Page 53 of This Moment

Sally grabbed a dish towel and attempted to hit me with it, but I was too quick, and she missed.

When I opened the French doors, Cadie turned and smiled up at me. “Morning. How did it go? The repair guy wasn’t here for very long.”

“How are you not freezing out here?”

She looked at the fire. “The fire is keeping me warm.”

I looked from the fire to her and then back to the fire. “The wind alone is making it feel frigid out here, Cadie. You are obviously made of heartier stock than me. By the way, breakfast is done, and Sally is insisting you come back in.”

“The fire?”

“It will be fine,” I insisted as I held my hand for her to take. “My gosh, how many blankets do you have wrapped around you?”

Cadie laughed. “Two. Plus, I have a long-sleeve shirt on, a sweatshirt, and gloves.”

“All that for a bit of fresh air?”

She nodded as she took off each blanket and quickly folded them. Tucking them under her arm, she started for the doors.

Once we walked back into the kitchen, Cadie let out a moan that I desperately tried to ignore.

“That smells so good!”

Sally beamed. “It’s Kian’s favorite.”

Cadie looked at me. “Really? Pancakes, huh?”

“Not just any kind of pancakes,” I replied with a wink. “Blueberry pancakes. And bacon.”

“Don’t forget the fruit!” Sally added.

Cadie chuckled. “Spoiled much?”

“Oh, he was so spoiled as a young boy,” Sally added, handing me a plate piled high with pancakes and a side of bacon and fruit. “The maple syrup is on the table, nice and warmed up.”

When I stole a peek at Cadie, she was biting back a smile as she made her plate.

After sliding into her seat beside me, she leaned in and whispered, “She made your plate?”

I shrugged. “She likes taking care of us kids. Who am I to argue with that?”

Her mouth fell open at the same time her eyes went wide. “Let’s see, maybe a grown-ass man who can make his own plate?”

Picking up the syrup, I poured it over my pancakes while giving Cadie a shit-eating grin.

“What are your plans for today?” I asked.

“I’m covering this afternoon at the bakery, so I didn’t have to be there this morning. Which was kind of nice that I was able to sleep in.”

“Especially after I woke you up last night.”

She shook her head. “Oh no, I was reading. I had difficulty falling asleep even before you showed up talking to yourself and looking for hot chocolate.”

I laughed. I loved how Cadie wasn’t afraid to dish it out as well as she could take it.

After chewing, she asked, “What about you?”

Sighing, I sat back. “I’m not sure. The heater won’t be fixed anytime soon, so it looks like we’ll be roomies for a bit.”

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