Page 51 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

When I turn around, she’s sitting on the couch—her knees pulled up under my shirt and her chin resting on them. Her eyes are barely open.

“Yeah, let me grab a pillow and blanket off my bed. And I’ll light a fire for you before I leave.”

When I come out of the bedroom, she’s curled into a little ball on the couch. I want to curl up with her and pull her to my body.

“Elle?” I whisper as I cover her with the blanket. She’s already asleep. I lift her head gently and slide a pillow underneath it. She stirs for a second as she grabs the blanket and pulls it up over her face. All I can see is a few strands of blonde hair popping out.

After I get a fire going, I call into Izzy’s to place our order. When I leave, Elle’s still fast asleep.

* * *

As I walk into Izzy’s, I see a woman with bright blue hair leaning on the bar. I didn’t get a great look at Kit’s face before I bailed out of the wedding, but there’s no mistaking that hair.

“Oh, here’s Nash. He might know where she is,” Gabi says, pointing over to me.

“Kidnapper?” Kit spins around as her face lights up with a wicked grin.

“You must be Kit.” I laugh as I walk over to her. “I enjoyed your rendition of “Jingle Bells” yesterday.”

“Thank you. It was some of my finest work.” Her eyes scan my body slowly. “You’re really tall. Elle didn’t mention that. And big. I like big. Your shoulders are . . . Take off your coat for a second.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Elle’s told me enough stories about you to know that you’re generally up to no good.”

She leans back against the bar. “No matter how she tells the stories, every bit of trouble we got into was her idea. I was just her loyal servant.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” I say. “Does she know you’re here?”

“I’ve been trying to text her all morning. I’m not getting any reply. Do you know where she is?”

“Oh yeah. I don’t think she has her phone with her. We just got done sledding.”

“You were sledding? How romantic,” Kit says, raising her eyebrows. “What’s next? Taking her ice skating on the pond?”

Gabi laughs as she walks around the bar with my two lunches. She swats my hand when I try to take them from her. “She’s at your house, isn’t she? I wondered why you ordered a salad.”

“Yeah, I mean, she got wet in the snow—”

“Oh my God! Did you have to dry her clothes?” Kit says, looking from me to Gabi. They exchange nods. “Is she naked at your house right now, Nash?”

“No!” I take a step back from them. “I mean, she’s wearing some of my clothes. Her clothes are in the dryer.”

“Wow, well that’s definitely the start of a porn movie,” Gabi says. “Nice work. Did you push her off the sled so her clothes would get wet?”

“No! She rolled off on her own. Wait, why am I explaining myself?” I point back and forth between them. “You two are no good for each other. Stop talking.”

“He gets flustered when he talks about her,” Gabi says, looking at Kit. “I noticed it yesterday.”

“Hmm,” Kit says, looking at me and nodding.

“I’m not flustered!” I grab the lunches out of Gabi’s hands. “Kit, why don’t you come back to my house? You can see for yourself that everything’s completely innocent.”

“Now, he’s trying to add me to the mix,” she says, looking at Gabi.

“Go easy on him. I’m not sure he can handle both of you.” Gabi laughs as she heads back into the kitchen.

“I’m not trying to add you to the mix,” I say, taking her coat and helping her into it. “There’s no mix. Just innocent sledding.”

“Okay, if you say so.” She smiles up at me. “You’re polite, too. That’s another point for you.”

---