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Whoever was ringing my doorbell needed to get a life.
Okay, sure, it was a Monday morning and just after nine, so it wasn’t unreasonable for people to be out and about. But it was my only real day off and I’d given myself permission to sleep until ten. Or later.
I’d tried ignoring them, but they weren’t taking a hint. So fine.
I threw my legs over the side of the bed and glanced down. My pajamas were as modest—maybe more—as what a lot of women called workout gear. Bonus, the pants were loose and roomy instead of tight like leggings.
And sure, I wore leggings—were there people who didn’t? But I didn’t kid myself that they were in the running to win any “put together and professional” awards.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I hurried down the stairs, turned the deadbolt, and pulled open the door. “What?”
Cody laughed and held out a coffee cup. “Not a morning person. Check.”
“I can be a morning person. Just not on my day off.” I took the coffee, sipped, then scowled at him. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“It’s a holiday. What we grew up calling Columbus Day, but I’m pretty sure it’s been renamed. Or they’ve added something to it.” Cody shrugged. “I just know I get the day off and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more than spend it with you.”
My heart melted. I stepped back. “Sweet talker. You’d better come inside.”
He grinned and shook the white bakery bag in his other hand. “I also have bear claws.”
My mouth watered. “Dibs on the toes.”
Cody shot me a quizzical look as he passed me and headed into the kitchen.
I closed the door and followed, sipping the coffee as I did so.
Cody had already gotten plates out of the cabinet and was putting them on the table. I reached for the bakery bag, opened it, and breathed in the tantalizing smell of sugar and yeast.
“These are huge.” I reached in and put one on each plate. “They’re not from the café. Where’d you get them?”
“Nuh-uh.” He grinned. “That’s my secret. I don’t need everyone flocking over there and buying all the goods.”
I sat and peeled one of the bear claw “toes” off and popped it in my mouth. It was the perfect combination of crispy outside and chewy inside. I eyed the rest of it. It didn’t look like there were going to be too many pieces with the wrong bread-to-crust ratio. “But if enough people don’t go, they won’t stay in business, and then none of us will get these amazing treats.”
“Hmm.” Cody picked up his pastry and bit in.
I winced.
“What?”
“You don’t—that’s not how you eat these. Ever.”
Cody snorted. “It’s how I eat them.”
“But…but…you just…”
Cody started to laugh. He set his pastry on his plate and clutched his stomach as he cracked up.
“So glad I could amuse you.” I shook my head and pulled off another perfect bite. “You realize this could be a deal breaker, right? But I guess you’re not worried.”
He worked—hard—to rein in his mirth. After several deep breaths, he was down to sparkling eyes. “You’d really dump me because of how I eat a bear claw?”
Would I? I drummed my fingers on the table. “Probably notjustthat. But it’s a definite mark in the negative column, so you’d better watch out, buster.”
He grinned and leaned forward, invading my space. “Tell me more about these columns. What else am I working against? Or, you know, you can fill me in on all the things you do like about me.”
I laughed and waved him back. “Goofball. I’m not feeding your ego.”
