Page 12 of The Icing on the Cake
“Forcoffee,” I insist. “Really good coffee. And she’s interesting.”
“Interesting,how?” Carson asks, leaning forward.
“Well, she’s determined to be independent. Won’t let me walk her home. Most girls are falling all over themselves to get to a hockey player.”
“She’s playing it smart.” Jamie nods approvingly.
“I heard from areliablesource at the diner that she may or may not have been caught sneaking a peek through your window,” Asher says with a grin.
“Mary-Ellen talks too much,” I say. “I’m guessing it was Mrs. Nelson who told her.”
“So it’s true?” Weston asks, eyes wide. “She was spying on you?”
“Not exactly spying,” I say. “She was dropping off flyers and got…momentarily distracted.”
“By your rugged good looks?” Asher teases.
“More like my lack of a shirt,” I mutter.
“Oh, it’s over for her,” Carson says, tossing up his hands. “Girl practically fell into a thirst trap.”
“Or better yet,” Asher cuts in, “break something else in the cafe so you have an excuse to come back. Trip over a wire, unplug the fridge. Play dumb. It’s what I’d do.”
Clément shakes his head. “In France, we bring pastries. But she already makes those. How about a baby goat?”
“Maybe just ask her about her day?” Weston offers, then pauses. “That’s what my sister says works. She reads a lot of romance.”
“Listen to the rookie giving relationship advice,” Cade laughs.
“Hey, at least I’m not suggesting he sabotage her equipment,” Weston protests.
“Fair point.” Cade nods. “Though honestly, it sounds like either she’s interested, or she wants to stay far away from you.”
“Well, she was mortified when I caught her,” I say. “Practically ran away.”
“I’ve been rejected enough times to know the signs,” Carson declares. “If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t have been embarrassed.”
This time, I don’t argue. Because there’s only one way to find out if they’re right—and that means I have to make the next move.
CHAPTER 5
NEESHA
“Why didn’t you tell me you were renting Mimi’s house to that handyman who should come with a warning label?” I ask Emmy at the bookstore.
She looks at me with an innocent expression as she sets her bag and lunch on the bookstore counter. “You mean Lucian?”
“Who else is built like an HGTV handyman, except for Dawson?”
Emmy gets that dreamy look on her face when thinking about her fiancé. “Ah, yes, my Gold Dog…”
I wave a hand in front of her. “Hey, no fantasizing about your future husband. I need answers.”
She tilts her head to look at me. “I told you we were renting it out before we sell it. And Lucian is Mr. Fix-It.”
“I noticed,” I say unhappily. “I may have accidentally observed him working outside a few times—purely for safety reasons, of course. Just making sure he’s not doing anything suspicious like…illegal construction that doesn’t follow code.”
“Wait—” She stares at me. “Are you spying on him?”
