Chapter 11
MARCUS
Well, shoot.
Another screwup.
The regret that Marcus experienced when he saw Wynter take off at the rink was excruciating. He’d pushed her too hard. The worst part was that he knew he’d been doing it. He knew if he wasn’t careful that she’d end up running from him, and it would be that much harder to get her to open up to him.
There was something between them. He could feel it. He could see it in her eyes that she felt it, too. Marcus wasn’t a quitter, and that was why he’d shown up here again at her grandmother’s house to help out with the intention of making Wynter see reason.
“Not going to happen, Marcus.”
His next words died in his throat. He’d barely gotten out a hello when Wynter cut him off. “But—”
Wynter stood near the refrigerator, her expression stern.
She had her arms crossed, and she was as far away from him as she could reasonably be while they were both in the kitchen.
Her entire frame was stiff, unyielding. Between their moment at the rink and this moment right here, she’d shut down.
All her walls were up, and she was poised and ready to defend herself.
“For Pete’s sake, Wynter, you can’t tell me you don’t feel it.”
“You’re right.”
For the second time in the last five minutes, Wynter had managed to make him speechless. He gaped at her. “I am?”
Wynter turned her gaze to her toes. They peeked out of her flannel pajama pants. “I’d be lying if I said that there isn’t an attraction. Of course there is. You’re…” She peeked at him and then regret flickered in her eyes. She yanked her gaze from him, clearly hating that their eyes had met.
“I’m what, Wynter?” He whispered the question and moved closer. But when she tensed, he stopped and waited.
“You’re… well, you’re you.”
“I’m… me?”
She groaned and stared at the ceiling. It was as if she needed to look anywhere but at him. Twirling her hand through the air, she gestured in his direction. “You’re the epitome of everything a girl wants.”
Everything a girl wants. But why didn’t she want him? Marcus wanted to smile, revel in this particular confession. But he couldn’t. She wasn’t opening a window; she was shuttering the whole house against a storm. He didn’t have to hear the words. It was in her whole demeanor.
She must have seen something in his expression because she flushed deeply and looked away once again.
“Yes, we have chemistry, but like I already told you, it wouldn’t be smart to cross that line into something more.
We’re friends. We’re good at being friends.
” She sent him a pleading look. “Please don’t ask me for anything more. ”
His heart sank, but not because of her tone or what she was asking of him.
He felt sick to his stomach because he knew he wouldn’t be able to abide by what she was asking. This pull he had with her was like nothing he’d ever experienced before in his lifetime. He couldn’t let her go. Not again. Not ever.
“Marcus?”
He frowned.
“Can you do that?”
He dipped his chin and reached for the tool bag he’d brought with him. She needed time. That was all. He didn’t know how much time she’d need to come to the same realization he had, but he’d give it to her. Hopefully she’d figure it out before she planned to leave.
Marcus kicked at a bucket in the barn back home at Winding Creek Ranch and clenched his hands into fists.
Today had been emotionally draining. Every time he’d heard Wynter laugh at something her grandmother said, it had done something to him.
He’d wanted to join in on the conversation just so he could be close to her.
His whole body practically itched to storm into the room where she’d been and demand she change her mind.
It wasn’t normal and he knew it, which was what kept him from doing something rash. He needed a plan. Something that wouldn’t make her run for the hills screaming.
Or at least something that wouldn’t have Wynter ghosting him and leaving the state like she did last time.
He stood before the toppled bucket, hands on his hips, not focused on anything besides his thoughts, when the sound of footsteps approaching had him lifting his head. Isabelle paused a few feet away, her pointed gaze sliding to the bucket. Then she arched a brow. “Okay…”
Marcus scowled.
“Well, did the bucket deserve it?”
He scoffed. “What do you want, Izzie?”
She folded her arms. “Maybe I don’t want anything. Maybe,” she emphasized, “there’s something I can do for you.”
At first, he didn’t know what she could possibly be talking about. But then it dawned on him, and he turned to face her fully. Of course his sister would want to meddle in his life. That was what sisters did. The problem was, when sisters got involved, it never turned out well.
“Actually, I don’t think there is.”
Isabelle laughed, and he startled at the sound. “Really? Come on, Marcus. You’re clearly losing your cool. And I’m pretty sure I know why. When are you going to admit that you need help getting Wynter back in your good graces?”
“Yeah, no thanks.”
This time she groaned. “I can help.”
“Why?” he demanded. “Why would you want to help?”
His sister clasped her hands together and held them over her heart. “Because I found my person. And…” She hesitated, a faraway look in her eyes for a moment. “I want to help you find yours.”
“What makes you so sure that Wynter is my person?”
When she smiled it was softer, knowing. “Marcus, I’m your sister. I know you well enough to see it. The way you changed when Wynter got back to town. You can’t hide it. So let me help you. Let me do this for you.”
He watched her for a long moment, then glanced over to where he’d kicked at the bucket. “Fine.” Marcus flinched when she squealed, then prayed he wouldn’t regret this.
