It was Lana’s turn to roll her eyes, but even her sister’s scolding couldn’t keep her down long.
“Oh, my gosh, Veta, it’s him. The cowboy I was just talking about. It’s him!” She grabbed Addie’s hand and clutched it between both of hers while staring out the front windows. Then she released Addie and began smoothing her hair. “Do I look okay?”
“You’re as adorable as ever,” Addie said with a chuckle as she turned to see the cowboy her friend was so enamored with.
Her breath stuck in her throat.
Stepping up to the curb, headed for the front door of the shop was Cade Brody. She glanced at Lana’s pretty, love-struck face and felt a twinge of something burning in her chest. Straightening her posture and pushing the unexpected sensation away, Addie turned back to Cade.
As soon as the door swung open, Cade glanced around the small shop with those startlingly blue eyes. The minute they landed on Addie and the corners of his mouth pulled up in a small grin, it seemed as if all the air had been sucked from the room.
Oh, boy, Addie thought. Get ahold of yourself, girl.
Despite her self-castigation, the moment he stepped up beside her and his scent—musky man with a touch of leather and wide-open spaces—washed over her, her whole body lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Hi,” he said softly and she smiled back at him.
“Hello again,” Lana said before Addie could reply. “Nice to see you again so soon. Couldn’t get enough of our coffee, huh?”
He turned to look at the younger woman. “Hey,” he replied with a friendly grin. “Yeah, the coffee’s pretty good.”
Lana’s mouth curled up and Addie pressed her lips together. Why was she so annoyed by Lana’s flirtation? She’d never had that problem before, and there’d been plenty of opportunities.
“So, Addie, are you going to introduce us?” Lana asked, her eyes glued to Cade. Veta, who was in the kitchen with her husband, cleared her throat loudly, but Lana ignored her.
“Sure,” Addie replied and made the introductions. Ivan and Veta nodded from the back, but Lana’s eyes lit up excitedly and that prickly feeling rose inside Addie once more.
“Well, what can I get for you this time, Cade?” Lana asked.
He glanced at Addie and she pushed back her irritation.
“I was waiting for you,” she said with a small smile, nervous all of a sudden. “I forgot to ask what you wanted.”
He nodded, glanced at the menu, and quickly placed an order for coffee and a hot pastrami sandwich with chips.
Addie ordered her regular BLT and chips. “To go, please.”
Lana frowned slightly as she gave her sister the sandwich orders and began putting the rest together.
Addie shifted her feet and tried to swallow the guilt that thickened her throat. She usually stayed for her meal, but this time they’d have to eat in the truck. She told herself it had nothing to do with Lana and the sharp prickly feeling in Addie’s chest when the younger woman smiled at Cade. It was only because there was so much to do on the farm and they didn’t have time to waste. She needed to give Cade a tour and let him know everything that needed to be done and in what order. Plus, the animals needed feeding, she still had a few thousand words to type before the end of the day, and she would have to make a decent dinner for the both of them. She didn’t have time to sit around here, and neither did Cade.
More customers entered, and Addie and Cade moved aside to wait for their order. He seemed nervous or self-conscious, but she couldn’t understand why. Unless Lana’s smiles and constant glances were the culprits, but she didn’t think so.
“Miss Malory, I…” He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and shifted his feet. “I…need to ask a favor.”
She tilted her head and frowned. “What kind of favor?”
He stared at his boots. “I need…” He paused, his shoulders hunched, but then he straightened his spine and pressed on. “I need to move my truck off the road,” he said. “It’s going to cost enough to fix without having to pay towing and impound fees, too.”
She relaxed, though why she felt relieved she didn’t know. “Sure, I can help you with that.”
His eyes dropped again. “I don’t mean for you to have to pay for it, but…”
“I don’t either,” she said, and he looked up. “If you’re okay with it, I can tow your truck back to my place and you can work on it there. I’ve got lots of tools. I should have what you’ll need.”
Gratitude shone in his eyes once her words finally sunk in. “That’d be great. Thanks.”
Warm tingles danced in her belly, swirling outward in ever-increasing waves, swelling her chest while the rest of her acknowledged just how attracted to him she was. My goodness, he’s like her most favorite candy, ever.
She plastered her own awkward smile on her lips and reminded herself to breathe.
“No problem,” she said, dropping her gaze and working to get her galloping heart under control. His eyes mesmerized her, spoke to her without words, saying things she longed to hear, drowning her in desire.
That’s stupid, she told herself, squeezing her eyelids closed and hoping he didn’t notice her discomfort. You don’t even know him.
“You okay?” he asked, his long fingers gently gripping her arm. Goosebumps raced over her skin and warmth shot through her nerve endings like lightning.
Oh, my gosh!
Quickly getting herself in hand, she turned another big, neighborly smile his way. “Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
A wave of disappointment struck her when he dropped his hand and shrugged shyly. “Don’t know. You seemed…annoyed.”
“By what?” she asked, truly confused now.
“Not sure,” he said, brushing the toe of his boot over the laminate flooring. “But I don’t want you to have second thoughts about the job.”
This time her smile was genuine. “That’s
