Page 72 of Thaw My Heart

She smiles, bringing warmth to her cheeks, taking the mug. “You know, for being such a literal pain in my ass, this is the cutest date I’ve ever been on.”

“Are you finally enjoying it?”

“Maybe,” she purses her lips, taking a sip.

I crack open a can of beer, checking my watch. “In about five minutes, the sun will reach the tallest peak. It’s one of the best views in the county.”

After my mom died, this overlook was one of my favorite places to visit. It was the perfect place to think in the quietness, to lose myself in the surrounding beauty. To look out on everything and realize how small my problems were compared to the mountainous landscape.

No one knows about this place. Except now for Sadie.

“You brought me all the way out here for the view?” Her brows contort in confusion.

I nod, taking a sip.

“You really are a cowboy,” she smirks. “You could’ve had me all to yourself in my little black dress, but you chose this,” she gestures to her outfit.

“This is nice, too.”

“What, my cowgirl outfit?”

I nod. Call me a simple man, but the cowgirl outfit is my preferred look on her.

“I wonder how you’d look in a cowboy hat?” Her eyes intensely focus on my face, like she’s imagining it.

I huff a laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up, Tequila.” One hundred per cent, never going to happen.

“We’ll see,” she smiles. “Although a backwards ballcap does it for me too.”

“Does it?” I tuck that information away for later.

She hums, and we sit in silence for a moment, admiring the view, when I hear her shuffle closer. “Why’d you move back home?”

What a way to ruin a moment. “Sadie…” I hesitate.

“Tell me something real,” she murmurs, moving closer.

“Why?”

“I want to know you better.” Her doe eyes are soft, eager, and patient of all things. Her caramel hair wisps around her face in the breeze. “Please, Kit,” she adds softly when I don’t answer.

As if I could resist the breathy way she says my name.

I sigh, scrubbing my face. “Well, I used to work in construction. Back in San Francisco.”

Her brow rises with interest. “Did you like it?”

“At times.” Until I discovered Dakota’s hobbies. “I was in a serious relationship, for… well, a while.” My voice trails off, taking a moment to track the sun making its way to the peak. “Then I wasn’t, and I came home.”

“Why did it end?” she asks softly.

“I wasn’t enough for her.”

Her hand slides in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze, reminding me of that God-awful dinner. The first time I’d held her hand. But the gesture now feels too warm for someone like her. Unexpected and soft. “You mean all of this personality wasn’t enough?”

A dark laugh escapes my throat. “I guess not.” I take a sip of my beer, washing down bitter thoughts about the past.

“All jokes aside. You’re more than enough, Kit.”