Page 55 of A Frosty Flirtation
“Right. And I’ll gladly live with this kitchen for the privilege of being this close to the beach.”
Her head swivels as she looks around. “I’m really impressed with the quality of your work. It looks like you hired professionals.”
“Hanging your shelves was a breeze after this reno,” I say, chuckling.
“I guess so. But in my defense, you’ve never invited me over, so how would I know?”
I tip my head toward her. “That’s true. But I never inviteanyoneover. I’m not much of a host.”
“That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
We fall silent as we eat the pizza. It’s as good as ever, and I can tell Ginger feels the same.
She wipes her lips with a napkin and takes a sip of water. “You know, when I first saw you outside this morning, I thought I was hallucinating. It took my foggy brain a few seconds to process what I was seeing. I still can’t believe you shoveled me out.”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Well, I think it was. That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s done for me.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“Maybe an hour, but it was worth it.”
She looks down at her plate, but not before I see the smile curving her lips. “You’re crazy.”
“Yep, crazy for you.”
Her gaze leaps up to meet mine, and she shakes her head. “And every other woman in this town.”
Ouch. That hurts, but the truth often does.My past is making it hard for her to believe I’m interested in more than a fling. I’llhave to prove to her how I feel since actions will speak louder than any words I could say.
“I understand why you’d say that. My track record sucks, and I’ve earned all the doubts you're feeling,” I tell her.
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding my gaze now. “I shouldn’t have mentioned your past. It was a low blow.”
“No. It’s okay. I have a history to live down. But time will take care of that.”
When the pizza’s gone, I clear our plates away and place them in the dishwasher. “Do you need anything while I’m up?”
“No, thanks.”
I return to my seat. “All right, it’s time to get creative.”
“Do you have any pics of what we’re supposed to be making?”
I grab some papers from the end of the table. “Here are some ideas for winter and holiday-themed signs.”
She takes them from me and looks them over. “This is cute.” She holds up a page with instructions for making a snowman welcome sign.
“That’s a good one because it’s not only for Christmas.”
“Good point. Now I’m making this for sure.”
We dive in, letting inspiration take over. She picks a piece that’s the perfect size for a sign. She starts sketching the snowman, the pencil moving confidently. I grab a block of wood and use stencils to write JOY in big red letters that remind me of the sign the mistletoe was hanging from at the tree farm.
It doesn’t take long before I lose interest in painting and start watching Ginger instead. She’s so focused on each stroke her brush makes. Her bottom lip is caught between her teeth, and her golden hair looks so soft as it falls forward on her shoulders.
