Page 17 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

My friends stare at me, torn between sympathy and anger.

I have never felt so used in my life. I can’t believe I was actually thinking he wasn’t all that bad, that this morning I’d been considering giving him a chance.

And here he was just using me.

My eyes turn cold as I lower them to the table.

No wonder his answers were always so vague. He had been scoping out the competition.

Feeling humiliated and betrayed, I push away my cup of coffee and get to my feet.

Danny eyes me, warily. “What are you about to do?”

I press my lips into a thin line. “I don’t know yet.”

Chapter 4

Contrary to my desire to march over there and beat Finn within an inch of his life, something which sounds easy in theory and would probably be impossible to do in real life, I force myself to cool down.

And cooling down involves a lot of baking.

My arms are covered with flour as I knead the dough, viciously, punching it, ripping it apart. There are seven batches of cupcakes on the kitchen table of the diner. I can hear the sound of people chatting outside as they arrive for dinner.

Marty, one of the chefs, looks towards me in concern. “Are you sure you want Randy out there, Clara? He’s not really good at that kind of thing.”

“Well, he’ll get some experience then,” I snap, and when Marty flinches at the harshness in my tone, I suddenly feel guilty. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to – I’m just having a bad day.” I glance towards the kitchen door and say softly, “I really don’t want to be out there, tonight.”

Marty studies me. “Want to talk about it?”

I shake my head. “Not yet.” I stare around at the extra cupcakes and then say, “Put these in the display for one dollar each. I’m done.” I look down at the dough and rap it in plastic. “Put this in the fridge.”

I mov

e towards my office in the back and clean up in there before laying down on the couch and staring up at the ceiling.

Three days.

It’s been three days since I met Finn McCarthy, and look at what I’ve let myself be reduced to by him. Anger, I can understand, but why do I feel so hurt?

He’s not the first man to actively pursue me – I let him get to me. I spent too much time around him. I let myself get pulled in by his charm and by my aunts’ words.

Pulling myself into a sitting position, I wrap my arms around my knees and look around the tiny office that I’ve decorated over the past six years. This office is me. It defines me. It reminds me of everything I’ve achieved, of who I’ve become. And I’m proud of the person that I am. I’m not going to let anyone pull me down. And I’m not going to hide in my office, ashamed and humiliated over something that doesn’t require me to feel any of these things.

I sit up and tug on my shoes.

Clara Winter is a self made woman. Ain’t no man going to bring me down!

I paste a smile on my lips and walk out.

There’s a slight hush as people see me and it’s instantly clear that my worst fears from this afternoon have been realized. The fact that Finn is the new owner of the building across the street has reached everyone’s ears. And that he’s been actively pursuing me before revealing who he was is also obvious to everyone.

I glance towards a frazzled looking Randy and smile. “Go back in before you self combust.”

Seeing me so calm has people relaxing and I move to take orders.

I don’t release the smile on my face even when my face starts to hurt, even when I want nothing more than to rage, because there is nothing to get angry over. I don’t know what Finn’s intentions were and now, I don’t want to know. I want nothing to do with him. I do know that if he sets up a chain restaurant in Wicca Springs, it will hurt the businesses of the local people who depend on the tourists to visit them. The three big restaurants we have will suffer. Same would the case if he sets up a renowned coffee house. Or a bar. Or a café. Or a diner.

The door opens and Ben walks in, followed by Danny. They both always have dinner here at the counter, and after they’re seated, I let Stacy take their orders and lean on the counter to talk to Ben.

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