Page 32 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

The punch to her gut had her doubling over.

After staying with her dad, brother, and nephew for a little while, she’d gone into town for ice cream. The server had recognized her and spread the word to his friends. Since she didn’t want the paparazzi to infiltrate her family’s beautiful life, she’d gone home to Nashville. But she’d found Landon and Cissy had been living there. When she’d tried to kick them out, he’d said he’d talked to a lawyer who’d suggested they had a common law marriage, so he was entitled to half her net worth—including the house.

But that threat didn’t compare to hearing the creak on the stairs and watching Cissy come down them with her pregnant belly.

Her ex and her former best friend were having a baby.

It was devastating. Within seconds of finding out, she’d texted her manager for the address to this cabin. And she’d run.

She didn’t remember a single moment of the journey, but when she didn’t find a lock box, she’d become frantic to get in. Almost as if a horde of villagers had been chasing her.

She had to seek shelter because she knew the moment she left the cabin and reentered the real world, she’d see pictures of the happy family. Landon holding his baby. The vision hit like a rock to her spine, the pain shooting through her entire body.

But hiding didn’t change the reality. They had a baby. They were a family.

She’d meant nothing to them.

She wasn’t sure how to get over that, but what else could she do but take it one day at a time?

When she heard a commotion outside, she hurried over to the back door, opening it to see the top of a Douglas fir. “Oh, yay. You got it.” She stepped aside to give him room.

He brought it straight through to the living room. “Where do you want it?”

She clapped her hands over her mouth. “It’s magnificent.” The scent of pine filled the cabin. “And it smells so good. But how will it stand?”

“I made a base for it.” With the toe of his boot, he tapped the planks of wood he’d nailed to the bottom. “It won’t last long since it doesn’t have water, but maybe I can figure something out.”

He was just standing there, waiting for her answer, so she hurried to the corner of the room and unplugged the Tiffany lamp. “Let’s put it here. That way, we can see it right when we come out of the bedroom.”

He looked at her strangely.

“What?” What had she said? She realized a moment too late she’d made it sound like they were living together, like boyfriend and girlfriend. She sounded delusional. He probably thought he’d wake up to her wearing an apron and smeared lipstick, her eyes wide, and a kitchen knife behind her back.Oh, God.

Mortified, she focused on the clumps of snow that had fallen off the branches and landed on the floor, melting into little pools. “I’ll get a towel.” She rushed out of the room. “You need anything?”

“I’ll take a dark roast if you have it. Thanks.”

Oh, shoot. He hadn’t taught her how to use the French press yet. “But you don’t like my pods.”

“As long as it’s hot, my frozen fingers will like them just fine.”

“I have some hot chocolate ones. Would you rather have that?”

“Coffee.”

“Okey-dokey.” Fortunately, he wasn’t being weird about it, so she could just let it go.

He knows what I meant.

And he chopped down a tree for me. She’d resigned herself to missing her very first Christmas, but Slick had delivered it to her. How incredibly thoughtful and kind.

Make the coffee.She sorted through the basket, setting aside her favorite, Mocha Creamy Caramel. All these flavors would make him cringe. “How about Jelly Donut?” she called, just to see his expression. “Doesn’t that sound good?”

“I didn’t buy any donuts.”

“No, I meant coffee. It’s really good.” She bit back her laughter.

“If you don’t have dark roast, I’ll pass.”

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