Page 46 of A Cowboy Sugar Cookie Kiss
“One in the same. I won’t name names, but when he judged my cookie, he tore it to shreds.”
“I’ll tear him to shreds.”
“My heart wasn’t romantically broken, but he sure broke my baking spirit.”
“You took the word of some dick at a local bake-off?”
I nudge his side. “You know, you’re the dick, right?”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“No, you’re the judge who tore my cookie to shreds in front of the entire town.”
He stops. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t judge a bake-off and I certainly wouldn’t criticize someone to the point of them leaving town. In case you didn’t notice, I love your baking.”
“Technically, you weren’t an official judge. You sort of stumbled over from the beer tent.”
A deep frown etches his forehead. “Wait a second. Was that the weekend I was supposed to be on my honeymoon?”
“That was the rumor going around town.”
He groans. “My fiancé skipped out of town that weekend. She left me at the alter the day before in front of nearly the whole goddam town.” He scratches the back of his neck. “I was a drunken fool trying to make sure everyone felt the pain I was feeling.”
I suck in a breath. “It worked.”
“Shit. Maggie. Shit.” He takes my hands in his. “I didn’t mean a damn word. I didn’t know it was you. I don’t remember much.”
I can’t keep my straight face. I break. Laughter pours out of me.
“What’s so funny?”
“You were a drunken fool, but I’m playing with you.” I lightly slap his chest, and walk away.
“You’re playing with me?” he calls after me. “I didn’t run you out of town?”
“Gosh, no,” I call over my shoulder.
A little girl runs out of the ten-foot high fake snow maze and collides into my leg.
“Oops, sorry.”
“That’s okay.”
She skips back to her family.
Cole catches up to me. “So, I didn’t break your heart?”
“No. You were a drunken fool who threw up on my cookies. Then Sheriff Nash senior hauled your ass to sleep it off in a cell. I won that bake-off. I think the judges felt sorry for me since all my cookies were covered in vomit.”
“Damn, I don’t remember the night being so vividly disgusting.”
“It was both vivid and disgusting. And your granddad was pissed I won. And Grams was ecstatic.”
“Wow, you’re a bit of a jerk,” he says.
I slip my hand in his. Our fingers lace together. It’s strange how an action so innocent sends my stomach into a swirling mass of desire.
“I’m sorry you were hurting,” I say.
