A giddiness overcame her and she wanted to be the one having her hair stroked. How ridiculous that she would feel this way about him. Instead of worrying about Adam leaving town, she would enjoy him while she could. Dakota hurried to her closet to choose something warm and appropriate for the meeting and the biting cold weather.
When she’d pulled on the tan boots and matching coat, she strode into the workroom and chose a dozen ornaments. She wrapped them all in white tissue paper and tucked them snuggly into a box with her label on it.
“Ready when you are.”
*
Adam stroked the soft fur and let his mind wander. He really had to sort out his future and maybe when he finally got these tests done he’d be able to decide. Two offers were on the table for broadcasting jobs for when he chose to retire, plus he still had his sponsorship deals to see through. Would he retire now or would he choose to play on risking a season ending injury if he got a clearance from the doctor? Either way, he had more than enough to keep him busy. But the thing that was really niggling at him the most wasn’t the return to play or the retiring – it was Dakota.
He hadn’t felt such a pull of emotion for a long time. In fact, he didn’t think he’d ever met anyone that managed to get under his skin so easily as she had. It felt right to be with her. They fit together like two gloves, two peas in a pod. Gosh, he was getting corny in his old age.
How could he possibly get involved with her with this health crisis hanging over his head? It wouldn’t be fair to either of them but he couldn’t seem to stay away from her. Seeing the way his mother was affected by his father’s close call with death was something he wouldn’t wish on anyone. Certainly not someone as bubbly and full of life as Dakota. She’d been through enough this past year, even if she tried to brush it off as nothing. It had taken its toll on her. Had he made a mistake asking her out again? Would it be better to stay as friends for now and once his health was sorted out, maybe revisit the idea of a romance? If things went in his favor. And if he didn’t make it back to Seattle.
Life threw curve balls that sometimes were impossible to catch. He really liked her a lot. Probably too much. Not like he could keep out of her way and nor did he want to. The more he saw her, the more he wanted to be with her. Besides, he was standing in for his father with the Grange money raising project and Dakota and her sister had fully entrenched themselves in the planning much to the town’s relief.
He smiled to himself. She was certainly a force to be reckoned with as everyone was finding out. The thought both warmed and saddened him. Once he plucked up the courage to go and get tested, he’d be able to get on with his life – that is if he had one ahead of him to look forward to. Being in denial made it seem as though he was on the outside looking in. Much easier to deal with.
Chapter Eight
“I told you she’d take them.” Adam grinned, seeming more thrilled than she was. “How could she not when you practically sold some on the spot to those two customers?”
“They were pretty excited over them. It’s a great relief.” She breathed the tension from her shoulders and watched Rachel hanging one of her decorations in the window. “Let’s celebrate with pie and coffee, my treat. We can sit outside the coffee shop with Tiny. They don’t mind in the slightest if she’s there. So far everyone in town has made a real fuss of her.”
Adam put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the door. “And you can tell me more about the progress for the Christmas tree auction. Are you planning to put your name in the ballot box to decorate one?”
Dakota said goodbye to Rachel and they stepped out of the warmth. Puffs of condensation blew from her mouth as she spoke. “I’d like to. It might be stretching the finances a bit but if my decorations sell as well as you think they will, I should be able to cover costs. And it would be a great advertising statement for my business too. Mari has important people coming to the gala and if I could garner some interest from them, I might sell more decorations online.”
“I have no doubt you’ll sell plenty.” He rubbed his hands together, blowing his breath between them as the cool breeze whipped off the lake around their legs.
“We can take Tiny home if you’re cold, Adam. It was sweet of you to want to bring her but I’d hate to think we’ll freeze outside when we can be snuggled up inside with our coffee.”
He stared at her horrified. “Seriously? No way you’re leaving this poor animal at home for the sake of a stiff breeze. A hot coffee mug between my hands will be fine, thank you. It’s an invigorating wind, nothing more than I can handle. You seem to forget I grew up in this town and I can take the weather.”
She bit back the laugh that rippled up her throat. Adam was such a softie where her little dog was concerned. It was sweet and Tiny certainly played up to him.
She watched him take Tiny out of the car, adjust her little winter jacket before reaching for her hand to walk to the coffee shop. He spoke to the dog as if she understood every word he said.
One hand in her coat pocket, the other tucked snuggly in Adam’s, Dakota felt more
