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“I doubt I’d ever fit in there.”
The bell rings at the front of the store, and I squeeze her thin frame one more time before going to the storefront area.
“Welcome to The Sugar Cottage…” My feet skid to a stop on the black-and-white linoleum. “Was I not clear last night?”
Ben holds up his hands and doesn’t approach me. “Lottie sent me. The store got slammed because of the new line of goat cheeses, and since I’m the errand boy, here I am.”
“I’ll be back.” I twirl around in my Converses. In the back, Laurel looks at me, and I groan. “He’s here.”
“Who?”
I cock my hip out to the side. “Really?”
She giggles. “Looks like I should remind you that we do not treat our customers poorly, but in this instance, I’m happy to make an exception.”
I grab the box. “Lottie sent him, and she knows I work here on Saturdays.”
“I think someone is playing games…”
“I think so too.”
“Want a bodyguard?” She places the icing bag down on her tray.
“No, I can handle Ben Noughton.”
If only he didn’t look so good. Seeing him in the flesh isn’t for the faint of heart. He went from a boy with his hat on backward, driving a dirty old pickup truck, to a grown man with wide shoulders and muscles in places I didn’t know you could have muscles. Rather than boyish good looks, he’s handsome, distinguished, and a little too beautiful, if I’m honest. Although my heart still hurts when I see him, I miss my rugged rancher who wasn’t so put together.
“Here you go.” I hold out the box, dodging eye contact.
He takes it from me. “I’m not trying to hound you.”
I take a quick glance, and as always, his puppy dog eyes kill me. I blow out a breath. “I know. I think someone is arranging these meet-ups.”
And I’m going to kill Lottie when I see her next.
His eyes widen as if he just thought about that possibility. “Not unless they have some kind of surveillance on you. I know my family would love for us to get together again, but they’re not that stealthy.”
“My routine isn’t hard. Sure, they’d have to figure out it was my cleaning day for the dentist. But I’m at the library a lot, which could be why Bennett asked you to return Wren’s books. Romy messaged Laurel for us to join her last night at the bar. And Lottie knows I work here on Saturdays.”
His lips press together. “That is a lot of unlikely coincidences.”
“So no, I don’t think you’re seeking me out.” I shuffle my feet and concentrate on the cash register.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to. I really want us to talk, Gillian.”
I glance at him. “I’m just…” How can I say I’m not ready? It’s been over fourteen years. But I’m not sure I’ve ever really processed my feelings about what went down between us. I didn’t really have the luxury, what with being a young single mother and helping to raise my siblings. “Fine.”
“Really?” His brown irises light up. “How about we head to Lincoln?”
“I’d rather stay close.”
He bites his cheek. “I don’t want to be where people will be staring at us. It’s just a reminder.”
He has a point, so I relent with another option. “Hickory then.”
“I’ll take it.”
“During the daytime.”
