, yeah, right. Go ahead.” Selena finished filling the tray and then moved onto a second one.

“I was standing in line, minding my own business. I was in a hurry to get to the office because I had a meeting that morning with the contractor—little did I know that he was standing in the other line.” She failed to mention that she’d been checking out his handsome face. She remembered how his dark brows had led to the strong line of his jaw. And his brown eyes had seemed to hide a wealth of secrets—secrets that she longed to know.

“You like him?” Selena’s voice drew her from her thoughts.

“What?”

Selena smiled. “You were thinking about him and blushing. He must be hot.”

Brooke nodded. “He is, but his grumpiness is a complete turnoff.”

And so, she told Selena the rest of the story from the way he stole her coffee at the coffee shop to her accidental run-in at the chapel.

“Wow.” Selena started filling another tray with cookie dough. “You two had quite a start.”

“That’s an understatement. I just don’t know what Clara sees in this guy that would make her want to hire him.”

“You really should talk to Clara about him? Sounds like there’s a lot you don’t know.”

“True. But I’m not bringing him up to her.” She didn’t need Clara reading anything into her words about Logan like Selena had done. “And please don’t say anything. I don’t want anything to ruin her trip to visit her family. I know how important it is to her to mend things with her family.”

“I won’t. I promise.” Selena’s perfectly plucked brows drew together as though a thought came to her. “Still, Clara must have seen something good about this guy. Maybe you should give him another chance.”

Brooke sighed. “I have tried to make nice with him, but he just keeps putting up a wall.” And then she uttered something that really bothered her. “I don’t think he likes me. It’s more than the coffee thing. I think I rub him the wrong way. And I have no idea what to do about it.”

“That’s hard to imagine. You’re so kind and thoughtful. I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t like you.”

“Well, now you do,” Brooke said with a huff.

“Maybe he’s that way with everyone.”

She shook her head. “He isn’t that way with Henry or his daughter.” She paused as she recalled the way his eyes lit up when he looked at Kaylie or how his voice took on a friendly tone when he spoke to Henry. “He’s like a totally different person with them. When he’s around Kaylie, he even smiles once in a while.” She didn’t mention just how cute he was when his dimples were on full display. The memory made her stomach flutter.

“I see.” Selena placed the cookie sheets in the big oven. After she closed the door, she turned back to Brooke. “What you two need is a do-over.”

“A do-over of what?”

Selena moved to the coffeemaker and refilled her cup. “Your first meeting. You two got off on the wrong foot, and this would present you with a chance to fix things.”

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