Page 23 of Snowed In With the Maverick
“You already have,” said Seth. “Several times over.”
He leaned casually against the doorframe, the sunlight catching the faint scruff on his jaw and lighting up his easy grin. He looked effortlessly incredible—like he’d just stepped out of a glossy outdoor gear catalog, all rugged charm and confidence.
“Well, thank you again,” Andrea said. “I’m so happy with how it turned out.” And the truth was, every time she walked through the foyer, she experienced a tinge of happiness, not just because of how great it looked, but because Seth had responded so quickly and made it happen for her. The reticence she’d initially felt had melted away. “Shall we?”
Seth’s SUV was just as decked out as his sports car, with rich and earthy-smelling leather seats and a sunroof that let the rays from the wide-open sky pour in. He’d removed the back seats to make room for the prizes they were collecting.
The first stop was Tenacity Feed and Seed, where Mel had promised Andrea an outdoor firepit that would be great for any backyard in the area.
She and Seth carried it out of the store together and slid it into the back of the SUV, their movements easy and coordinated, like they’d been doing this kind of thing as a team forever.
“Where to next?” he asked.
Andrea looked down at the list she’d ripped out of her notebook. “107 Butler Street,” she said. “A handmade bird feeder.”
“That’s just around the corner,” he said.
She sat back in her seat, her fingers brushing the edge of the list, and glanced over as Seth navigated them to the next address. His profile was sharp and effortlessly handsome, the kind that made it hard not to stare. The way he handled the SUV—confident and relaxed, one hand on the wheel—made her feel an unexpected sense of ease, like she could trust him to take them wherever they needed to go.
Over the next hour, they filled the SUV to the brim. For a not-so-prosperous town, the residents and businesses of Tenacity were generous.
Tenacity Grocery donated a gift basket with some items that would be nice to have on hand over the holidays: holiday tea towels and paper napkins, tea lights, crackers, pickled green beans, fruit preserves and bottles of lemon-flavored sparkling water.
One of the women from the sewing circle donated a handmade quilt in rich ochre and marigold fabrics, which must have taken hours to make. Andrea intended to bid on it; it would be a perfect wall hanging for the ranch’s reception area.
“That’s everything,” Andrea said, folding up the list and sliding it in her pocket.
“Looks like it’ll be a successful auction,” said Seth.
“People were so giving. Now, as long as we get people making some bids…”
“Excuse me for a second,” Seth said, gesturing toward the glove compartment in front of her.
Andrea shifted her knees to the side, and as he leaned over, his hand grazed her thigh—a fleeting touch that sent a ripple of heat through her. Her breath caught, and she froze, hyperaware of how close he was, the scent of his cologne mingling with the faint aroma of leather in the car.
His hand lingered for just a second longer than necessary, or maybe she imagined it, but it was enough to make her wish he wouldn’t pull away. Her pulse quickened, betraying the steady calm she tried to maintain as he straightened, his fingers grasping the latch of the glove box.
He pulled out a file folder on top of the stack of insurance papers and vehicle manuals.
“Here,” Seth said, handing Andrea the file folder. She opened it to find a printed gift certificate inside. “Taylor Beef wants to make a contribution.”
Andrea read the text. “A holiday family dinner, featuring a twenty-pound prime rib roast from Taylor Beef, as well as all the trimmings from Jerry’s Catering Company in Bronco Heights, complete with delivery.” She looked up at Seth. “That’s really nice,” she said. “I don’t know that we’ll get any bids that meet the full value of this.”
“We’re glad to pitch in,” Seth said. Andrea knew very well thatwemeantI, but it was sweet that he was including his family, like it was a team effort, making the gesture even sweeter. She felt a pang of something warm and unfamiliar—a mixture of gratitude and admiration for the man who clearly cared about this community and those around him.
When they arrived at Town Hall, Seth didn’t hesitate to unload the gifts, taking on the heaviest items without a second thought. Together, they lugged everything into the storage room, their steps falling into rhythm. Andrea couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly they worked together, and how natural it felt to be by his side.
* * *
As they walked together to the bar to meet Barrett and Brent, Seth took a moment to drink in Andrea’s infectious enthusiasm for the town fundraiser. He’d loved every second of helping her pick up the items, watching her warm and genuine interactions with the people donating items to the auction and seeing her lug baskets and other items with a strength and grit that belied her small stature.
He’d never met a woman like her. Brilliant, accomplished, drop-dead gorgeous and willing to roll up her sleeves and tackle anything, even grunt work like construction projects.
“So tell me about these guys,” Andrea said. “You said Barrett is engaged to Nina Sanchez, right?”
“Correct,” said Seth. “Not sure if you’ve dipped your toe into the town gossip pool yet, but Barrett was accused a few years back of stealing money from the town—money that was meant to support some town improvement initiatives, including an archeological dig. Turns out the money was actually stolen by June Woodson, the wife of the mayor.”
“What?” Andrea said. “Come on. That’s so dramatic.”
