Page 66 of Dreaming About Forever

Had he come to the same realization as she had? Were they two people in love but doomed to be separated?

“Thank you. I guess I’ll just pay for this one, and we can see how your mom and Nora are doing.”

Jordan nodded once and stepped out of the fitting room area. “I’ll wait for you by the register.”

Alicia took a deep breath and walked back to the dressing room. If Jordan felt the same way she did, the barn dance was going to be a night to remember.

23

JORDAN

Clint and Nora whispered in the backseat as Jordan parked the truck in front of the church. The night was pitch black, but the lights from the parking lot shone dimly on the white snow.

“It’s go time,” Clint said as he bolted out of the truck.

Nora didn’t wait for Clint to walk around and get her door, and Alicia had started doing the same. Jordan liked opening her doors, and it was a requirement in most cases for the job.

“What are they doing?” Alicia asked when they met up in front of the truck.

“Forming a strategy.”

Alicia pressed her lips together and stared at Clint and Nora as they walked ahead. “We need a strategy.”

“For cookie decorating?”

Clint and Nora were both competitive, but Jordan only had strong motivation to win if the situation required it.

Protecting clients? Always win.

Recon? Always win.

Battle? Always win.

For years, the majority of his days had been spent in battle mode. It was subtle, but every step had the potential to start a war between the major powers or end lives.

Cookie decorating? He’d like to win, but it wasn’t at the top of his to-do list.

“Yes. I need to show them I can do this. I need to prove to myself that I can do it,” Alicia said.“I feel like I’m being initiated into the town.”

And there was his reason. She wanted to belong here, and he’d make sure she knew she was welcome here. “Then we’ll win. Don’t worry about it.”

“You act like it’s in the bag. I’ve never decorated a cookie before. Have you?”

“Yes, I was an artist in my other life.”

Alicia swatted his chest. “This is serious.”

Jordan suppressed a laugh as he held the church door open for her. “Yes, ma’am.”

They walked into the fellowship hall where teams were already dividing up at tables. Jason and Cassie Keen were paired up. Levi and Ruby Thompson were arranging the cookies and bags of icing at their station. Jordan’s mom and Connie Reynolds were passing out supplies.

Alicia grabbed his hand. “Let’s get a table. We need to form a plan.”

Jordan allowed her to guide him to a table where she studied the bags of colorful icing.

Clearing his throat, Jordan turned to her. “Okay, I might be in over my head. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Alicia jerked her attention up to him, and her ponytail whipped to the side. “What?”

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