Page 137 of Thaw My Heart

“Sadie, this is Mabel, Blake’s Aunt,” I chime in.

Mabel’s eyes light up. “Sadie? Oh, I’ve heard so much about you. Blake just adores you.”

Sadie’s cheeks flush pink. “I umm… I adore him, too.” Her eyes flash to mine. “Differently, of course, I⁠—”

“It’s okay,” I smile.

“This sounds like a call for a cinnamon hearth roll. On the house,” Mabel winks, taking off towards the kitchen.

Sadie’s eyes brighten with excitement. “That sounds like it’s my new favorite thing.”

I laugh, knowing it probably will be. There’s nothing quite like Mabel’s homemade cinnamon rolls.

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” she asks.

“Eating cinnamon rolls?”

She laughs. “No, I mean, taking today off. Indulging in sugary treats and emotional support pastries.”

I reach for her hand across the table, holding it steady. “If anyone saw you working today, they’d tell you to get lost.” She snorts. “I’m serious. You need time to get your mind off things. There’ll be plenty of work tomorrow. And you deserve days like this, Sadie.”

She wrestles with her thoughts, dropping her chin to her chest. “I hate that everyone thinks you did this. Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Everyone in this town cares about one another.” Something I’ve never truly appreciated until now. Gossip aside, we’ve always been the kind of town to stick up for one another. “You’re one of us now.”

She smiles at that, deciding to try the elk and mushroom pot pie. Devouring it shortly after it arrives, licking off every golden flaky crumb that sticks to her fingers. She bravely wants to try a spoonful of my chili, but the moment the spices sink into her tongue, she instantly regrets it.

“Damn, Cowboy! How do you eat that?” She desperately gulps down her glass of water, pouring another. “That tastes like fire!”

“I like things hot,” I smirk at her.

After ordering Sadie a glass of milk to quench the flames, we laugh and talk like this is something we’ve done for years. I used to fear having dates in town, wanting to steer clear of gossip and avoid boring conversations with people I didn’t particularly feel like talking to. But now I can’t wait to show Sadie more of what Aspen Hollow has to offer. To have more days just like this that make her smile. Something I’ll have to make a point to do when I become the new ranch owner.

A familiar figure in my peripheral vision startles me.

My cousin Cash Harlow walks through the door with a smile before heading to the bar, gesturing for me to come over. Sadie hasn’t noticed, so I excuse myself to pay the bill, not wanting to cause her any stress.

Whatever he wants from me wouldn’t be any good.

“Don’t you have better things to do than hang out in Aspen Hollow?” I glare at him as he downs a shot, placing money on the counter for the bill.

He turns to me with a smile, licking his lips. “So that’s why you wouldn’t let me dance with her,” he nods to Sadie, still blissfully unaware. “Didn’t know you two were a thing.”

“We weren’t—we are now. Look, is there some kind of reason you’re still here?” And not far away in New York, wasting someone else’s time.

“My dad has cancer. I’m visiting,” he smiles.

“Bullshit.” He wouldn’t care if Cole was run over in the street. In fact, he’d probably do it himself. “What’s the real reason?”

Cash leans casually against the bar, letting out a sigh. “Well, I was here to see Cole. Make sure the old man is still breathing. But then I saw your truck and remembered that we still had things to talk about,” he smiles with the corner of his mouth.

“We haven’t had things to talk about in twenty years.”

He chuckles, running a hand through his golden hair. Hair just like Annie used to have before it went white. “Yeah, maybe, but we definitely do now.” He stands up straighter, adjusting his suit jacket. “I’m here to make a deal with you. One you’re going to like.”

“Like I’d make a deal with you,” I scoff.

“I want Lone Pine.”