“Great! Nora and I have a plan.”
Marcus stiffened and faced his sister, his jaw slackened. “Nora?”
Isabelle nodded. “Jason, too. But Jason’s input is more related to his culinary skills.
” She clapped her hands together. “Okay, so here’s the plan.
Jason is going to make a bunch of cookies that we’re going to donate to various places around town.
He’s got the best recipe for frosting, too.
Just wait, it’s like the fluffiest, sweetest frosting in the whole world. It’s like heaven in your mouth and—”
“I get it. The frosting is to die for. But what is the plan?” Marcus rubbed at his temples. Why did he get the feeling that his sister was going to make this out to be a bigger deal than he wanted it to be? She couldn’t possibly understand Wynter’s reasoning for keeping her distance.
“Right. So, here’s the plan. You need to spend time with her, right? More time that’s not…” She looked him up and down. “While you’re working. Think about it. You both need to get to know each other again, and how are you going to do that if your head is under a sink?”
“I’ve been talking to her,” he defended himself. “We…” His brows pinched. “She says she doesn’t want to cross the lines. She doesn’t want to be anything more than friends. How am I supposed to work past that roadblock?”
“She said that?” Isabelle frowned and tapped at her chin. “Okay… so romance. We need to make her want to cross that line.”
Marcus snorted. “You can’t make Wynter do anything. She’s one of the most stubborn people I know. Her sense of self-preservation is… well, you know how she is.”
The look of empathy on his sister’s face was almost enough to have him abandon this whole idea. He wasn’t even sure he wanted her help.
“Oh, stop,” Izzie huffed.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“But you were thinking it. Seriously, Marcus. You can’t give up now.”
“Who says I’m giving up?” he muttered with exasperation.
“This isn’t going to work if your head isn’t in it.”
Marcus threw his hands into the air. “Fine. So what do we do? Are we scrapping the cookie idea?”
“No. But I might have to tweak it a little.” Isabelle pursed her lips to the side, then nodded.
“Yeah. It will still work. But you’re going to need to spend some one-on-one time together.
And we’re going to need more of Nora’s help.
She has to plant the seed in Wynter’s head that you two would be a good fit. ”
Marcus didn’t have much faith in that working, but something was better than nothing. At least he hoped so.
“Anyway, so we’re all going over to Wynter’s place with cookies and frosting.
We’ll all decorate the cookies, and when Nora heads off to bed, Jason and I will leave.
Then you and Wynter can spend some quality time together.
Get back to what you guys were before she went off to college. Can you do that?”
“Even if I do everything right, it’s not going to do any good. Wynter is—”
“Stubborn, I know. But not even Wynter will be able to ignore the connection you have.”
Marcus opened his mouth to point out that Wynter was very aware of their connection, and she still wasn’t having any of it. But Isabelle held up a hand to stop him.
“Don’t argue with me. Don’t act like it won’t work.
We’re playing the long game. Trust me. With Nora’s help, we’re going to help Wynter remember how good you two could be together.
Whatever reasons she has for pushing you away won’t matter when she finally realizes she loves you and can’t live without you. ”
His expression must have given away just how much he didn’t believe her because she scowled and pointed a finger at him.
“If you can’t believe in yourself or us, then it’s not going to work. How long is Wynter going to be in town again?”
“A couple more months.”
“So you have that long to show her how good you are together. That’s plenty of time.”
Marcus wanted to laugh at her optimism. He didn’t feel like he had a chance at all. But then he wasn’t a girl. Maybe Isabelle knew something he didn’t. So he nodded. “Okay. Cookies. Frosting. And romance.”
She smiled brightly at him. “And a little matchmaking magic.”
“And that,” he agreed.
The following day, he wasn’t feeling nearly as confident in himself when he stood on Wynter’s doorstep with a container of cookies.
Isabelle stood beside him with a bowl of frosting, and Jason had a bag filled with sprinkles and other tools to decorate the cookies with.
Marcus nearly bailed, but with his sister and future brother-in-law caging him in, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get far. So he knocked.
Wynter opened the door, and her eyes landed on him first before straying to his companions. Then she glanced at what they held, and her confusion grew. “Hi?”
Thank goodness Isabelle was on top of things.
She stepped forward and handed Wynter the bowl of frosting.
“We came over to decorate some cookies. Marcus said your grandmother thought it would be nice to make some for the folks over at the country club who attend therapy. And then there are a few other businesses that might like some Christmas cheer.” Without waiting for a response, she pushed past Wynter and entered the house.
Jason followed, offering Wynter a small smile, which left Wynter and Marcus in the doorway. He held up the cookies. “Hope it’s okay.”
To his relief, Wynter smiled. “I should have known Grams had something up her sleeve. She’s been a little twitchy all day.”
He chuckled. “If I had known she wasn’t going to tell you, I would have said something.”
“It’s fine.” Wynter gestured for him to enter. “Come on in.”