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“Interesting.” Paisley glanced at him, then returned her attention to Reggie. “Rumor has it one of the Advent events is putting together toiletries kits for a women’s shelter. I thought we could make it a girls’ night out kind of thing. Assuming you can get away.”
Reggie sighed. “Really? You had to go there?”
“I did.” Paisley grinned. “You would have done the same.”
“Maybe. Yes, to the girls’ night out. I’m looking forward to it. You two have fun.”
Reggie pulled Toby along by the arm.
“Sorry about that,” she said when they were outside. “Paisley is a great friend, but she can be a little intrusive sometimes.”
“It’s a small town, Reggie. Someone was going to say something about us hanging out together.”
She looked at him. “You okay with that?”
What he would be okay with was kissing her. Despite the cold and the potential for becoming inspiration for a lot of gossip, he wanted to pull her close and find out how grown-up Reggie was different from the teenage girl he’d known all those years ago.
“I’m fine with it,” he said, taking her hand. While the kissing was tempting, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “Now let’s go get my son. He’ll be freezing and hungry. We can swing by the store and eat a few hand pies.”
“But the store is closed.”
“It is, but I have a key.”
“A man with power. How can I resist?”
Chapter Fifteen
Reggie arrived home frozen to the bone. She let herself in the front door and was immediately greeted by Belle, who demanded a full face rub and lots of reassurance.
“Hey, where’s the wild dog who took on Burt?” she asked, unwinding her scarf.
“She seems to have forgotten her lone moment of bravery.”
Reggie jumped and turned to see her mother walking in from the family room.
“You scared me,” Reggie said, pressing a hand to her chest. “You waited up.”
“It’s nine thirty. I haven’t gone to bed yet.”
Reggie got her breathing under control and took off a couple more layers, then handed her mother a bag.
“Hand pies,” she said. “We stopped by the store and had a snack. Toby sent these home with me for dessert. I’m still hungry, so I could go for one. Want to split them with me?”
Her mother smiled. “Trying to distract me from asking about your date?”
Reggie laughed. “Mom, it wasn’t a date. I met Toby and Harrison for mini golf. That’s hardly romantic.” Which was the truth. The fact that instead Harrison had gone off with his friends while she and Toby had gotten a drink wasn’t something she was going to discuss.
“I was hoping for more,” her mother said, pouring them each a glass of milk and sitting at the kitchen table. Belle took her usual seat, beside Reggie’s chair—just in case something fell.
Reggie pulled out the two pies she’d brought home and handed her mother one. She grabbed a couple of napkins from the dispenser.
“You’re going to need this,” she said. “They’re extra crumbly tonight.”
“I love the hand pies, but they can be messy. And when you get them at the store, all they give is one of those little bakery tissues and a napkin. You really should talk to one of your inventor friends about making some kind of sleeve.”
“I’ll get right on that, Mom.”
“You’re dismissing me, but it’s a good idea. So, no kissing?”
